Nine Men's Morris

Nine Men's Morris - Game Help

Nine Men's Morris is a classic strategy board game for two players. The objective is to form "mills" (three pieces in a row along a line on the board) to remove your opponent's pieces, ultimately reducing them to fewer than three pieces or blocking them from making legal moves.

Game Setup

• The game is played on a board with 24 points connected by lines, forming three concentric squares with connecting midpoints.
• Each player starts with 9 pieces (White for Player 1, Black for Player 2).
• Players can choose between two game modes:
  • Human vs Human: Two players take turns placing and moving pieces.
  • Human vs AI: One player competes against a computer-controlled opponent. AI difficulty can be selected using a dropdown.
• AI Difficulty Levels:
  • Level 1 (Easiest): The AI makes basic moves with minimal strategy, often placing or moving pieces randomly. Ideal for beginners learning the game.
  • Level 2 (Easy): The AI attempts to form mills but with limited foresight, making predictable moves. Suitable for players with some experience.
  • Level 3 (Medium): The AI balances forming mills and blocking the player’s mills, with moderate strategic planning. A good challenge for intermediate players.
  • Level 4 (Hard): The AI employs advanced strategies, prioritizing mill creation and opponent blocking with significant foresight. Best for experienced players.
  • Level 5 (Expert): The AI uses near-optimal strategies, anticipating multiple moves ahead and aggressively forming mills while blocking the player. Designed for expert players seeking a tough challenge.

Gameplay Phases

The game consists of three phases:

• Placement Phase:
  • Players take turns placing one piece at a time on any vacant point on the board.
  • Each player has 9 pieces to place.
  • Forming a mill (three pieces in a row along a line) allows the player to remove one of their opponent's pieces that is not part of a mill (unless no such piece exists).
• Movement Phase:
  • After all pieces are placed, players take turns moving one piece to an adjacent empty point along a line.
  • Forming a mill during this phase also allows the removal of an opponent's piece.
• Flying Phase (optional, when a player has only 3 pieces left):
  • A player with exactly three pieces can "fly" by moving a piece to any vacant point on the board, not just adjacent points.

Winning the Game

• A player wins by:
  • Reducing the opponent to fewer than three pieces, or
  • Blocking the opponent so they have no legal moves.
• The game can also end in a draw if both players agree or if a stalemate occurs (e.g., repetitive moves with no progress).

Game Controls

• Select Game Mode: Choose between "Human vs Human" or "Human vs AI" at the start of the game. If "Human vs AI" is chosen, select AI difficulty from the dropdown and click "Start Game".
• Board Interaction:
  • Click an empty point to place a piece during the Placement Phase.
  • Click one of your pieces, then an adjacent empty point to move it during the Movement Phase.
  • If a mill is formed, click an opponent's piece to remove it (if eligible).
• Player Information:
  • Pieces to place: Number of pieces remaining to place (starts at 9).
  • Pieces on board: Number of pieces currently on the board.
  • Pieces lost: Number of pieces removed by the opponent.
• Restart Game: Resets the current game, keeping the same game mode and AI difficulty.
• New Game (Change Mode): Returns to the game mode selection screen to start a new game with a different mode/difficulty.

Tips for Playing

• Try to form mills early to gain an advantage by removing opponent pieces.
• Position pieces to create multiple opportunities for mills (e.g., two pieces in a row that can be completed in different ways).
• Block your opponent’s potential mills by strategic placement or movement.
• In the Movement Phase, keep your pieces mobile to avoid being trapped.
• In Human vs AI mode, anticipate the AI's attempts to form mills and block them proactively. Higher AI levels are more challenging.

Game Over

When the game ends, the "Game Over!" message appears, showing the winner or declaring a draw. You can then:

• Click Restart Game to play again with the same mode and difficulty.
• Click New Game (Change Mode) to return to the mode selection screen.