Nine Men's Morris, also known as Merrills, Mill and Merels, is an old English game that goes back to antiquity - evidence has been found for the game in ancient Rome and possibly Ancient Egypt. More recently, references in the works of Shakespeare have given it an image of the archetypal medieval board game.
Like most of the best games, Nine Mens Morris rules are simple, the objective being to capture opposing pieces by forming lines of 3. It is an under-rated game of skill that is easy to learn but sometimes requiring deep thought - a bit like grown-up tic-tac-toe (or noughts and crosses). It is an entertaining game for beginners and veterans alike and something for older children and adults to enjoy.
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Nine Mens Morris is another contender for the prize of ‘Oldest game in the world’ and is known by a number of different names in England – Nine Mens Morris or Morelles or Merrills or Merels or Mill or just plain Morris.
The game is most likely an evolution of the simpler Three Mens Morris and primitive board patterns have been found dating back to as early as 1440BC, cut into the temple at Kurna, Egypt. Other boards have been discovered in Ceylon, carved during the reign of Mahadithika Maha-Naga (9-21AD). Boards have also been found across Europe in such places as the first city of Troy, within a Bronze age burial site in Ireland and at the Acropolis in Athens. In Europe the game’s popularity peaked during the Fourteenth Century.
The old English game used to be played with black and white pebbles on a board that was dug into village greens using a trowel. It was also popular in many taverns with boards marked with chalk on a table. The game is actually mentioned in Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” Act 2, Scene 2 – “The Nine Mens Morris is filled up with mud” which must have been a common problem for the primitive boards when it rained!
You can learn more about the History of Morris from The Online Guide to Traditional Games.
We have a wide range of 9 Men’s Morris sets to choose from. To help you pick the right one, we’ve broken down some product details below so you can find the perfect fit for your game night:
Medieval Nine Mens Morris (Cloth Board Game in Box)
Our very own version of the game. This set features hand-made wooden pieces and a hand-made cloth board made in Britain. Board conveniently rolls up to be stored with the pieces in a quality sturdy presentation box (measuring approx 31 x 16 x 4cm) and takes up very little space when not in use. This strategy game is designed for 2 players and is often described as ‘the grown-up version of 3 in a row’.
Philos Nine Mens Morris Game with Folding Wooden Board & Wooden Pieces
The Philos version of the game features a folding wooden board. When not in use the board folds in half providing a storage space for the playing pieces and taking little space on the shelf. It’s difficult to find a good size, straight-forward Nine Mens Morris board these days but this one fits the bill perfectly being well-made and almost a foot square.
Dal Negro Nine Men’s Morris Game – Dual Side Wooden Board with Wooden Pieces
The dual sided, chess and 9 Men’s Morris set allows you to play both games on just one board. The 35cm board features a printed Nine Men’s Morris layout on one side and a standard 8 x 8 Chess / Draughts board on the reverse. The board is a fine size for enjoying both Nine Men’s Morris and Draughts and a full set of 28mm Boxwood pieces is included for both games. The board is designed by Dal Negro of Italy – a leading manufacturer whos known for their quality games.
Spare set of Nine Mens Morris pieces (30mm diameter)
A spare set of Pieces for the Merels game, made from hardwood. Includes 9 of each colour.
Hardwood Draughts pieces (20 dark and 20 light) in wooden box – 30mm or 35mm
For the game of 9 Men’s Morris, a simple set of draughts is needed – you need 9 of each colour. If you already have the board and just need the pieces, you’ve got you covered. We have a set of 40, hardwood draughts, available in either 30mm or 35mm. These are perfect for Merrills as well as draughts (Polish or European version of Draughts played on a 10 x 10 chequerboard.)