Mill games are also known as Morris or Merels games. The main aim of any mill game is to try to form a row of three pieces, which is called a ‘mill’. In most games this allows the player to remove one of the opponent’s pieces from the board (usually not from another mill).
Most mill games are split into two phases of placement and movement, so that all pieces are placed on the board before any pieces are moved.
Games #
Many of the games overlap so much that they could be considered to be the same game.
For example, Morabaraba as standardized by Mind Sports South Africa has only two small differences from [Twelve Men’s Morris] as standardized by the Weltmühlespiel Dachverband.
The ‘base games’ are [Nine Men’s Morris], [Three Men’s Morris], and [Twelve Men’s Morris]. Games that are minor variations on these are listed as variants in those pages. Games that are larger variations, that have an interesting/distinct history, or that are otherwise standardized (like Morabaraba) are listed separately. (Although some ‘large variations’ like [Lasker Morris] are listed in the main pages if they don’t have significant history or cultural background around them.)
If you are looking for somewhere to start, [Nine Men’s Morris] is probably the “classic” game.
Large Mill Board #
- [Nine Men’s Morris] is the most well-known, and can be viewed as the stereotypical mill game.
- [Twelve Men’s Morris] is common in the USA. [Eleven Men’s Morris] is a variant with one fewer piece per player.
- Morabaraba is a mill game played competitively in South Africa. It differs slightly from [Twelve Men’s Morris].
- [Shax] is a mill game played in Somalia. It is distinguished by not permitting capturing during the placement phase.
Medium mill board #
- [Five Men’s Morris] or [Six Men’s Morris] is a mid-sized version that is less common than the bigger or smaller games.
Small mill board #
- [Three Men’s Morris] is a simple mill game that is known around the world.
- Tic-Tac-Toe can be viewed as a degenerate mill game (and could derive from Three Men’s Morris?)
Terminology #
Pieces: names for the pieces.
- Galloway, Scotland: “flitchers”. a[142]
Mill: three pieces in a row.
- Icelandic mylna, ‘mill’.b[138]
- SeSotho molamu ‘staff’.c[35]
- Somali charri ‘halter’,d[504]e[130] saddex ‘three’,e[130] or jare ‘cut’.f[4]
- Zulu isibhamu ‘gun’ – this is used to “shoot” the pieces (cows).
Cross-mill: a position where a mill can be formed every other move, with pieces in a cross shape (with one empty square between).
- German Kreuzmühle ‘cross mill’.
- Icelandic krossmylna ‘cross mill’ or vængjamylna ‘winged mill’ b[139].
- Somali afar ‘four’.d[505]e[130]f[5]
Running mill: a position where a mill can be formed on every move.
- In Yorkshire: “running Jenny”.g[45]
- German Zwickmühle ‘double mill’.
- Greek δίπορτο ‘double door’.h[295]
- Icelandic svikamylna ‘mill of treachery’.b[139]
- seSotho khutla ‘the return’.i[134]
- Somali irmaan ‘milch’ (i.e. milk-cow).d[505]e[210]f
- Swiss figgi or figge (there is a saying that one has one’s «Figgi und Müli», meaning “to have two options open”).j
Corner: a position with three pieces in a corner, which cannot be prevented from forming a mill upon the next turn.
Other positions: unknown positions.
- Icelandic rennihestur ‘sliding horse’ possibly refers to a “triple mill” position.b[139]