How To Play Six Men's Morris
Six Men’s Morris is a classic two-player strategy game in the same family as Nine Men’s Morris. Players take turns placing and moving pieces around the board while trying to create rows of three, called mills. Each time you form a mill, you get to remove one of your opponent’s pieces.
With only six pieces per player and a smaller board than Nine Men’s Morris, the game moves quickly while still offering plenty of opportunities to block your opponent, create threats, and set up multiple mills.
Here is everything you need to know about how to play Six Men’s Morris.
Six Men’s Morris Video Tutorial
What You Need
To play Six Men’s Morris, you will need:
6 pieces of one color
6 pieces of another color
2 players
The board contains 16 playable points. It is made up of two squares connected at the midpoint of each side.
Object of the Game
The object of Six Men’s Morris is to reduce your opponent to fewer than three pieces or leave them without a legal move.
You remove opposing pieces by forming a mill, which is a row of three of your own pieces along one of the marked lines on the board.
Setup
Each player chooses a set of six matching pieces.
All pieces begin off the board. Decide which player will go first.
The game is played in two main phases:
Placing pieces
Moving pieces
Phase 1: Placing Pieces
Starting with the first player, take turns placing one piece onto any empty point on the board.
Players continue alternating turns until all 12 pieces have been placed.
While placing pieces, try to create rows of three while preventing your opponent from doing the same.
Forming a Mill
Whenever you place a piece and create a row of three of your pieces along a marked line, you have formed a mill.
After forming a mill, remove one of your opponent’s pieces from the board.
Whenever possible, you must remove a piece that is not currently part of one of your opponent’s mills.
If every one of your opponent’s pieces is part of a mill, you may remove a piece from one of those mills instead.
A captured piece is removed from the game and does not return.
Phase 2: Moving Pieces
After both players have placed all six of their pieces, the movement phase begins.
On your turn, choose one of your pieces and move it along a line to an adjacent empty point.
You cannot:
Jump over another piece
Move onto an occupied point
Move between two points that are not directly connected by a line
After moving, your turn ends unless the move creates a mill.
If your move creates a mill, remove one opposing piece using the same capture rules as during the placement phase.
Opening and Closing Mills
A mill does not have to stay together permanently.
You may move one of your pieces out of an existing mill and, on a later turn, move it back into position to form the mill again.
Each time you newly form a mill, you may remove another opposing piece.
Because of this, creating a position where you can repeatedly open and close a mill can be extremely powerful.
Can You Fly in Six Men's Morris?
Some modern versions of the game add a rule that allows a player with three pieces remaining to jump to any empty point.
How to Win Six Men's Morris
You win the game when your opponent can no longer continue.
This happens if:
Your opponent is reduced to two pieces, making it impossible for them to form another mill.
Your opponent still has at least three pieces but has no legal move available.
Blocking your opponent can therefore be just as effective as capturing their pieces.
Six Men's Morris Strategy
Although the rules are simple, there is plenty of strategy involved.
Look for Two-Way Threats
Try to position your pieces so that you have more than one possible mill available. If your opponent can only block one threat, you may be able to complete another on your next turn.
Block Mills Early
Whenever your opponent has two pieces lined up with an empty third point, consider blocking that position before working on your own plans.
Allowing your opponent to repeatedly form mills can quickly put you at a disadvantage.
Keep Your Pieces Mobile
A piece may look useful in one position, but it can become a liability if it has nowhere to move later in the game.
Try to maintain several available moves so your opponent cannot trap your pieces.
Create a Repeating Mill
One of the strongest positions occurs when you can move a piece out of a mill and then move it back on your following turn.
If your opponent cannot stop the cycle, you can continue forming the mill and removing pieces.
Think About Connections
Not every point on the board gives you the same number of movement options. Pieces located near important connecting points can often move in several directions, making them more flexible during the movement phase.
Six Men's Morris vs. Nine Men's Morris
Six Men’s Morris plays similarly to Nine Men’s Morris but uses a smaller board and fewer pieces.
In Six Men’s Morris:
Each player has 6 pieces instead of 9
The board has 16 playable points instead of 24
The board uses two squares instead of three
The smaller playing area makes Six Men’s Morris quicker while placing even more importance on controlling open spaces and keeping your pieces mobile.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many pieces are used in Six Men's Morris?
Each player begins with six pieces, for a total of 12 pieces.
How many players can play?
Six Men’s Morris is designed for two players.
What is a mill?
A mill is a row of three pieces belonging to the same player along one of the valid lines on the board.
What happens when you make a mill?
Whenever you newly form a mill, you may remove one of your opponent’s pieces.
Can you remove a piece that is already in a mill?
Normally, no. You must capture a piece that is not part of a mill if one is available.
If all of your opponent’s remaining pieces are currently in mills, you may capture one of those pieces.
Can pieces jump over other pieces?
No. During the movement phase, a piece moves only to an adjacent empty point connected by a line.
Gather Together with Six Men's Morris
Six Men’s Morris takes the simple idea of making three pieces in a row and turns it into a clever game of positioning, blocking, and capturing.
With only a handful of pieces and a compact board, it is easy to learn and quick to play, but every move can affect several possibilities at once. Whether you are setting up your first mill or trying to trap your opponent’s final pieces,
Six Men’s Morris is a great traditional strategy game to gather around and play.