What changes on this board
The three squares and their side connections are the same as in nine men's morris, but four diagonals run from the outer corners through the middle corners to the inner corners. Each diagonal is a line of three, so there are twenty possible mills instead of sixteen.
The diagonals also give the corners extra neighbours. The middle-ring corners now touch four lines, as many as the side midpoints of the middle ring, and the outer and inner corners touch three.
Each side places twelve men, Light first. If no man has been taken by the time the board is full, nobody can move and the game is drawn. Flying with three men is on by default and can be switched off in the table settings.
Playing for captures
- Every mill during placement opens an empty point, and empty points are what you will need to move later. Without captures the game simply locks up.
- The middle-ring corners are the strongest points on this board. Occupy them early and you take part in four lines at once.
- Diagonal mills are easy to overlook, for you and your opponent. Check all three directions from every new man.
- Late in placement, look for the point that completes a mill and blocks the opponent's last free path at the same time.
After placement
When captures have opened some points, the movement phase resembles nine men's morris with more lines to watch. The diagonals give corner men extra ways out of a block, so swing mills that use a diagonal and a side appear often. Count the empty points before each move: with only two or three of them, a single careless step can leave you without a legal move.
Common slips
- Playing it like nine men's morris and ignoring the diagonals: half of the surprises in this game come from them.
- Blocking so carefully that the board fills without a capture. A draw is fine against the Champion, but against weaker levels you are giving away a win.
- Removing a man that leaves a hole the opponent can immediately use to close a diagonal.
Questions at the table
What happens if all twenty-four points are taken?
The game ends in a draw at once, because no man can move.
Do diagonals count for mills?
Yes. Outer corner, middle corner and inner corner on one diagonal form a mill like any side of a square.
Is the computer stronger here than on nine men?
The levels are the same; the larger number of mills simply makes tactics more frequent, so mistakes are punished sooner.
Can I move along a diagonal?
Yes, in the movement phase a man may step along a diagonal to the neighbouring corner if it is empty.