Nine Mens Morris: The Ancient Strategy Game for Two!

Hey strategy game fans! Ever played a game that's literally thousands of years old? Meet Nine Mens Morris! This is a super ancient strategy board game for two players, known by tons of names like 'Mill' or 'Mills.' People have been playing versions of this game since way back in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia (around 3000 BC!). It circulated the globe and was savored by many cultures, including the Romans, Greeks, Vikings, and even Native Americans! It was also savored in ancient England – even appearing in Shakespeare's and Chaucer's works! It's a timeless favorite still savored across the globe today and best of all for all ages and skill levels.

Alright, How Do You Play This Old Game?

It's a two-player game, and each player has nine pieces (also known as 'men'). The board is a grid with some points you can place and move your pieces along. The game usually takes two broad phases:

Phase 1 (Placing Pieces): The board is empty. You and your opponent both take turns to place one of your nine pieces on any empty point on the board. You keep doing this until your nine pieces have all been placed on the board.
Phase 2 (Moving Pieces): After all nine pieces for both players are placed on the board, you alternate turns moving one of your pieces from where it is to an adjacent empty spot lined by a line on the board. (Note: Certain versions or situations may permit 'flying' pieces later on, but standard Phase 2 is adjacent movement).

The Big Goal: Make a "Mill" & Capture!

The main objective of the game is all about constructing and utilizing "mills":

What is a Mill? A "mill" is where you have three of your markers in a row (horizontally or vertically) along the lines on the board.
Capture Pieces: If you form a mill either during the placement or movement phase, you get to capture one of your opponent's pieces off the board and remove it for good! You can only not capture a piece if all of your opponent's pieces are already in a completed mill (if they have no other pieces to capture).

The game is finished and you've won when:

Your opponent has just two or fewer pieces remaining because you've removed so many of them. They cannot form a mill with two pieces.
It's your opponent's turn, and it's not possible for them to move any of their pieces legally (they don't have anywhere adjacent to move any of their pieces). If the game is over with neither player able to move but no one having won (rare, but it can happen), the player who has the most pieces left tends to win.

Want to Get Good? Here are some Tips!

Although the rules are easy, becoming good at the strategy requires practice and good thinking!

Attempt to create your 'mills' as early in the game as possible when placing.
Always keep a close eye on what the opponent is doing and try to prevent them from creating their mills.
When you do manage to create a mill, make sure to capture one of their pieces! Think carefully about which piece to capture – maybe capture one that was going to create a mill, or one that is blocking you.
Get serious, think ahead! Plan your move smartly, thinking about how your move will be in your favor and how it can create opportunities for you to beat your opponent. Practice, practice, practice, and you'll master the art of spotting opportunities and planning your way to win!

Simple Rules, Deep Strategy

Which is why Nine Mens Morris has lasted for thousands of years! It's very easy to master the basic moves and goals, but it takes time to become master of the game of placing, moving, blocking, and capturing, involves foresight, and takes practice. It's a fantastic game for any age, whether you are just starting out or you are a seasoned strategy pro. It's also a great game to introduce to friends and family for some intense, friendly competition.

So yeah, Nine Mens Morris is a great, old two-player strategy game! Its ancient history is great, but the reason it's so awesome is the simple-to-learn rules combined with intricate, difficult strategy. It's perfect for a hard, competitive game with a friend or relative. Give this oldie but goodie a try!