Saturday, April 4, 2026

Indoor Games - Dadi (Nine Men’s Morris)

History  

- Internationally known as Nine Men’s Morris or Mills.  
- In India, it is called Dadi in Telugu and Navkakri in Gujarati.  

Benefits  
- An exciting strategy game that helps develop planning, foresight, and tactical thinking.  

Game Setup  

- Board: 3 concentric squares connected by lines from the middle of each side.  
- Playable Points: 24 intersections where lines meet.  
- Players: 2  
- Pawns: 22 (11 each)  

Objective  

- The aim is to form “mills” – three coins of the same color in a straight line (horizontal or vertical).  
- Each time a mill is formed, the player removes one opponent’s coin (not part of a mill).  
- A player wins by reducing the opponent to two coins or by blocking all possible moves.  

How to Play  

Phase 1 – Placing Coins  

1. Players toss a coin to decide who starts.  
2. Coins are placed alternately on empty intersections.  
3. Goal: create mills or block the opponent.  
4. When a mill is formed, remove one opponent’s coin (only those not in a mill).  
5. Removed coins cannot return to the board.  
6. Phase 1 ends when all coins are placed.  

Phase 2 – Moving Coins  

1. Players move one coin per turn to an adjacent empty point connected by a line.  
2. Coins cannot jump over others.  
3. Players continue forming mills and removing opponent’s coins.  
4. Mills can be broken and re‑formed strategically to capture more coins.  
   - A mill can yield up to 3 captures (once when formed, and twice when broken and remade).  
5. The game ends when a player is left with only two coins or cannot move.  

No comments:

Folk Arts of India

Madhubani Painting   - Region: Mithila, Bihar   - Period: Ancient (references from Ramayana)   - Artists: Traditionally, women   - Themes...