The '''World Othello Championship''' (WOC) is the annual world championship tournament in the board game Othello, organised by the World Othello Federation (WOF) and its member national federations. The first WOC was held in Tokyo in 1977 with representatives from five countries, and has since grown into an international competition attracting players from dozens of nations around the world.<ref name="wof-about">https://www.worldothello.org/about/tournaments/world-othello-championship</ref>
== Overview == The World Othello Championship typically takes place over several days and determines titles including the World Othello Champion, the Women’s World Othello Champion, the Youth World Othello Champion, and team champions. The tournament format usually includes multiple rounds of play where competitors meet in a Swiss or round‑robin system to determine final standings.<ref name="woc-rules">https://woc2024.worldothello.org/woc-registration/woc-rules</ref>
The championship is open to players from all WOF member nations, with federations entitled to send a set number of competitors. In recent years the number of participants has reached around 90–100 players, reflecting the growing global interest in competitive Othello. The event is also often hosted in conjunction with other WOF activities such as annual general meetings or confederation events.<ref name="wof-series">https://www.worldothello.org/about/tournaments/world-othello-championship-series</ref>
== History == The first World Othello Championship was contested in Tokyo, Japan in 1977, with Hiroshi Inoue becoming the inaugural world champion. Early editions of the tournament featured a small number of competitors, but by the late 1980s the event expanded to include players from over 20 countries and added team competition categories.<ref name="wof-about"/>
Throughout its history, the World Othello Championship has been hosted in a variety of countries and regions. For example, the 2024 championship was held in Hangzhou, China, where Seiya Kurita emerged as the World Othello Champion after finishing atop the standings in a field of international competitors.<ref name="woc2024">https://othello.asn.au/news/world-othello-championship-2024/</ref>
Over time the organisation of the championship became more formalised under the World Othello Federation, which was established in 2005 to promote the game worldwide and oversee international competitions. The WOF continues to coordinate the annual championship along with regional and confederation Othello events to foster competitive play at all levels.<ref name="wof-history">https://www.worldothello.org/about</ref>
==Results== The World Othello Championship (WOC), which started in 1977, was first organized by the Japan Othello Association. From 1978 until 2004, the World Othello Championship was organized by the Othello TD group and Anjar Co. In 2005, the World Othello Federation took over the responsibility for the WOC.
From 1977 to 1986, each country could send one player to participate in the WOC. From 1987, each country could send up to three players to participate. In 1987, the title WOC team championship started. In 2005, a female championship category was added to the WOC. From 2006, each World Othello Federation member could send a full team of up to four players. In 2016, a youth champion title was added to the WOC.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Othello Championship :: World Othello Federation |url=https://www.worldothello.org/about/tournaments/world-othello-championship |access-date=2021-06-21 |website=worldothello.org}}</ref> The WOC was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
{| class="wikitable" ! Year ! Location ! World Champion ! Team ! Runner-up ! Female Champion ! Youth Champion |- | 1977 || Tokyo || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Hiroshi Inoue || {{n/a}} || {{Flagicon|NOR}} Thomas Heiberg || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 1978 || New York City || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Hidenori Maruoka || {{n/a}} || {{flagicon|USA}} Carol Jacobs || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 1979 || Rome || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Hiroshi Inoue || {{n/a}} || {{flagicon|USA}} Jonathan Cerf || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 1980 || London || {{flagicon|USA}} Jonathan Cerf || {{n/a}} || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Takuya Mimura || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 1981 || Brussels || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Hidenori Maruoka || {{n/a}} || {{flagicon|USA}} Brian Rose || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 1982 || Stockholm || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Kunihiko Tanida || {{n/a}} || {{flagicon|USA}} David Shaman || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 1983 || Paris || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Ken'Ichi Ishii || {{n/a}} || {{Flagicon|GBR}} Imre Leader || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 1984 || Melbourne || {{flagicon|FRA}} Paul Ralle || {{n/a}} || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Ryoichi Taniguchi || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 1985 || Athens || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Masaki Takizawa || {{n/a}} || {{Flagicon|ITA}} Paolo Ghirardato || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 1986 || Tokyo || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Hideshi Tamenori || {{n/a}} || {{flagicon|FRA}} Paul Ralle || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 1987 || Milan || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Ken'Ichi Ishii || {{flagicon|USA}} United States || {{flagicon|FRA}} Paul Ralle || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 1988 || Paris || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Hideshi Tamenori || {{Flagicon|GBR}} United Kingdom || {{Flagicon|GBR}} Graham Brightwell || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 1989 || Warsaw || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Hideshi Tamenori || {{Flagicon|GBR}} United Kingdom || {{Flagicon|GBR}} Graham Brightwell || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 1990 || Stockholm || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Hideshi Tamenori || {{flagicon|FRA}} France || {{flagicon|FRA}} Didier Piau || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 1991 || New York City || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Shigeru Kaneda || {{flagicon|USA}} United States || {{flagicon|FRA}} Paul Ralle || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 1992 || Barcelona || {{flagicon|FRA}} Marc Tastet || {{Flagicon|GBR}} United Kingdom || {{Flagicon|GBR}} David Shaman || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 1993 || London || {{flagicon|USA}} David Shaman || {{flagicon|USA}} United States || {{flagicon|FRA}} Emmanuel Caspard || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 1994 || Paris || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Masaki Takizawa || {{flagicon|FRA}} France || {{Flagicon|DEN}} Karsten Feldborg || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 1995 || Melbourne || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Hideshi Tamenori || {{flagicon|USA}} United States || {{flagicon|USA}} David Shaman || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 1996 || Tokyo || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Takeshi Murakami || {{Flagicon|GBR}} United Kingdom || {{flagicon|FRA}} Stéphane Nicolet || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 1997 || Athens || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Makoto Suekuni || {{Flagicon|GBR}} United Kingdom || {{Flagicon|GBR}} Graham Brightwell || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 1998 || Barcelona || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Takeshi Murakami || {{flagicon|FRA}} France || {{flagicon|FRA}} Emmanuel Caspard || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 1999 || Milan || {{Flagicon|NLD}} David Shaman || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Japan || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Tetsuya Nakajima || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 2000 || Copenhagen || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Takeshi Murakami || {{flagicon|USA}} United States || {{flagicon|USA}} Brian Rose || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 2001 || New York City || {{flagicon|USA}} Brian Rose || {{flagicon|USA}} United States || {{flagicon|USA}} Raphael Schreiber || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 2002 || Amsterdam || {{Flagicon|NLD}} David Shaman || {{flagicon|USA}} United States || {{flagicon|USA}} Ben Seeley || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 2003 || Stockholm || {{flagicon|USA}} Ben Seeley || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Japan || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Makoto Suekuni || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 2004 || London || {{flagicon|USA}} Ben Seeley || {{flagicon|USA}} United States || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Makoto Suekuni || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- | 2005 || Reykjavík || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Hideshi Tamenori || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Japan || {{Flagicon|KOR}} Kwangwook Lee || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Hisako Kinoshita || {{n/a}} |- | 2006 || Mito || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Hideshi Tamenori || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Japan || {{Flagicon|SGP}} Makoto Suekuni<ref>{{Cite web |title=2006.htm |url=https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1PS6K7_v7hhEjTpK_fnRxxnVgw8fk6ucnuavAeAVI8hE}}</ref> || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Toshimi Tsuji || {{n/a}} |- | 2007 || Athens || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Kenta Tominaga || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Japan || {{flagicon|FRA}} Stéphane Nicolet || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Yukiko Tatsumi || {{n/a}} |- | 2008 || Oslo || {{Flagicon|ITA}} Michele Borassi || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Japan || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Tamaki Miyaoka || {{Flagicon|GER}} Liya Ye || {{n/a}} |- | 2009 || Ghent || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Yusuke Takanashi || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Japan || {{Flagicon|GER}} Matthias Berg || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Mei Urashima || {{n/a}} |- | 2010 || Rome || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Yusuke Takanashi || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Japan || {{Flagicon|ITA}} Michele Borassi || {{Flagicon|NED}} Jiska Helmes || {{n/a}} |- | 2011 || Newark || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Hiroki Nobukawa || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Japan || {{Flagicon|THA}} Piyanat Aunchulee || {{Flagicon|USA}} Jian Cai || {{n/a}} |- | 2012 || Leeuwarden || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Yusuke Takanashi || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Japan || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Kazuki Okamoto || {{Flagicon|SWE}} Veronica Stenberg || {{n/a}} |- | 2013 || Stockholm || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Kazuki Okamoto || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Japan || {{Flagicon|THA}} Piyanat Aunchulee || {{Flagicon|FIN}} Katie Wu || {{n/a}} |- | 2014 || Bangkok || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Makoto Suekuni || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Japan || {{flagicon|USA}} Ben Seeley || {{Flagicon|AUS}} Joanna William || {{n/a}} |- | 2015 || Cambridge || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Yusuke Takanashi || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Japan || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Makoto Suekuni || {{flagicon|USA}} Yoko Sano Rose || {{n/a}} |- | 2016 || Mito || {{Flagicon|THA}} Piyanat Aunchulee || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Japan || {{Flagicon|CHN}} Yan Song || {{Flagicon|CHN}} Zhen Dong || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Masaki Wada |- | 2017 || Ghent || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Yusuke Takanashi || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Japan || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Akihiro Takahashi || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Misa Sugawara || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Akihiro Takahashi |- | 2018 || Prague || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Keisuke Fukuchi || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Japan || {{Flagicon|THA}} Piyanat Aunchulee || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Misa Sugawara || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Keisuke Fukuchi |- | 2019 || Tokyo || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Akihiro Takahashi || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Japan || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Yusuke Takanashi || {{Flagicon|AUS}} Joanna William || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Akihiro Takahashi |- |2020 |Cancelled | | | |- |2021 |Cancelled | | | | | |- | 2022<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Othello |url=https://woc2022.worldothello.org/live/}}</ref> || Paris || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Kento Urano || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Japan || {{Flagicon|SWI}} Arthur Juigner || {{Flagicon|FIN}} Katie Pihlajapuro || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Fuyumi Okudaira |- | 2023<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Othello |url=https://woc2023.worldothello.org/live/}}</ref> || Rome || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Yasushi Nagano || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Japan || {{Flagicon|THA}} Rujipas Aunchulee || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Hisako Kinoshita || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Osuke Kawazoe |- | 2024<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Othello |url=https://woc2024.worldothello.org/live/}}</ref> || Hangzhou || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Seiya Kurita || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Japan || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Yusuke Takanashi || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Hisako Kinoshita || {{Flagicon|JPN}} Yo Tomita |- |2025<ref>{{Cite web |title=WOC 2025, third day results |url=https://woc2025.worldothello.org/live/ |access-date=2026-05-29 |website=woc2025.worldothello.org}}</ref> |Ankara |{{Flagicon|JPN}} Seiya Kurita |{{Flagicon|JPN}} Japan |{{Flagicon|JPN}} Yusuke Takanashi | {{Flagicon|JPN}} Miu Hisamatsu | {{Flagicon|SGP}} Calvin Koh Ding Sheng |}
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == * Official site of the World Othello Federation – https://www.worldothello.org
Category:Reversi competitions Othello Category:Recurring sporting events established in 1977