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Nine Men's Morris Strategy and Tips

Here is how to think about winning at Nine Men's Morris, split into short lessons. Each one reads on its own, and each one comes with a real position: press Try it on the board and you play the move yourself.

Aim for the four-way points

Lesson 1

The 24 points on the board differ in how many lines cross them. The twelve corners of the three squares each carry a single line, so a stone there belongs to only one possible mill. The twelve midpoints carry two lines each, joining two possible mills. Four of those midpoints — the ones on the middle square — carry four lines, giving a stone there the most room to move.

Here you already hold the middle square's top-left point. Two points are open: an outer corner, and the four-way point above your stone. Playing the corner still leaves you tied to just one mill. Playing the four-way point keeps you in the row you're building, and it also joins a second mill running the other way.

When you're unsure where to place, favour midpoints over corners, and favour the four-way points most of all. The more mills a stone can join, the more good moves you'll have later, and the harder your stones are to trap.

Threaten two mills at once

Lesson 2

Because a four-way point belongs to two mills, it lets you build a fork. If you already hold two separate stones sitting on two different mills, placing on the four-way point where those mills cross puts both mills one point away from completion at the same time.

Here you already hold a stone on the middle square's corner and another on the outer square's midpoint. Both belong to mills that pass through the four-way point above them. Play on the glowing four-way point, and both the row and the column are now one point short of a mill.

Your opponent can only block one of the two open completion points on their next turn. Whichever one they leave open, you play it and remove one of their stones. Before you place, check whether two of your stones already share a four-way point like this.

Keep capturing with a swinging mill

Lesson 3

Once you're in the moving phase, look for a swinging mill. Set up two different mills on two adjacent points. Move the stone sitting on one of them to the other, and while that mill breaks, the second one completes instantly. Move it back next turn and you complete a mill again.

Here you hold both corners of the middle square's top row, and both corners of the inner square's top row. A stone currently sits on the inner square's top midpoint, completing that mill. Move it to the neighbouring middle-square midpoint, and while the inner mill breaks, it joins your two middle-square corners into a fresh mill.

After you capture, moving the stone back next turn rebuilds the inner mill and lets you capture again. A single stone shuttling between two points removes an opponent's stone every single turn. Start looking for this pair of adjacent points early, while you still have stones to spare for it.

Choose the removal that stops their next move

Lesson 4

When a mill lets you remove a stone and you have a choice, which one you pick matters. Removing an isolated stone does nothing to slow your opponent down. If two of their stones already sit on the same mill line with one point still open, take one of those two first.

Here your opponent holds a stone on the outer square's midpoint and another on the middle square's four-way point. Both belong to the same mill line, and the one remaining point is open — if they play there next turn, the mill completes. Their other stone sits alone on an outer corner, unconnected to any mill.

Remove the glowing stone on the four-way point, and your opponent has to start that line over from nothing. Remove the lone corner stone instead, and they complete their mill on their very next turn regardless. When you get to choose, take out the pair that's closest to finishing, not the stone standing by itself.

Try it on the board

Pick a lesson and the board starts from that position. Start over as often as you like.

Now put it to work

Play with friendsLearn how to play (3 min)

Last updated 2026-09-19 · Run by Qdan, Inc.