How to play Viking Chess (Hnefatafl)

Learn the rules to the board game Viking Chess (Hnefatafl) quickly and concisely - This video has no distractions, just the rules.
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RULES:
The object of the game for the attacker is to capture the king. The object of the defender is to get their king to one of the 4 corner spaces. Layout the board and place the king on the center cream space. Place the red pieces on the red squares and the teal pieces on the teal squares. One player is the defender and controls the king and red pieces while the other is the attacker and controls all the teal pieces. The attacking player goes first then turns alternate. On your turn you may move any of your pieces any number of spaces in a horizonal or vertical straight line. Pieces may not move off the edge of the board, they may not pass through other pieces nor share a space with another piece. Pieces may not move diagonally.
If you move a piece so that is sandwiches an opponent’s piece in between two of your pieces, so that they are across from each other with the opposing piece in between, then you capture that opposing piece and remove it from the board. Pieces may travel through a sandwich without being captured, but pieces may not stop inside a sandwich. You can also capture an opponent’s piece if you sandwich it between the kings starting space and your piece, or a corner space and your piece.
A king may only be captured by completely surrounding it on all four sides. If the king is on the edge of the board, and it is the defender’s only piece on the board, then 3 pieces may be used to capture it instead. You must make a legal move on your turn, if a player cannot make a legal move, then they lose the game. If the king gets to one of the corner spaces, then the defending player wins. If the king gets trapped surrounded by opposing pieces, then the attacking player wins.

[@rosiefay7283]

I have come across this with the additional rules: 1) no attacker may occupy the throne (king's starting space), and the attackers win if they surround the king with 3 attackers and the throne. 2) a piece may move into a position where it's sandwiched, but doesn't die as a result.

[@TripleSGames]

I used the instructions that came with my version of the game. It is possible other versions of the game use other rules.

[@sammin101]

@@TripleSGames there’s a whole family of tafl variants, tho idk if it’d be worth covering them

[@williamdegrey]

We use these extra rules here in Sweden when I have played it🙂

[@dragon-du6ew]

@@TripleSGames 69th like

[@AustralianGrizzly]

Also seen the rule which makes the scene @1:55 illigal. As Attacker peices can not be in the corner spaces as it practically blocks the Defender compleatly. And that Attacker peices can never stop in the 'yellow' spaces as this board has. The Throne and Camps.

[@honeyjuice219]

still remember learning this game a while back and wondering how will tsg will execute it. totally exceeded my expectations

[@blackcube69]

Why you almost everywhere in this channel

[@honeyjuice219]

@@blackcube69 because, I'm a fan since my childhood and I finally got a account to comment and wanna support tsg as much as possible

[@honeyjuice219]

always like and comment

[@blackcube69]

@@honeyjuice219 ahhhh ok

[@davidtravis1384]

You did great job explaining the rules in 2 minutes. There are a couple of rules that need to be clarified. A piece can actually move and stop between two opposing pieces without being captured. A piece must always move into position to capture an opposing piece. Secondly, no pieces can ever occupy the four corner squares. At 2:14 you have the attackers placed on the corners. The squares that are white, on this board, are squares that only the King can occupy. The same with the center square, known as the Throne. Opposing pieces can cross over the Throne but they can never rest on that square.

[@ninjaspeckops]

Does the edge of the board count as an enemy when one piece is surrounded by three

[@TheOneLascivious]

THIS!!! Absolutelly correct. Those are the very same notes I was going to make. Thank you.

[@hiddesytsema9155]

@@ninjaspeckops the edge of the board doesnt count as a piece unless the king is the only defending piece left. The castles in the corners and the center do count as pieces for both attacker and defender

[@ninjaspeckops]

@@hiddesytsema9155 so if three pieces surround the king on the edge of bored where he is on the edge with no board left what happens. |• < if that was the king per se

[@amatsua1271]

I was just about to say it would be impossible for the King to win if the attackers just put a piece on each corner spot. Good to know that isn't how it works.

[@joshuadixon6026]

I remember having a viking book as a kid. It was like 10 pages of random viking stuff. One of the pages talked about this game but didn't say much about how to play. I copied the picture of the board onto that green planter foam and played it with marbles. With my own made up rules. I quickly got bored playing against myself though. Good memories

[@unsuspiciousdweller8967]

I remember having a similar book myself! Had stuff ranging from dying clothes to painting rocks to making a hnefatafl set. I remember they had similar books for a few ancient cultures like rome and egypt

[@rosiefay7283]

Thanks for featuring a tafl game. There are many variants, but all with twice as many attackers as defenders (excluding the king) and a symmetrical starting position.

