About Nine Men's Morris on Suvi
This page opens straight into Nine Men's Morris for two players on one device, the way the game is meant to be played: across the kitchen table, on the sofa or on a long train ride. Place nine pieces each, then move them along the lines; make a mill of three in a row and you take one of your opponent's pieces. Type your names if you like and the score keeps count across games; choose who goes first, or let the coin decide. Playing alone? The computer plays at three levels, and a friend far away can join by link.
How to play
- Choose vs Computer (Easy, Medium or Hard) or Two players, and who goes first.
- Placing: take turns to tap an empty point and put down one of your nine pieces.
- Make a mill, three in a row along a line, then tap one of your opponent's pieces to remove it. Pieces in a mill are safe unless all of theirs are.
- Moving: once all pieces are down, tap a piece and then a neighbouring empty point. With three pieces left you may fly to any point.
- Win by leaving your opponent with two pieces or with no move.
Controls
On a phone or tablet: Tap a point to place a piece. To move, tap your piece, then where it goes. After a mill, tap the piece to remove (pieces you may take show a cross). Tap your piece again to take a move back before you finish it.
On a desktop: Click points, or move between them with the arrow keys and press Enter. Escape takes back a half-made move. U undoes, H asks for a hint.
Tips
- While placing, the points where four lines meet (the middles of the middle square) give your pieces the most room to move later.
- Don't rush to make a mill early if it leaves your pieces boxed in: in the moving stage, a player who can't move loses.
- Two mills sharing a neighbour let one piece swing between them, making a mill on every move. Build towards that.
- When your opponent is down to three and can fly, they can block any line; keep two threats going at once.
Read the full guide: “Nine Men's Morris strategy: place, slide, fly and win” →
Questions
- What happens when I make a mill?
- You remove one of your opponent's pieces straight away, as part of the same move. You can't take a piece that is in a mill unless every one of their pieces is in a mill.
- What is flying?
- When a player is down to three pieces, they may move a piece to any empty point instead of sliding it along a line. It gives the player who is behind a fighting chance.
- Can a game be drawn?
- Yes: after 50 moves in a row (counting both players) with no mill, or when the same position comes round a third time with the same player to move.
- How good is the computer?
- Easy plays like a beginner and often misses mills. Medium looks a couple of moves ahead. Hard plans mills, blocks yours and hems your pieces in; it takes most people a few games to beat it.
- Can I play against a friend?
- Yes. Two of you can share one phone, passing it between turns while you place, slide and fly your pieces. For a friend on their own phone, choose Online with a friend and send the link. No account is needed: it asks once for your date of birth, and online play is for 13 and over.
- Is it free?
- Yes. Nine Men's Morris is free in every mode: against the computer, two players on one phone, or online with a friend. You don't make an account, and your record against each level is kept on this device.
More Nine Men's Morris
- Nine Men's Morris vs Computer
- 2 Player Nine Men's Morris
- Nine Men's Morris With a Friend Online
- Standard Nine Men's Morris
Similar games
- Draughts — Jump, capture, crown a king. Play the computer or a friend on one phone.
- Mancala — Sow the seeds, fill your store. Play the computer or a friend on one phone.
- Four in a Row — Drop discs, line up four. Play the computer or a friend on one phone.
Who made it
Nine Men's Morris is a Suvi Original, written and tested by Brasslight Games. Every puzzle is generated and checked by our own tools; nothing is copied from another site.