To provide an operation control device and its method of a reciprocating compressor for a refrigerator housing a linear motor wherein the lowering of operation efficiency due to fluctuation of operation load of the refrigerator is reduced, and a predetermined stroke is performed with high efficiency at all times.

This device controls the operation of the reciprocating compressor 400 for a refrigerator for controlling cooling by an on/off operation of a TRIAC (triode AC switch), making the stroke variable. The operation control device of the reciprocating compressor for a refrigerator housing a linear motor comprises a first capacitor C1 for attenuating inductance of a coil wound on a motor M itself, a second capacitor C2 connected in parallel to the capacitor C1, a relay RY turned on/off connected in series to the second capacitor C2, and a microcomputer 406 for outputting a control signal for turning the relay RY on/off by the driving load of the refrigerator.