[@k-berry8771]

Ho boi here comes the Viking Chess variants saga

[@Kaepsele337]

There are lots of tafl games, but in all that I know you can stop in a sandwich. Other rules that differ in the variants are: -Edge escape: instead of reaching the corner, the king only has to reach the edge -Weaponless King: The king cannot be used to actively capture -Weak King: The King can be captured like any other piece, except on the starting square(throne) where it can only be captured by four attackers -Pieces can move over the throne, but cannot stop on it -the King cannot reenter the throne once he left it -the starting position can differ, but it's always twice as many attackers as defenders The most complete historical ruleset is for Tablut, which is played on a 9x9 board with edge escape and a weak king, but some rules are still ambiguous.

[@Painocus]

The rules here (and in most sets) are actually based on a mistranslation. The main differences in the original are: 1) King only needs to be surrounded to be taken when in or next to the castle (with the castle acting like the 4th piece). Otherwise he can be taken like any other piece. 2) The king wins if he is moved to any edge-square, not just the corners, but if the defender ends their turn with the king having an open path to an edge they must declare it (like "check" in chess).

[@Smartness_itself]

But it's like the opposite of check.

[@Painocus]

@@Smartness_itself I guess kinda. But it serves the same purpose. To warn the opponent that if they do not use their turn to stop it you will win on your next turn. And if the king has two or more open paths to the edge (and is not in immidate risk of being captured) then loss for the other player is inevitable, like in chess if the king has no square it can move to without still being taken on the opponents next turn. In Chess this warning has evolved to itself being the victory condition, because playing out the moves is unneeded when the victor is already determined.

[@thepde6957]

I have been playing this game for years with my daughter. Nice simplification presentation video. There are still a couple of rules that need to be included and those are mentioned in the comments by David Travis. This is a very fun and fast game with very challenging play tactics. It's still unknown when the game originated and if in fact if any of the current rulesets are correct.

[@randymarsh4750]

I have no enemies

[@LucaNs95]

Came here because of the latest Vinland Saga episode where Thorfinn mentions this game, and now I want to play it.

[@cooperemmerton2692]

I love the attention to detail like how all the pieces are different sizes so even if they weren’t coloured you could still tell them apart so a Viking What do you need to paint them

[@cardinalhamneggs5253]

I bought a Hnefatafl set at the gift shop of the British Museum. The pieces are modeled after the famous Lewis Chessmen, which are on display in the Viking exhibit. I also bought a 1-1 scale plastic Viking sword, but it got confiscated at Heathrow when we went to fly back to the US. Apparently it “exceeded our group’s checked baggage item limit” because I couldn’t fit it into my suitcase and had to wrap it up in plastic bags as a separate piece of luggage. (The sarcasm is a joke btw. The Heathrow staff member responsible was actually very kind and understanding, and willingly listened as I explained the situation. Besides, there are online websites where I can buy a _real_ Viking sword.)

[@LuxisAlukard]

Nice! I like these old, even ancient games! And I think this one is used as a base for game Thud, inspired by the book Thud! by Terry Pratchett.

[@mysteriouslyseeing]

The picture of the game board reminded me of that, but I was trying to remenber what it was called, and my best guess was "Bonk"

[@gamerrlance7958]

shut up, the glazing is crazy

[@ThatOneGuy-wi7vv]

As a viking I can confirm that this is How I Play chess

[@gyzardo3648]

My older brother is a strategic freaking genius so no one wants to play this or chess with him but he begged me to play with him so I caved, I basically pulled an Ender Wiggin “The enemies gate is down” on him and just bum rushed a certain corner basically wedging take into the corner bit by bit

[@animationcity8178]

I remember that this literally came up on our EXAM. The question was explaining the game, And then asked “It’s the attacker’s turn. In which position (multiple choice question) doesn’t the attacker win in one move?”

[@climbingaddiction4823]

I have this game from ages ago through my family and I always love playing it, I know it as the Viking game

[@iRsemple]

Hey they have this as one of the board games in Mount and Blade Bannerlord, neat. I think the rules in Bannerlord are lessened though. iirc, The king only need to reach the edge, not a corner. And the king can die by a regular two-piece sandwich, instead of a 4-piece one. Oh amd there are fewer pieces overall.

