Tablut
The classic 9×9 Sami tafl game. Defenders protect the king trying to escape to any edge, while attackers hunt him down.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What makes Tablut different from chess?
Tablut is asymmetric: the two sides have different pieces, goals, and win conditions. The defender plays a single king trying to escape, while the attacker has twice as many pieces trying to surround him. There is no checkmate — only escape or capture.
Is the king or the attacker side stronger?
With strong-king rules on a 9×9 board, the game is roughly balanced. Skilled attackers can pin the king; skilled defenders can break through weak points in the attacking ring. Both sides reward careful planning.
What does 'strong king' mean?
In the strong-king variant, the king must be surrounded on all four sides to be captured. In weak-king variants, the king can be captured like any other piece — sandwiched between two enemies. Strong king is the modern standard for Tablut.
Can I play Tablut against the AI on this site?
Yes. Choose 'vs AI' mode and select a difficulty. You play as the defenders (king side), and the AI controls the attackers. You can also play two-player on the same device.
Explore Game Details
About Tablut
Tablut is a 9×9 tafl game from Lapland, documented by Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1732. Played by the Sámi people, it pits a Swedish king with 8 defenders against 16 Moscow attackers in a classic asymmetric pursuit.
Benefits
Tablut is an asymmetric board game: one side tries to escort its king to the edge, the other tries to surround him. The two sides have different pieces and different goals, so each turn is a choice between advancing your own plan and disrupting the opponent's.
How to Play
- The board is 9×9. The king starts on the central throne with 8 defenders in a cross shape. 16 attackers line the four edges of the board.
- All pieces move like a rook in chess — any number of empty squares horizontally or vertically, without jumping over other pieces.
- Soldiers are captured by sandwiching: an enemy piece caught between two of your pieces in a straight line is removed. Moving into a sandwich yourself is safe.
- The king must be surrounded on all four sides to be captured (strong-king rule). The central throne is hostile and can substitute for an attacker when surrounding the king or flanking a defender.
- Defenders win by moving the king to any edge square. Attackers win by capturing the king.
- Only the king may stop on the central throne; other pieces may pass through it once vacated. The throne is hostile to both sides, while corner squares are ordinary squares in this variant.
Strategy Tips
Defenders: keep the king mobile. Avoid blocking the king's escape routes with your own pieces, and steer the king toward the weakest side of the attacking ring.
Attackers: form a connected wall and slowly tighten it. Don't rush individual captures — let the defenders run out of safe squares.
Use the hostile throne square to your advantage — an attacker standing beside it needs fewer pieces to flank a defender or help surround the king.
Watch for sacrifice tactics. A defender may sacrifice a soldier to open a rook-line escape for the king — always check the king's possible lines before moving.
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