Boards for this game have been found scratched into old stone, and it still plays great today. Nine Men's Morris unblocked lets you take on the computer at three levels or face a friend on the same screen, with each side holding nine pieces.
The version here is from Christopher Müller's open-source PaperGames set. The board is three squares, one inside another, linked by lines, giving 24 points where pieces can stand.
How to play Nine Men's Morris
A game runs in three phases. First, both players take turns dropping pieces on empty points until all eighteen are down. Next, you slide one piece per turn along a line to a neighboring free point. Finally, a player with only three pieces left may fly, jumping any piece to any empty point.
Any time a placement or slide gives you three in a row along one line, you have made a mill. You then remove one of your opponent's pieces. Pieces that are already part of a mill are protected unless every enemy piece is in one.
You win when your opponent is down to two pieces or has no legal move left. Pick black or white and a computer level before you start, and use the move list, Undo or Resign during play.
Controls
| To… | Keyboard | Mouse | Touch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Place a piece | Tab to the board, arrow keys to pick a point, Enter to place | Click an empty point | Tap an empty point |
| Move a piece | Enter on your piece, then Enter on the target point | Click your piece, then an empty point it can reach | Tap your piece, then the target point |
| Remove an opponent piece after a mill | — | Click one of the highlighted enemy pieces | Tap one of the highlighted enemy pieces |
| Show the move list | — | Click "Moves" | Tap "Moves" |
| Choose color and opponent, undo or resign | — | Pick black or white and a level, then click "New game"; use "Undo" and "Resign" during play | Pick black or white and a level, then tap "New game"; use "Undo" and "Resign" during play |
Tips
- Favor the middle of each side. A side's center links to three or four points while a corner links to two, so pieces there are harder to box in.
- Block before you build. In the placing phase, stopping your opponent's two-in-a-row is often worth more than starting your own.
- Create a double threat. A spot that could finish two mills at once leaves your rival able to stop only one.
- Set up a swinging mill. Arrange things so a single piece can shuttle between two mills, and you get a capture every single turn.
- Be careful near three pieces. Once a player can fly, any two of theirs in a line can be finished from anywhere.
Nine Men's Morris questions
Can I reopen a mill and use it again?
Yes. Stepping out of a finished row and returning counts as a new mill each time it closes, so it earns another capture.
Can two people play on one device?
Yes. Pick the 2 Player (local) mode and pass the device back and forth, one color each.
Does the game remember my match?
Yes. The current game is saved in your browser, so a reload brings you back to the same position.