[@PacoFTW]

The gauntlet from osrs had to have some inspiration from this. The board is similar, the red and teal. That’s awesome

[@gabrielrussell5531]

One thing I was unclear on: Can both sides capture? Can the king be used to capture?

[@porterjones6022]

Yes, I believe in most versions that the king is essentially a more valuable defending piece, so it can be used to capture. Also, since this is a way game, yes---the defender can capture as well.

[@julientripon1092]

That's not the rules I knew. I tried to remember the rules, and search for it, and I realized that was Halatafl, and a variant of the game still exists as Fox and Hound (search Halatafl in wikipedia) The board is a cross (3x3 on the centre, and 2x3 on each of the 4 sides). The variant I played was with only 1 witch and several soldiers. The goal of the witch is to eliminate all soldiers (capture is made like in checkers), and the soldiers goal is to neutrilize the witch by blocking it. I realize also that there was several tafl games. Thank you !

[@dragonfly6638]

I remember playing this game in mount and blade banner lord

[@merikmalhads1676]

Better remember this one in case for some reason I'm to spend my afterlife in Valhalla. Not much of a drinker and might get bored of hunting so gotta have some way to pass the time to ragnarok

[@tacitus539]

Very clear description with helpful animations. Good job!

[@thelinktothepastof7986]

I only just noticed the little text at the top left of the thumbnail that says how many players can play. Very nice touch!

[@kevinv2927]

i have no enemies.

[@meijidren4792]

Sam3

[@Cloud-jz5zx]

There’s a similar Thai version of this where it’s essentially the same except for no kings and it’s lined up on opposite sides on a checkerboard instead

[@GeorgeHarold1]

This is the video I didn't know I needed. Epic 👍

[@thatoneflaregun3167]

If there was a chess game that crossovers multiple variants, these guys would be called Defender - Hexefender Attacker - Hexattacker King - Vi-King

[@emmaabdul-jabbar3458]

This is the best instruction video ever.

[@hunted_man4035]

No one mentions Bannerlord?

[@rainynight02]

I was introduced to this game this past weekend at a Renaissance Fair. I much prefer the one she had with the half marble stones to these giant pillars.

[@CrystalClearWith8BE]

This is about sandwiching pieces to capture as a feature.

[@kauyanDJ]

KZbin title: Viking Chess Everyone: Civilized discussion about rules and plays. Me: Lo, there do I see my father....

[@Pengguie]

I have been playing this board game in mount and blade.

[@dandydanthedapperman7797]

I have this game, but with nine defenders (including the king) and 14 attackers. So far I haven’t found a way for the attackers to actually win considering the king notices all traps

[@tissue4390]

The “sandwiching” concept is cool and reminds me of hasami shogi

[@MixedScales]

I have this game, a lot of fun. I highly recommend it if you get the chance to play!

[@virari6276]

due to this video, i can finally beat my opponents on Hnefatafl on bannerlord ty

[@ckinggaming5bucketmadness766]

I might have to make a budget version of this game

[@rengarcia5189]

I don't see how you can flank a king on all four sides, since the king can just jet away from a potentially dangerous situation at will and be on the other side of the board in no time.

[@AnathexAdventurer]

Can you capture two pieces at the same time?

[@L1M.L4M]

Just like putting all 3 other kings in check in 4 player chess.

[@rat488]

some rules I have also seen once the king leaves the center of the board no piece may enter that square or pass through it. Also I have played with the ability to enter a sandwich which I think adds more strategic depth by allowing you to turn what would be a strong position into a fork and makes the game more aggressive and less defensive in my experience which is a good thing.

[@visibletoallusersonyoutube5928]

If you enter a sandwich wouldn't you just lose that piece

[@rat488]

@@visibletoallusersonyoutube5928 not by that rules variation the active player is the only person who can capture by that rule. This can create interesting dynamics by entering a sandwich to create a fork on the opponent next turn

[@paulmorphy3110]

the rules are incorrect. this game is unlike go. capture only take place after pieces move, so moving friendly pieces to a square between two enemy pieces is totally legal.

[@thepde6957]

Totally correct. We played hundreds of game without this rule and found it one day looking up something else. Once implemented it completely changed the tactics as expected. Before the defender seemed to have a serious advantage of a breakthrough and now this gives the attacker much more flexibility.

