Morris is played on connected points, not in the spaces between its lines. Reading the board as a network of paths and three-point rows makes placement, movement and captures easier to understand. This guide describes our nine-counter version.
In this guide
24 points and nine counters each
Three nested squares are joined at the midpoints of their sides. The centre of the whole board is not an extra playing point. Each side receives nine counters, and Light begins on the empty board.
Our diagrams use letters a to g and numbers 1 to 7, but not every combination is a point. For example, a7 is the outer upper-left corner, d7 the top midpoint and g7 the upper-right corner. These labels help you recreate our examples.
Placement, movement and flying
First, players alternate placing one counter on an empty point. In our version, already placed counters do not move during this stage. A captured counter does not return to the hand and cannot be placed again.
Once both reserves are empty, move a friendly counter along a drawn connection to an immediately adjacent empty point. You cannot jump over counters. With exactly three counters remaining, that side may fly to any empty point in our local version.
Three counters do not always form a mill
A mill consists of three friendly counters on a valid connected straight three-point line. a7–d7–g7 is a mill. a7–b6–c5 appears diagonally straight but is not a mill on our board: that playing connection does not exist.
Closing a mill allows one opposing counter to be removed. Counters in complete opposing mills are normally protected. If every opposing counter belongs to a mill, however, one of those counters may be taken. Closing two rows at once still gives only one capture in our version.
Position as text
Light a7; Light b6; Light c5. Original teaching diagram.
Blockade, loss and draws
After placement, a side loses with fewer than three counters or no legal move. Material is not the only issue: even four or five immobilised counters can be lost. Flying rights belong only to the side with exactly three counters.
Our local version draws on the third repeated position with the same side to move. It also draws after 100 individual movement turns without a capture; a capture resets that count. Events and related Morris games may use different ending and claim rules.
What GameFinder.pro actually offers
The local edition offers three computer strengths and two people on one device. Flying with three counters is part of these rules and has no separate off switch there. Friends on separate devices can use the distinct live edition with a private room.
The blog’s study pictures are not automatically loadable saves. Their points and counters are labelled so that you can recreate them yourself. The normal timer measures elapsed duration, rather than enforcing a federation tournament time control.