No.359
Nine Men's Morris
Japanese name: ナイン メンズ モリス
You can scroll an enlarged diagram from side to side. Press again to return to its original size.
Diagram key
- A
- With 3 in a line
- B
- capture 1 opposing piece.
Materials
- The connected 24-point board shown
- 9 counters in each of two colours
How to play
- Use the 24-point board shown. There is no playing point at the centre.
- Choose who starts and alternate placing one counter on an empty point. Three of yours on adjacent points along one line form a mill and remove one opposing counter. Two simultaneous mills still remove only one. Captures never return.
- Do not remove a counter from an opposing mill while any opposing counter outside a mill is available. If all belong to mills, remove any one.
- Once both players have placed all nine, alternate moving one counter along a line to an adjacent empty point. Each newly formed mill removes one opposing counter.
- With only three counters left, a player may move one to any empty point, not just an adjacent one. Reduce the opponent to two counters or leave them with no legal move to win.
- The same position with the same player to move three times is a draw. Change who starts if playing again.
Ways to adapt
Children can practise the placing phase first, identify mills, then play a complete game.