[@beefmonkey7713]

I've actually played this one, but in a video game. Mount and Blade Bannerlord has a version of this as a minigame

[@vattierderideaux7712]

Thanks you!!

[@nitorishogiplayer3465]

Oh so this is the same as Hasami Shogi but with the addition of a king and new winning conditions. Actually, its probably a hybrid then, in that regard, between that and Hare and Dogs.

[@TordLarrsonYT]

Attacker : teal Defender or dragon : Red King : Yellow

[@user-py1vu8bw1v]

what if 3 defenders cover every escape route?

[@justingolden21]

This seems really neat. Simple rules, complex strat

[@thecontractor365]

I don't quite get it - everytime a third attacking piece attacks the king, it would then be the king's turn and he could just move out of it everytime. What am I missing? Can't understand why the king would just sit there, do nothing and end up surround all 4 sides.

[@AsyrafFile]

Hoping you do Jenga Chess Clock by TomScott and his friend.

[@Exahedron]

I’m playing this on repeat so I can hear that guy saying “Hnefatafl”

[@massiveidiot3587]

sounds like it is a combination of chess with go(surrounding game)

[@edoardoferretti5493]

As non native English-speaking person, I find hilarious the verb "to sandwich"

[@caydennguyen1249]

Red pieces=shields Blue pieces=swords Cream piece=king

[@zlosov5817]

Oh my god This is THUD from Discworld THIS IS WHAT THUD WAS BASED ON

[@StoMoComedoPro]

So there's the name "Viking Chess" but then it's also known as "Hnefatafl", the special name. Well obviously a special game deserves a special name, this game seems really cool, like how it also includes the sandwiching. Also I will just clarify on two things: Number 1: Can the attackers go on the King's starting space too, or is it just the defenders, or is it just the king? Number 2: And of course the defender would win if they happened to capture every single attacker, right?

[@skellious]

I think this game inspired the Discworld Thud board game.

[@Cumrel]

I'm viking and can confirm thats how we play chess.

[@FuckJewTube664]

Episode 22, Season 2 Vinland saga

[@jvoz671]

Now what about Castleing? How do you perform a Queen's Gambit? Are 2s considered wild?

[@erutis53]

I play online and it's set up differently and the rules are a little different as while

[@LeotheTiger1234]

Is it possible for the defense to win by eliminating all attacking pieces before the king gets to a corner?

[@6s519]

The king moves as any other piece or just un space like chess?

[@JannPoo]

The King moves like any other piece, i.e. like a Rook would in Chess.

[@MSRomsa]

I learned this game when I was young and was my favorite til I discovered Baduk.

[@benjaminanderson8856]

Excellent video

[@slugintub2836]

Fun fact: this game's icelandic translation means "knuckle-chess"

[@taylorjones965]

With Hnegatafl this is only one of many variations of rules. Although I've never come across the not stopping in a sandwich rule before.

[@simbachvazo6530]

Oh hey its Tablut. They have this in Bannerlord.

[@TomFromMars]

I get that it's not the purpose of your channel but i would have loved some basic tactics. I knew the game already but it always confused me as to what is a "good" move as opposed to simply a legal move.

[@privatename5788]

How could you ever capture a king with four pieces? As soon as the second or third moves into position, the defender just moves the king.

[@sophiegrey9576]

So instead of a draw, causing what resembles stalemate is a win condition?

[@markangeloflores9180]

It's like the concepts of Kings Valley Neutron board game, and draughts

[@geoffahunt]

I don't know how you find so many great games in such short time!

[@emmettnelson7260]

1:20 is incorrect. The official rules and the ones in my hnefetafl set both state that you may move a piece into a sandwich, and in that case it is not captured.

[@Painocus]

"Offical rules"? Whose "offical rules"?

[@tdm_nicky5603]

Bro I already know someone's about to make something sus when you said place the king on the cream square

[@tonymaurice4157]

Awesome game! Definitely a relative of the much older seega game

[@BumboLooks]

Seega is hundreds of years younger than Hnafatafl lol. You are probably thinking of the Ancient Egyptian senet. A completely different game with completely lost rules.

[@tonymaurice4157]

@BumboLooks No it isn't. Seega Is the older game. The viking roman game used kings which came later in the game. Seega Was first recorded by europeans in the 1800s, But it's much older.

