Game Overview
Navakankari, also known as Nine Men’s Morris, is a strategy game for two players. The goal is to form “mills” (lines of 3) to capture opponent pieces.
Components
- Board: Three concentric squares connected by lines at midpoints.
- Pieces: 9 pawns per player (different colors).
Rules
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Placement Phase:
- Players take turns placing one pawn on any empty intersection.
- If a player forms a Mill (3 in a row), they can remove one opponent’s pawn (unless it is part of a mill).
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Movement Phase:
- Once all 9 pawns are placed, players take turns moving one pawn to an adjacent empty spot.
- Forming a new Mill allows removing an opponent’s pawn.
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Flying Phase (Optional):
- When a player is reduced to 3 pawns, they may “fly” (move to any empty spot, not just adjacent).
Winning Condition
- Reduce the opponent to 2 pawns.
- OR Block the opponent so they cannot move.
Strategy Tips
- Corners vs. Midpoints: Midpoints offer movement in 4 directions (on the cross-lines), while corners only offer 2. Control the intersections!
- Double Mill: Try to set up a formation where moving one piece back and forth closes a mill on every turn.