Nine Men's Morris
Nine Men's Morris: place nine pieces, line up three to capture, and move them along the lines. Plays against the computer. Free, no install, no sign-up.
Nine Men's Morris is played on a board of twenty-four points and sixteen lines. Put three of your pieces in a row to take one of your opponent's.
about 43.5 KB
Works offline after the first visit. No install, no sign-up.
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How to play Nine Men's Morris
Three phases, in this order
First both sides take turns placing pieces on empty points until nine each are down. Then you must move a piece along a line to an adjacent empty point. And once you are down to three pieces you may move to any empty point at all — the lines stop mattering for you.
Three in a row takes a piece
When your three pieces fill one of the board's sixteen lines, you remove one of your opponent's. When it happens, the pieces you are allowed to take are marked so there is no guessing.
You cannot take a piece that is in a line
A piece that is part of an opposing three-in-a-row is protected. The only exception is when every one of their pieces is protected — then you may take one anyway, because otherwise a three-in-a-row would give you nothing at all and the rule would jam.
Two ways to lose
You lose if your pieces drop to two, or if it is your turn and none of your pieces can legally move. Both are checked at the end of every capture.
The board tells you which phase you are in
The top right shows placing, moving or flying, along with how many pieces you still have to place.
Two clicks to move, one to capture
During the placing phase a single click places a piece. Later, click one of your pieces and then an empty point. Lines are the only routes until you are down to three.
Nine Men's Morris Tips and Strategy
Block the shared lines
Several of the sixteen lines pass through the same points, and the same points are valuable to both sides. Placing on those early stops the other side completing a line there, which is often worth more than completing your own.
Make two threats at once
One line of three is only a threat if your opponent can stop it. Arranging for one move to complete a line in two different places leaves them able to answer only one, and the other line is won.
A line protects its pieces
Three pieces sitting on one of the sixteen lines cannot be taken, so forming a line makes your pieces close to untouchable. Building towards a mill early is the safest way to protect your material.
Nine Men's Morris — Frequently Asked Questions
Why can I only move to certain points?
In the middle phase a piece must go to a point joined to it by a line. Once you are down to three pieces you can go anywhere on the board.
Why will it not let me take that piece?
It is part of an opposing three-in-a-row, and you have other pieces of theirs available to take. The marked pieces are exactly the ones you are allowed to take.
What happens if all of their pieces are protected?
Then you may take a protected one. Without that, completing a line would reward you with nothing and the game would stall.
How does the computer choose its moves?
It prefers moves that complete its own line, then moves that block yours, and otherwise favours points with more connections. It is a straightforward opponent, not a search engine.
Does it need installing or an account?
No. It runs in the browser on a phone, tablet or computer and works offline after the first visit.
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