traditional board games: three mens merels

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Three Mens Merels is a traditional European game that dates back to the Middle Ages.  It is a simpler version of the better known Nine Mens Morris.

The game is for two players and is played on a 3 x 3 grid (see above).

Each player starts with three counters. The players take it in turns to place a counter on one of the circles.  Once all the pieces are on the board players can move one space to an empty adjacent space.  The game is won if you get three in a row (horizontally or vertically but not diagonally) or the other player is unable to move.

To download your own blank board for colouring in click here.