Nine Men's Morris Strategy: How to Win
To win Nine Men's Morris, take the crossing points while placing (the middles of the sides join four lines), block your opponent's two-in-a-rows instead of rushing your own mills, and aim for a double mill: a piece that slides back and forth between two mills takes a piece every move. Above all, keep your pieces able to move; a player who can't move loses.
Placing: position beats mills
In the placing phase it's tempting to make a mill straight away, but a quick mill usually leaves your pieces bunched and stuck. Strong players place for mobility: points at the middles of the sides touch four neighbours, corners only two.
| Point type | Neighbours | Value while placing |
|---|---|---|
| Middle of the middle square's sides | 4 | Best |
| Middle of the outer or inner sides | 3 | Good |
| Corners | 2 | Weakest |
Every time your opponent has two in a row with the third point empty, block it unless you can close a mill of your own first.
The double mill
A double mill (also called a running mill) is a shape where one piece can slide out of one mill and into another. Every move then closes a mill and takes a piece, and your opponent can rarely stop it. Building one in the moving phase usually wins the game.
- Set up two lines that share a point, each with two of your pieces.
- Slide the shared piece back and forth.
- Take a piece every move; target the pieces that could block you.
Moving: keep space
- Count your legal moves: if you're nearly blocked, open space before going for mills.
- Trap pieces: surround your opponent's pieces so they run out of moves; that wins even with fewer pieces of your own.
- Take blockers first: when you close a mill, remove the piece that stops your next mill.
Endgame with flying
When your opponent can fly, they can block any mill anywhere, so you need two threats at once: two lines each one move from a mill. They can only block one. If flying is off, trapping becomes the main weapon.
Practise against Hops on Hard in Nine Men's Morris, and press Teach me to see his move and the reason for it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best opening in Nine Men's Morris?
There's no single best move, but placing on the middle points of the sides, especially the middle square, keeps the most options open.
Is Nine Men's Morris solved?
Yes: with perfect play from both sides the game is a draw, as computers showed in the 1990s.
How do you stop a double mill?
Block it before it forms: watch for two lines of two that share an empty point, and put a piece there.
Should you always make a mill when you can?
Usually, yes in the moving phase. In the placing phase, blocking your opponent or taking a good point is often better.