While it is not known how old Nine Men’s Morris is, the earliest known evidence of the game dates to roughly 1400 BCE; in the temple of Kurna, Egypt. It remained popular through-out the Roman and Middle Ages, adopting its name from the Latin merellus; meaning game-piece.
Each player begins with nine pieces which they take turns placing on the board. Once all the pieces have been placed, the players take turns moving their pieces. This can be done along the lines on the board to any free, adjacent position.
Should a player get 3 pieces in a row, it is referred to as a Mill. This allows the, to remove one of their opponent’s pieces. The same Mill can be formed multiple times. Mills may also be formed in the piece placing phase. Pieces that are part of a Mill cannot be removed from the board.
Once a player is down to 3 pieces, the Fly rule comes into play. This player may now move their pieces to any free position on the board.
The Aim is to is to either to get your opponent down to two pieces, or to block them from making any more moves.
While the rules are easy enough to pick up, the game itself can be quite difficult. Much like chess, the ability to think several moves ahead is necessary. Strategy is important, but repeating the same ones will not always work.
I found this game quite enjoyable, however I don’t think that would remain the case if I played someone other than an computer. I am defiantly a novice, but am slowly begin to pick up on patterns to help give me an edge.
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