How to play Tafl

The rules

1. Two unequal sides: defenders with a king in the centre, and attackers (about twice as many) around the edges.
2. All pieces move like a rook in chess — any distance in a straight line — but may not jump.
3. A piece is captured by sandwiching it between two enemy pieces on opposite sides.
4. The king escapes to win (to a corner in most variants, to the edge in some). The attackers win by surrounding the king.
5. Seven variants from 7×7 Brandubh to 19×19 Alea Evangelii differ in board size and capture rules.

Playing Tafl on Puzzle Solvers

1. Pick a variant (Brandubh, Tablut, Hnefatafl, Copenhagen, Ard Rí, Tawlbwrdd or Alea Evangelii), a side and a difficulty.
2. Click a piece and then its destination. Turn on Moves, Safe and Danger squares while you learn.
3. Replay the game afterwards, or continue from any point.

Open the Tafl game →

A worked example

Strategies

• Defenders: open lines. Create two escape routes at once — the attackers can block only one.
• Attackers: build a ring. Block the corners first, then tighten a ring around the defenders.
• Avoid sandwiches. Before moving, check whether the square you land on lets the enemy capture you next turn.
• Use the hints. Moves, safe squares and danger squares can be shown on the board while you learn.

Common mistakes

• Moving a piece between two enemies and assuming it is captured — in most rules, moving into a sandwich is safe.

Where it comes from

Tafl games were played across Scandinavia and the British Isles for over a thousand years; Tablut was recorded in Lapland in 1732.

Frequently asked questions

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