How to play Mitan
Mitan (an old French word for “the middle”) is a two-player, turn-based strategy game with no luck once the game starts. Every game begins with different armies, chosen by the players themselves: no openings to memorise. What matters are principles (piece value, synergies, control of the centre), not recited move sequences.
Play for free Learn with the tutorial
The board
Mitan is played on a 9 × 9 board. The three squares marked with a diamond in the middle (c5, e5 and g5) are the Mitans: the whole game revolves around them. White’s camp is rows 1 and 2, Black’s camp rows 8 and 9. Each side has a Chief.
1. The market
At the start of the game, 6 piece types are drawn at random from the 12 available, 3 copies of each: 18 pieces visible to both players.
2. The draft
Players take one piece at a time in snake order: White, Black, Black, White, White, Black, Black… until each has 7 pieces. A piece you take is no longer available to your opponent: take what you want, or what you want to deny them.
3. The setup
Each player places their Chief, then their 7 pieces in their first two rows, one at a time, alternating. Black places the last piece knowing White’s whole setup; White makes the first move. As an option (not in ranked games), hidden setup has both armies placed in secret, then revealed at once.
4. The battle
Players move one piece per turn. You capture by moving onto an enemy’s square (except for special powers). With no legal move, you pass. You may not recreate a position that has already occurred twice.
How to win
- Capture the enemy Chief.
- Hold the centre: occupy at least 2 of the 3 Mitans at the start of two of your turns in a row. Your opponent gets one turn to take a square back.
- Annihilation: your opponent only has their Chief left.
- At the 150 half-move limit, the game is decided on centre points: 1 point per Mitan held at the start of each of your turns.
The 13 pieces
Unless stated otherwise, a piece can’t pass through others and captures by moving onto an enemy’s square. “8 directions” means straight and diagonal.
1 square in any of the 8 directions. If your Chief is captured, you lose. Always present, never in the market.
1 square in any of the 8 directions, or 2 squares straight towards the enemy camp if the middle square is empty.
Up to 3 squares in a straight line. Only captures 1 or 2 squares away.
Up to 3 squares diagonally. Only captures 1 or 2 squares away.
Jumps exactly 2 squares in any of the 8 directions, over any piece, or takes 1 straight step.
Jumps exactly 3 squares in a straight line, over any piece.
Up to 3 squares in a straight line. Only captures after a run-up of at least 2 squares, never an adjacent piece.
1 straight step, or shoots without moving: captures an enemy 2 or 3 squares away in any of the 8 directions if the line is clear. Can’t shoot while an enemy is adjacent.
Charges up to 2 squares: pushes the first enemy it meets back 1 square and takes its place; if the enemy can’t move back, it is crushed.
Up to 2 squares in any of the 8 directions. Never captures. Allies next to it can’t be captured, not even by an Archer’s shot (a Ram can still push them).
1 square in any of the 8 directions. Never captures. Enemies next to it are frozen (but they can be captured).
Up to 2 squares in any of the 8 directions, or swaps places with any ally, anywhere on the board.
1 square in any of the 8 directions, or swaps places with an enemy 2 squares away or less, even with pieces in between (not the Chief).
Game modes
- Against the bot: three levels, from Easy to Hard.
- Two players on the same device.
- Online: ranked games (Glicko-2 rating, Blitz and Rapid), casual games or invite links, with chat and spectators.
- Daily Mitan: the same market for everyone, one attempt, with a daily leaderboard.
- Interactive tutorial: 15 short lessons to learn every rule by playing.
FAQ
Is Mitan like chess?
It is a two-player strategy game with no luck once the game starts, like chess. But armies change every game: you can’t memorise openings, you have to think from the very first move.
How long does a game last?
About 10 to 20 minutes. A game ends after 150 half-moves at most.
Is it free? Do I need an account?
Mitan is free with no ads. You can play without an account; a Discord or Google account is used for ranked games, friends and the Daily Mitan.
Can I play alone?
Yes: against the bot, with the tutorial, or with the Daily Mitan.