EN JUL 17, 2026 •
5 min read

Kvarn Beginner Guide: Mastering Nine Men's Morris

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Quick Summary

This guide provides a comprehensive introduction to Nine Men's Morris, an ancient two-player strategy board game often referred to by similar names, including potentially 'Kvarn'. Players aim to form 'mills' (three pieces in a row) across three distinct phases: placing pieces, moving pieces to adjacent points, and a 'flying' phase for players reduced to three pieces. The objective is to reduce your opponent to two pieces or block all their legal moves, requiring strategic thinking to create mills while preventing your opponent from doing the same.

◈ Navigation Index ▼
  • 01 Introduction to Nine Men's Morris
  • 02 Game Objective
  • 03 Board Setup
  • 04 Phases of Gameplay
  • 05 Phase 1: Placing Pieces
  • 06 Phase 2: Moving Pieces
  • 07 Phase 3: 'Flying' (Optional Rule)
  • 08 Forming Mills and Removing Opponent's Pieces
  • 09 Winning the Game
  • 10 Basic Strategy Tips
  • 11 Related Games

Main Content

Introduction to Nine Men's Morris

While your query specified "Kvarn," the most comprehensive game guides and information found describe an ancient two-player strategy board game known as Nine Men's Morris. This guide will focus on Nine Men's Morris, as it aligns with the nature of a strategic board game beginner's guide. Nine Men's Morris is a game with a rich history, dating back to at least the Roman Empire and with boards found carved in ancient Egyptian temples around 1400 BCE. It is also known by various other names such as Mill, Mills, the Mill Game, Merels, Merrills, Merelles, and Cowboy Checkers. It's often described as a more complex version of Tic-Tac-Toe for adults.

Game Objective

The primary objective in Nine Men's Morris is to form "mills" – horizontal or vertical lines of three of your own pieces on the board. Every time a player forms a mill, they get to remove one of their opponent's pieces from the board. The ultimate goal is to reduce your opponent to only two pieces, at which point they can no longer form a mill and thus cannot win, or to leave your opponent with no legal moves.

Board Setup

The Nine Men's Morris board consists of a grid with three concentric squares, connected by lines. These lines create 24 intersection points where pieces can be placed. Each of the two players starts with nine pieces, often referred to as "men," typically differentiated by color (e.g., black and white). The game begins with an empty board.

Phases of Gameplay

Nine Men's Morris proceeds through three distinct phases:

Phase 1: Placing Pieces

Players take turns placing one of their nine pieces onto any empty intersection point on the board. During this phase, the immediate goals are to build mills, block your opponent from forming their own mills, and prepare for future moves by controlling important intersections. If a player successfully places three pieces in a line to form a mill, they can immediately remove one of their opponent's pieces from the board. This phase continues until all 18 pieces (nine from each player) have been placed on the board.

Phase 2: Moving Pieces

Once all pieces are placed, players continue to take turns, but now they move one of their pieces to an adjacent empty intersection point along a connecting line. Pieces cannot jump over other pieces. The objectives in this phase remain the same: create new mills, defend vulnerable areas, restrict your opponent's movement, and avoid traps. If a player forms a mill during this phase, they again get to remove one of their opponent's pieces.

Phase 3: 'Flying' (Optional Rule)

This phase begins when a player has been reduced to only three pieces on the board. In this stage, the limitation of moving to only adjacent points is removed. The player with three pieces can "fly" (or "hop" or "jump") one of their pieces from any point on the board to any vacant point. This rule is sometimes considered a variation or is not always mentioned in all rule sets, but it adds a strategic element for the player who is at a disadvantage. The goal remains to form mills and remove the opponent's pieces.

Forming Mills and Removing Opponent's Pieces

A mill is formed when three of a player's pieces are aligned horizontally or vertically on contiguous points. When a mill is formed, the player who created it can remove one of their opponent's pieces from the board. There's a crucial rule regarding removal: you generally cannot remove an opponent's piece that is already part of one of their mills, unless all of their pieces are currently part of mills. A removed piece is out of play for the rest of the game. Players can also "break" a mill by moving a piece out of an existing mill and then back in on a subsequent turn to form the same mill again, allowing them to remove another opponent's piece.

Winning the Game

A player wins Nine Men's Morris in one of two ways:

1. Reduce your opponent to two pieces: Since a mill requires three pieces, an opponent with only two pieces remaining cannot form any more mills and is unable to win. 2. Block all legal moves: If your opponent is unable to make any legal move during their turn (i.e., all their pieces are blocked), the game ends, and you win.

Basic Strategy Tips

  • Versatile Placements: In the placing phase, prioritize placing pieces in versatile locations rather than rushing to form immediate mills. Control central points and intersections that offer multiple potential mill formations.
  • Think Ahead: Experienced players often think two or three turns ahead, anticipating their opponent's moves and planning their own mill formations and blocks.
  • Block Opponent's Mills: Always be vigilant in preventing your opponent from forming mills. Blocking their potential three-in-a-row is often as important as creating your own.
  • Double Mills/Seesaw/Running Jenny: A powerful strategy involves forming two mills side-by-side. This allows you to repeatedly move a single piece between the two mills, forming a new mill each turn and continuously removing opponent pieces. This is also sometimes called "pounding" the opponent.
  • Avoid Crowding: Try to avoid crowding all your pieces in one ring of the board.
  • Use the 'Flying' Phase (if applicable): If you are reduced to three pieces and the 'flying' rule is in effect, use the increased mobility to your advantage to quickly form mills and try to turn the tide.

    • Related Games

    Nine Men's Morris has several variations and related games, including Three Men's Morris (a simpler version) and Six Men's Morris. Other games like Shax and Fangqi are played on similar boards but with different rules.

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    FAQ Database

    Q.01 What is the main objective of Nine Men's Morris?
    ▼

    The main objective is to form 'mills' (three of your pieces in a horizontal or vertical row) to remove your opponent's pieces, ultimately reducing them to two pieces or blocking all their legal moves, so they cannot win.

    Q.02 How many pieces does each player start with?
    ▼

    Each player starts with nine pieces, also called 'men'.

    Q.03 Can I remove any of my opponent's pieces when I form a mill?
    ▼

    Generally, you cannot remove a piece that is already part of your opponent's mill, unless all of their remaining pieces are currently part of mills.

    Q.04 What is the 'flying' phase?
    ▼

    The 'flying' phase is an optional rule that begins when a player has only three pieces left. In this phase, that player can move any of their pieces to any empty intersection on the board, rather than being restricted to adjacent points.

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