How to Play Nine Kukri (Nine Men's Morris): Rules & Strategy

Nine Kukri is the classic strategy board game Nine Men's Morris. Each player has nine pieces and tries to form mills — three pieces in a straight line. Forming a mill lets you capture an opponent piece, and you win by reducing your opponent to two pieces or blocking all their moves.

• Skill: Strategy & tactical foresight
• ·
• Difficulty: Intermediate

How to play Nine Kukri

1. Place your pieces. Players take turns placing their nine pieces one at a time on empty points of the board.
2. Form mills. Line up three of your pieces along a marked line to form a mill.
3. Capture on a mill. Each time you form a mill, remove one of your opponent pieces from the board.
4. Move along lines. Once all pieces are placed, slide a piece to an adjacent empty point each turn, making and breaking mills.
5. Win the game. Reduce your opponent to two pieces, or leave them with no legal move, to win.

Nine Kukri strategy & tips

• Build a double mill (a swing) so you open and close a mill every turn, capturing repeatedly.
• Occupy central crossing points early — they connect to the most lines.
• Block your opponent two-in-a-row threats before completing your own.

Nine Kukri FAQ

Related puzzles

Reference: Nine Kukri on Wikipedia