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Nine Men's Morris
Nine Men's Morris is an ancient strategy game with boards carved by the Romans and popular across medieval Europe. Two players each control nine pieces on a board of three nested squares connected by lines. The goal is to form rows of three, called mills, to capture enemy pieces.
Nine Men's Morris Rules
The board has 24 points where lines meet. The game begins in the placing phase: players take turns putting their nine pieces one at a time onto any empty point. Whenever you complete a mill — three of your pieces in a row along a line — you remove one of your opponent's pieces.
After all eighteen pieces are placed, the moving phase begins. On a turn you slide one piece to an adjacent connected point. Forming a new mill again lets you remove an enemy piece. You normally cannot remove a piece that is part of a mill unless no other pieces are available.
A common rule gives a side reduced to exactly three pieces the ability to fly, moving any piece to any empty point instead of only adjacent ones. You win by reducing your opponent to two pieces, so they can no longer form a mill, or by leaving them with no legal move.
Nine Men's Morris Strategy & Tips
Build a swinging mill
The strongest setup lets you open a mill and close it again on the next turn by moving one piece back and forth. Each cycle captures an enemy piece for free.
Control the four crosspoints
Points connected to four lines are the most flexible. Occupy them in the placing phase to maximize the mills you can threaten.
Block while you place
During placement, watch for the opponent's two-in-a-row and deny the third point. Stopping their mill is often worth more than starting your own.
Restrict mobility for the win
In the endgame, trapping pieces so the opponent has no legal move wins outright. Push their pieces into corners and clog their escape points.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a mill in Nine Men's Morris?
A mill is three of your own pieces lined up along one of the board's straight lines. Forming a mill lets you remove one of your opponent's pieces from the board.
How do you win Nine Men's Morris?
Reduce your opponent to two pieces so they can no longer make a mill, or block them so they have no legal move on their turn.
What does flying mean in Nine Men's Morris?
Under a common rule, once a player is down to three pieces they may 'fly' — move any of their pieces to any empty point instead of only to an adjacent one, giving the losing side a fighting chance.
Can you take a piece that is in a mill?
Normally no. When you complete a mill you must remove an opposing piece that is not part of a mill — unless all the opponent's remaining pieces are in mills, in which case any may be taken.