Play Morabaraba Online

Play against the computer or a friend

Play the computer to learn the game and practise your mills at your own pace. When you are ready, play a friend on the same device and take turns. Playing a real opponent is the best way to learn how to spot traps and block mills before they close.

Morabaraba rules at a glance

A game has three phases. Here is a quick summary. For the full rules and the game’s background, read our guide, Morabaraba explained: rules and history of the South African classic.

• Placing. The board starts empty. Players take turns placing one cow on any empty point until all 24 cows are on the board. The player with the dark cows goes first.
• Moving. After placing, players take turns moving one cow along a line to the next empty point.
• Flying. A player with only three cows left can fly: move a cow to any empty point on the board.
• Mills and shooting. Each time you form a mill, shoot one of your opponent’s cows. A cow in a mill cannot be shot unless all of that player’s cows are in mills. You shoot only one cow per turn.
• Winning. You win when your opponent has only two cows left or cannot make a move.

Morabaraba strategy tips

1. Don’t rush mills in the placing phase. A mill made early is easy to see coming. Spread your cows so they can join up in several directions later.
2. Take the busy points. Points where several lines meet give your cows more ways to move and more mills to aim for. Edge points with few lines are easy to trap.
3. Block every two-in-a-row. If your opponent has two cows on a line with the third point empty, block it now. One missed block can cost you a cow every few turns.
4. Set up a double threat. Place or move a cow so that it threatens two mills at once. Your opponent can only block one.
5. Build a mill you can open and close. In the moving phase, the strongest shape is a mill where one cow can step out and back in safely. Every time it closes, you shoot again.
6. Keep room to move. A player who cannot move loses. Do not crowd your cows into a corner where they block each other.
7. Be careful near the end. When your opponent is down to three cows, they can fly anywhere. Check every line where two of their cows could be joined by a third.

Morabaraba and its history

Morabaraba is a mill game, part of the same family as nine men’s morris. It has been played across Southern Africa for generations, especially by young cattle herders, who scratched the board in the ground and played with stones. That is why the pieces are called cows. Today Morabaraba is also an organised mind sport in South Africa, with its own competitions. You can read more on Wikipedia’s Morabaraba page.

Morabaraba or nine men’s morris?

The games are close cousins. Nine men’s morris gives each player nine pieces and uses only straight lines. Morabaraba gives each player twelve cows and adds diagonal lines across the corners of the board, which means more mills, more blocking and a longer, more tactical game. Morabaraba is also known as mlabalaba or umlabalaba.

More board games to try

If you enjoy Morabaraba, try Fanorona, the capture game from Madagascar, or Checkers. For a traditional Southern African game of a different kind, try Tsoro.

Morabaraba FAQ

Is this Morabaraba game free? Yes. It is free to play in your browser, with no download or sign-up.

Can I play with a friend? Yes. Play against the computer, or play a friend on the same device.

Where does Morabaraba come from? Southern Africa, where it has been played for generations and is still played today.

Why are the pieces called cows? The game is closely tied to cattle herding, and herders traditionally played it with stones on a board drawn in the ground.

What is a mill? Three of your cows in a row along a line. Each mill lets you shoot one of your opponent’s cows.

Can I play Morabaraba on my phone? Yes. The game runs in your phone’s browser.