Three Men's Morris
Place three pieces, then slide them to make a line.
How to play Three Men's Morris
Three Men's Morris is a very old two-player game. Boards for it have been found carved into stone in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, and it is the small cousin of Nine Men's Morris. It looks like tic-tac-toe, but your pieces can move, so the game does not stop when the board fills up.
The board has nine points: four corners, four side points and the centre. Lines join them across, down and along the two long diagonals. Each player has three pieces. White moves first, then Black.
Goal
Be the first to get your three pieces in a straight line along one of the drawn lines: a row, a column or a diagonal through the centre.
Turn by turn
- Placing. Players take turns placing one piece on any empty point, until each has placed all three. On this site, tap or click a point.
- The centre rule. The very first piece of the game may not go on the centre point. Without this old rule, the first player can always force a win.
- Moving. Once all six pieces are on the board, each turn you slide one of your pieces along a line to the next point, if that point is empty. Tap a piece to pick it up, then tap where it should go. Pieces never jump and are never taken.
- The pieces you can move and the points you can reach are marked on the board. The last move is outlined.
End of the game
You win as soon as your three pieces stand in a line, even during the placing phase. You also win if your opponent cannot move any piece on their turn. The game is a draw if the same position comes up three times, or after 60 moves in the moving phase with no winner.
Playing the computer
Easy plays loose moves. Medium never misses a win in one move but still slips. Hard knows every position of this game and plays perfectly. With the centre rule, perfect play on both sides is a draw, so a draw against Hard is a good result.
Strategy tips
- The centre is the key point. It lies on four lines and touches every other point. If the centre is free after the first move, think hard about taking it.
- Open in a corner. The first piece cannot go in the centre. A corner is the safe choice; an opening on a side point lets a perfect opponent win.
- Block during placing. If your opponent has two pieces on a line with the third point empty, put a piece there now. Many games are won in the first six moves.
- Count moves, not just pieces. In the moving phase, a piece that is stuck is useless. Keep your pieces where they can still slide, and try to box in your opponent.
- Think one move ahead of the slide. Before you move a piece, check which point you are leaving empty. It may be the very point your opponent needs.
Three Men's Morris FAQ
Is Three Men's Morris just tic-tac-toe?
No. You only have three pieces each, and once they are placed you move them along the lines. That means the game keeps going instead of ending in a full board, and blocking matters much more.
Why can't the first piece go in the centre?
The centre lies on four lines. Our analysis of every position shows that a first player who starts there can always force a win. Banning that move, as many old rule sets do, makes the game fair.
Can the computer be beaten on Hard?
Not if you start well. Hard plays perfect moves, so the best result is usually a draw. Easy and Medium make mistakes you can use.
Are diagonal lines used?
Yes. This board has both long diagonals. A line of three through the centre counts as a win, and pieces may slide along a diagonal to the next point.