[@BumboLooks]

@@tonymaurice4157 Seega has absolutely zero evidence of existing before the 1800's. No boards, pieces or rules before the 1800s. None of the board games uncovered from ancient Egypt are Seega. It's a completely baseless claim. latrunculi Doesn't have any kings either. It is first mentioned in writing around 100BC and we have stone latrunculi boards that date from around 100AD and earlier. The Stanway game from the Druid of Colchester archeological site is a Tafl variant game from around 50AD with a very early example of a king piece. You have many other tafl boards and pieces in different archeological sites until the introduction of chess into Europe a thousand years later.

[@tonymaurice4157]

@BumboLooks The roman version does have a Dux king. And the roman version is the predecessor to the viking game.. And it all goes back to seega!! Which nomads still play in the sand Today.. The game goes back many centuries and generations. It wasn't just invented in the 1800s... And it's the great great great grandfather to the viking game!!

[@BumboLooks]

@@tonymaurice4157 No, latrunculi doesn't have a king. That's based purely on the Stanway game that was once believed to be latrunculi when it's just a tafl variant. The Greek ancestor of the game, Petteia doesn't have a king either. Literally nobody in Egypt plays Seega today and it isn't ancient. You're just pulling crap out your behind. Mancala on the other hand is still played today and has physical evidence for existing in 700AD. However that game isn't at all related to Seega or Chess.

[@nick72486]

C - cyan R -red O - empty OOOOO ORORC OOOOO OOCOO What if cyan will move between two R? Will he die? Will right R die? I need answer

[@vladislavshevchenko9970]

I tried processing different variants of hnefatafl through the engine. It's highly imbalanced. On some variants the engine says that the defender wins within 8-12 moves regardless of what the attacker does. While in some other variants the engine says what with perfect play the attacker always wins. I was unable to find a more or less equal Variant where both sides have chances.

[@coconat903]

I have a question. What if a player tries to move a piece so the king is trapped between four pieces but the pieces that is moving falls to a sandwich?

[@bienoscarlos]

Checkmate! He didn't say we can't move knight way!

[@charlesroberts-moses6074]

Surprised you haven’t covered how to play dos

[@johnmclean5957]

I like your set. Where did you buy it?

[@LegendStormcrow]

Sounds fun

[@ThatGuyRNA]

I will now add this to Martian chess and normal chess to create ultimate chess

[@sabelch]

Concise description of the rules except for two problems: - at 1:21 you say a piece cannot stop in a sandwhich. Which ruleset are you describing? Your description most closely resembles Fetlar Hnefatafl but that is a valid move in Fetlar and all "strong king" variants of hnefatafl I'm familiar with. - you failed to mention that only the king can occupy the cream squares (throne and exit squares).

[@TripleSGames]

I followed the rule set that came with that version of the game.

[@avivastudios2311]

I feel like the pieces are too OP since they can basically move anywhere. I feel like they should have been restricted to move one to three spaces forward.

[@WackoMcGoose]

What if one of the defender's red pieces remains adjacent to the king the entire time, so it becomes impossible for the attacker to surround the king? Can they be captured Go-style, a blue piece on every one of the king-group's liberties? I suppose the single red could be sandwiched to remove them, but a 2x2 of three reds and a king can't be sandwiched (but red could then sequentially sandwich each of the blue pieces to free the king... but then blue makes the wall two pieces thick... and then stalemate)

[@ReedZoe-x8r]

Cooper Dale

[@marc7817]

On the version I played, king win at the moment he is on a border

[@valeriebolejack5957]

I have watched this several times and did the closed captioning. I never heard the rules on the kings movement. 1 space? Multiple spaces?

[@toxicrogue9547]

Literally played this in bannerlord 2 on god

[@5uperM]

Pretty cool.

[@mic01851165]

So the king has the same movement pattern as attacker? Defender cannot kill the attacker's pieces?

[@harperna3938]

Yes, same movement pattern. No, both players can sandwich each other's pieces.

[@soupalex]

i used to play this on MS-DOS with my da when i was about six years old. iirc it was just called "VIKING.EXE", and ran in 4 (CMY + white) incredible colours!

[@ConnorJesse-f7s]

Kayleigh Village

[@MrRyanroberson1]

2:06 this is an illegal board state, if i understand correctly. The kind is sandwiching a teal piece between him and the center square, so that piece should have been captured! Does the king not count for captures at all?

[@seashelltheseawing]

What happens if the attacker only has two pieces and all the defender pieces are captured?

[@yama123numbercauseytdemand4]

0:49 Pieces may not try to avoid Ragnarök by leaving Yggdrasil.