Tafl Games - Shop Online - The Historic Games Shop

Tafl games date to the Viking period and have many variants and a wide range of rules. These asymmetrical games, which all comprise a smaller army defending a king, attacked by an army with twice the number of men, are usually played twice, with each player alternately taking the side of the king. The king's side win if he can escape to a corner; the attackers win if they can first trap him. Variations to the rules allow advantages for inexperienced players.

The name 'Hnefatafl' appears in Norse literature, and many boards have been recovered from Viking archaeological sites. Though having fairly simple rules and being accessible to children Hnefatafl is an excellent strategy game and deserves to be better known.