Merels Board Game

Also called Merels, versions of Nine Man’s Morris have been found dating back to ancient Egypt. The game was very popular in Scandinavia and the British Isles, and is still played today in many parts of the world.

The Goal

Each player has nine gaming pieces. The object of the game is to make a line of three pieces (a mill) which will allow the player to remove one of his opponents pieces. The winner is the player who reduces his opponents pieces to two or blocks him from making another move.

The Rules

The game is started with an empty board. The players take turns to place one of their pieces on the board at an intersection or corner until all the pieces are in place. If either player makes a mill he may remove any one of his opponents pieces that is not part of a mill. Removed pieces cannot be replaced on the board.
When all the pieces are on the board they may be moved to any adjacent empty space. If a mill is formed an opponents piece may be removed from the board. The game continues until one of the players is reduced to two pieces or is blocked from making another move.