Age: 8+
Players: 2-4
Difficulty: 7/10
Duration: 20-40 mins
Place 48 white tiles on a table to match the pattern shown in this illustration. Pick a set of black tiles to play with (either 1-stroke or 4-stroke tiles).
1-stroke and 2-stroke (auxiliary) white tiles have to remain empty on the board map. The playable black tiles can only be placed and moved on 0-, 3-, and 4-stroke white tiles (This is intended to make the movement of playable tiles easier.)
Players try to form “mills” - three of their own tiles lined horizontally or vertically, regardless of the 1- and 2-stroke tiles that remain empty. Forming a mill allows the player to remove an opponent's tile from the game.
The game begins with an empty board. The players determine who goes first, then take turns placing one tile per round on the 24 active Board tiles. The 1-stroke and 2-stroke tiles remain empty for easier movement. If a player is able to place three of their tiles in a straight line, vertically or horizontally, they form a mill and have to choose one of their opponent's tiles to remove from the board and the game. A tile in an opponent's mill can only be removed if no other tiles are available. After all 18 tiles have been placed, phase two begins.
Players continue taking turns, this time moving a tile to an adjacent point. A tile cannot "jump" another tile. Players continue to try to form mills and remove their opponent's pieces as in phase one.
When one player has been reduced to three tiles, phase three begins.
Once a player has only three tiles left, they can move a tile to any vacant position on the board. There is no longer a limitation on moving to only adjacent points: The player's tiles may "fly" from any point to any vacant point.
A player wins by reducing the opponent to two tiles (where they can no longer form mills and thus are unable to win) or by leaving the opponent without a legal move.
It is easier to slide the tiles on the board instead of separating and reattaching them on each turn.
Players form 'mills' when three of their own men are lined horizontally or vertically.
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