The board and the rules
The board is two nested squares connected at the middle of each side. A mill is only possible along a side of a square, so there are eight possible mills, and the connecting lines are just paths between the squares.
Each player places six men, one per turn, Light first. Closing a mill removes an enemy man that is not in a mill, unless all of them are. After placement, men slide along lines to neighbouring points. A player with two men left, or with no legal move, loses.
Flying is off here by default, because on sixteen points it makes the side with three men too slippery. You can switch it on in the table settings above the board.
Why the small board feels different
Twelve men on sixteen points leave only four empty points when placement ends without captures. Mobility becomes the whole game: the player who can still shuffle a man back and forth while the other is frozen will win, often without forming a single mill.
How to play it well
- Treat the four midpoints of the inner square with care: they connect in three directions and are hard to block.
- Before every placement ask how many moves you will have when the board is full. A safe man on a quiet point beats a bold one that will be walled in.
- Threats come quickly. With only eight mills, a single open two often forces a reply, so use that tempo to place where you wanted to go anyway.
- In the movement phase, a man that can step out of a mill and back is worth more than a man in the corner.
Errors to avoid
- Packing your men on one square. They block each other and the opponent takes the other square for free.
- Closing a mill with your last man in hand when it leaves all your men without a move.
- Assuming you can fly to safety. Unless you switched flying on, three men still walk.
Questions at the table
How many mills can be made on this board?
Eight: one along each side of the two squares. The four lines between the squares have only two points, so they never form a mill.
Why is flying off?
On sixteen points a flying side is almost impossible to pin down, so the hall starts with the walking rule. The table settings let you switch flying on.
Is this board good for beginners?
Yes. Games are short, the number of choices is small and the idea of blocking becomes clear in a few games.
Is there a numbered problem set for six men?
Yes, the cellar has twenty-four six men's morris positions in three difficulties.