How to Play Nine Men's Morris: Rules and Board
In Nine Men's Morris each player has 9 pieces. First you take turns placing them on the 24 points of the board, then you slide them along the lines to a neighbouring empty point. Three of your pieces in a row along a line make a mill, which lets you take one of your opponent's pieces. You win when your opponent is down to two pieces or can't move.
The board
The board is three nested squares joined by four lines through the middles of their sides: 24 points where pieces stand. Points at the middles of the sides join up to four neighbours; corners join only two.
- Two players: White and Black, 9 pieces each.
- White moves first.
- Play Nine Men's Morris online against Hops or a friend.
Phase 1: placing
Take turns putting one piece on any empty point until all 18 pieces are on the board. Even while placing, three in a row makes a mill.
Phase 2: moving
Now take turns sliding one of your pieces along a line to a neighbouring empty point. You can't jump over pieces. If you have no legal move on your turn, you lose.
Mills and taking pieces
- A mill is three of your pieces in a row along one line (across or down, not diagonally).
- When you close a mill, take one of your opponent's pieces off the board.
- You may not take a piece that is in a mill, unless all of their pieces are in mills.
- Opening a mill and closing it again on a later move counts as a new mill.
Flying
When a player is down to three pieces, they may fly: move a piece to any empty point, not just a neighbouring one. Flying makes an endgame much harder to win, so it's a common house rule to play without it (GameLake has a No flying switch).
How the game ends
| Ending | Result |
|---|---|
| Opponent has 2 pieces | You win |
| Opponent has no legal move | You win |
| The same position three times | Draw |
| 50 moves without a mill | Draw |
Frequently asked questions
How many pieces does each player get?
Nine each, which gives the game its name. Twelve Men's Morris uses twelve pieces on a board with diagonals.
Can you take a piece from a mill?
Only if every one of your opponent's pieces is in a mill.
What is flying in Nine Men's Morris?
With only three pieces left, a player may move a piece to any empty point. Many players switch it off.
Who moves first?
White. On GameLake you play White against Hops; online the colours swap each game.