As an in-door amusement, a very interesting game is that of Nine Men's
Morris, or Shepherd's Game, as it is known by some. A board may be made
of anything at a moment's notice, and bits of paper, peas, beans, or
anything of that sort may be used for men.
To make the board, draw three squares, one within the other, with a
space of at least an inch between them; then draw four lines to connect
each of the sides, and it is complete.
[Illustration]
Each player has nine men, it making no difference what they are made of,
so long as one set may be readily distinguished from the other.
Then each player places alternately a man on any one of the
intersections, which on the plan are numbered from 1 to 24 simply for
the purpose of better explaining the game. The first point is for one of
the players to get three men in a line; that is to say, have them on
three direct stations, as 16, 17, 18, or 10, 11, 12, but not on the
angles, as at 1, 4, 7. If either player succeed in so placing his men,
he can remove one of his adversary's men from the board; this is called
_pounding_. One of three men in a line can not be pounded, provided
there are any others on the board.
As the game is really divided into three distinct phases of playing, it
may be well to illustrate each phase, taking the work of placing the men
first, and allowing Black to open the game:
Black. White.
9 11
13 18
14 15
8 7
5 2
6 4
21 pounds 11 16
12 17 pounds 12
12 24
By this play White has the best of the game, and then the moving begins,
which consists in moving a man from one intersection to another which is
not occupied, never passing over a man or out of the direct lines. For
example, a man at 11 might move to 10, 19, 4, or 12, provided those
stations were not occupied.
To continue the game illustrated: Black has only one man which he can
move, and that is from 21 to 20. White moves 2 to 3, and pounds 20,
selecting that one because 6, 14, or 20 must be removed, or a line could
be made by Black, who would have pounded 7, and had the advantage. Black
then moves 14 to 21; White, 15 to 14; Black, 21 to 20; White, 3 to
2--White now being able to make a line at 3, 15, or 24 whenever he
chooses, despite Black. Black now moves 20 to 21. At this point it would
be possible for White to block the game by moving 17 to 20; but in the
hope of winning, even though he gives his adversary an advantage, he
moves 2 to 3; then--
Black. White.
5 to 2 4 to 5
21 " 20 14 " 15 pounds 20
13 " 14 17 " 20
9 " 13 24 " 23
14 " 21 18 " 17 pounds 21
8 " 9 23 " 24 pounds 12
6 " 14 24 " 23 pounds 13
Black has now but three men; and when either party is so reduced in
numbers he can jump to any part of the board, regardless of men or
intersections, provided the station at which he wishes to stop is not
occupied.
To illustrate this latter portion of the game: Give White seven men, on
stations 3, 6, 8, 9, 11, 17, and 18, and Black three men, at 7, 12, and
15. White moves from 6 to 14; Black, 7 to 13; White, 17 to 20; Black, 15
to 7. By this last move of Black's he can jump to 16, make a line, and
pound. White moves 3 to 15; Black, 13 to 16, and pounds 14.
When Black is reduced to two men he loses the game, and this would have
occurred had he pounded any other man but 14, as otherwise White could
have made a line by the next move.