A king and four guards try to slip out to a corner while eight raiders close in on a 7x7 board.
Hnefatafl is an old Scandinavian strategy game where the two armies are not even close to equal. The defending side is a king with a handful of guards in the center. The other side has eight attackers spread around the edges. The defenders want to sneak the king out to a corner, and the attackers want to trap him.
This version uses Brandubh, the small 7x7 form of the tafl family. Matches move quickly, but every move carries weight.
The goal
There are two main ways to win. The defenders win as soon as their king steps onto any corner. The attackers win by closing in on all four sides of the king. The edge of the board can count as one of those sides, so if the king is stuck along the border, three attackers are enough. The center throne never works against the king.
Rules in brief
The attackers always go first. Every piece, including the king, slides in a straight line across as many empty squares as you like. No diagonal moves and no hopping over pieces.
Only the king may use the central throne and the four corners. Other pieces can’t stop on them or cross them.
Regular pieces are taken by trapping them between two enemies. Move a piece so an enemy ends up flanked in a straight line by two of yours, and that enemy leaves the board. Either a corner or the throne may stand in for one of the two flanking pieces. Captures only happen when you make the move, so sliding into a gap between two enemy pieces is safe.
Strategy notes
When you play the defenders, clear paths for the king early. He is most dangerous when a full row or column lies open. If you can threaten two corners in one move, the attackers can only block one, which often decides the game.
When you play the attackers, park pieces on the squares beside the corners. Each of those blocks two escape routes at once. Watch for defenders that stray next to a corner, because a single attacker can capture them there. Steering the king toward the board’s edge also makes the final trap much easier.
Good to know
Undo and Resign buttons sit below the board. The throne and corner squares are marked so you can spot them at a glance.
Controls
| Action | Keyboard | Mouse | Touch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Move a piece | Tab to the board, arrow keys to reach a square, Enter on your piece and again on the target | Click your piece, then the square it should slide to | Tap your piece, then the target square |
| Choose a side and opponent | — | Pick defenders or attackers and a level, then click "New game" | Pick defenders or attackers and a level, then tap "New game" |
| Take back a move | — | Click "Undo" | Tap "Undo" |
| Give up | — | Click "Resign" | Tap "Resign" |
Hnefatafl FAQ
Can I play Hnefatafl on a phone or Chromebook?
Yes. On a phone or tablet, tap your piece and then the square it should slide to. On a Chromebook, click with the mouse, or press Tab to reach the board and use the arrow keys with Enter to choose a piece and its target.
Is it one player or two?
Either works. Lead either army against the computer at Easy, Medium or Hard, or share one device with a friend. Easy moves at random, while Hard searches several moves deep.
How long does a game last?
Games are short thanks to the compact 7x7 board, often just a few minutes. If you need to stop, your game in progress is saved automatically and will be waiting when you come back.
Can a player lose by running out of moves?
Yes. Besides the king escaping or being surrounded, a side that has no legal move when its turn comes loses the game on the spot.
