Nine Men’s Morris is one of the oldest board games known to humanity. Boards have been found carved into the roofing slabs of an ancient Egyptian temple at Kurna (dating to around 1400 BCE), scratched into Roman fort floors across Europe, and etched into medieval cathedral cloisters. If a game survives 3,000 years, it’s doing something right.

The Board

The board consists of three concentric squares connected by lines at the midpoints of each side, creating 24 intersection points where pieces can be placed.

Think of it as three nested rectangles with bridges linking them. Every point where two lines meet is a valid position for a piece.

How to Play

The game has three distinct phases, each with its own feel and rhythm.

Phase 1: Placing

Players take turns placing one piece at a time on any empty point. Each player has nine pieces (hence the name). During this phase, you’re trying to form mills while preventing your opponent from doing the same.

A mill is three of your pieces in a straight line along one of the board’s lines.

When you form a mill, you may remove one of your opponent’s pieces from the board — but you cannot remove a piece that is currently part of a mill (unless no other pieces are available).

This phase ends when all 18 pieces have been placed.

Phase 2: Moving

Once all pieces are on the board, players take turns sliding one piece along a line to an adjacent empty point.

The goal remains the same: form mills to remove your opponent’s pieces. You can open and close the same mill repeatedly — slide a piece out of a mill on one turn, then slide it back on a later turn to reform the mill and capture again.

Phase 3: Flying

When a player is reduced to only three pieces, that player gains the ability to fly — moving a piece to any empty point on the board, not just adjacent ones.

This makes the weaker player surprisingly dangerous. Three pieces that can fly are very hard to pin down and can form mills from anywhere.

Winning and Losing

You win by reducing your opponent to two pieces (they can no longer form a mill) or by blocking all of their pieces so they have no legal move.

Winning Strategy

1. Prioritize Intersections

The points where lines from different squares meet — the midpoints connecting the three concentric squares — are the most powerful positions on the board. A piece at an intersection can participate in mills along multiple lines.

During placement, claim these intersection points early. They give you the most flexibility to form and reform mills.

2. Build Double Mills

A double mill (sometimes called a “running mill”) is a configuration where sliding one piece back and forth between two positions alternately opens and closes two different mills.

This is the most powerful structure in the game. Every other turn, you capture an opponent’s piece, and there’s nothing they can do to stop it. Building a double mill should be your primary strategic goal.

3. Keep Pieces Connected

Pieces that are adjacent to each other along a line are harder for your opponent to isolate and easier to reorganize into mills. Scattered pieces that aren’t connected to anything are dead weight.

When placing and moving, think about which of your pieces can work together. A cluster of pieces near an intersection has far more mill potential than pieces spread across the board.

4. Block Before You Build

Sometimes preventing your opponent’s mill is more important than building your own. If your opponent is one piece away from a mill, placing or moving into the blocking position takes priority.

Pay special attention to double mill threats — if your opponent sets up a double mill, the game is often already decided.

5. Control the Transition to Phase 2

The move from placing to sliding is a critical moment. Before placing your last piece, look at the board and think about which pieces will be mobile and which will be stuck.

Ideally, your last placement should complete a mill or create a strong sliding position. The worst thing you can do is place your last piece in a spot where none of your pieces can move effectively.

6. Use Phase 3 Wisely

If you’re down to three pieces, don’t panic. Flying is a genuine advantage. Focus on forming mills quickly by jumping to unexpected positions. Your opponent has more pieces but less mobility per piece — use that.

If your opponent is the one with three pieces, stay calm and methodical. Try to control the board so that the flying player has fewer useful landing spots.

Common Mistakes

  • Chasing mills without a plan — forming a mill feels great, but if it doesn’t lead to a double mill or a strong board position, it may not be worth it.
  • Ignoring the opponent’s setup — always check what your opponent is building before you move. A mill you don’t see coming is the one that loses you the game.
  • Placing pieces on the outer square only — the outer ring has the fewest connections. Mix placements across all three squares, prioritizing the intersections.
  • Forgetting that mills can be reopened — once you form a mill, remember you can break it and reform it. A single mill that you can open and close is a repeating threat.

Ready to Play?

Three thousand years of history, and the game still has more to teach you. Play Nine Men’s Morris online and see how quickly the simple rules reveal deep tactical play.