Goro Hasegawa (19 October 1932 – 20 June 2016) was a Japanese game designer known for creating the board game Othello.

Biography

Born in Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture, Hasegawa created the strategy game Othello around 1949 while a high school student in Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture.[1][2] Hasegawa was an enthusiast of the traditional game Go, and he developed a prototype of Othello using Go stones and milk-bottle tops.[1] The distinctive black and white discs were inspired by Go pieces.[1] He named this new game "Othello", a name inspired by the Shakespearean play.[1][2]

After graduating, Hasegawa worked for a medical company.[1][2] In 1973, he successfully pitched the game to Japanese toy company Tsukuda Corporation, which mass-produced it.[1][2][3] The game became popular in Japan, and Hasegawa facilitated its growth by organizing tournaments and serving as head of the national Othello association.[1][2]

At his death, Hasegawa resided in Kashiwa, Japan.[4] During his lifetime, he authored several books on Othello strategy.[1][5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Slotnik, Daniel E. (June 25, 2016). "Goro Hasegawa, Creator of Othello Board Game, Dies at 83". The New York Times. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Kikuchi, Daisuke (June 23, 2016). "Goro Hasegawa, inventor of board game Othello, dies at 83". The Japan Times. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Board champion keeps one move ahead". Coventry Live. November 9, 2004. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  4. ↑ Kageyama, Yuri (June 27, 2016). "Goro Hasegawa created the popular Othello board game". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Goro Hasegawa, who helped invent the Othello board game, dies at 83". The Washington Post. 2016-06-23. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
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