laying stones flat (in gardens)
Refers to the technique of placing stones flat on the ground in Japanese gardens, often contrasted with 立て石 (upright stones).
See also: 立て石
In Japanese gardens, flat-laid stones and upright stones are combined to create the landscape.
method for assigning colors to players (Othello)
In the board game Othello, a method where one player hides a stone in each hand and the other chooses a hand to determine who plays black or white.
Before an Othello game, the first and second players are sometimes decided by the stone-hiding method.
Compound of 伏せ (fuse, 'laying face down') + 石 (ishi, 'stone'). The Othello sense derives from the action of hiding stones in one's hands.