Risk

Officially Risk: The Game of Global Domination

Classic strategy board game of global military conquest for 2-6 players in which armies dice-battle across a stylized world map of 42 territories on 6 continents.

📐world map board⏱~240 min🌤indoor

Photo · Wikipedia

What is Risk?

Risk is a classic strategy board game of military conquest designed by French filmmaker Albert Lamorisse and first published as 'La Conquête du Monde' (The Conquest of the World) in 1957 in France by Miro Company. Parker Brothers acquired rights and released the game as 'Risk' in the USA in 1959. The game board is a stylized world map divided into 42 territories across 6 continents; 2-6 players compete to conquer the world by controlling territories, attacking neighbours, and collecting continent bonuses. Combat resolution uses dice: attacker rolls 1-3 dice, defender rolls 1-2 dice; highest die of each side compared; ties go to defender. Standard Risk objective: eliminate all other players (world domination). Mission Risk variants use secret objective cards. Risk has sold 50+ million copies since 1959 and has spawned dozens of variants: Risk 2210 A.D., Risk Legacy, Risk Star Wars, Risk Halo, etc. Notorious for 4-6 hour game length in classic mode.

Quick facts

How it works

Objective

Classic: eliminate all other players by conquering all their territories. Mission Risk: complete secret mission card first.

Match structure

Setup: players claim territories in rotation, place initial armies. Turn: (1) receive reinforcements from territories + continent bonuses + card trades, (2) attack neighbouring territories via dice combat, (3) fortify (move armies between two connected friendly territories).

Rules

Basic rules

Reinforcements
Start of turn: minimum 3 armies + 1 per 3 territories you own + continent bonuses + trade sets of 3 territory cards for 4-12+ armies.
Attack
Attack neighbouring territory. Roll up to 3 attacker dice (must have >1 attacker in territory); defender rolls up to 2 (max 2 defenders).
Combat resolution
Compare highest attacker die vs highest defender die; ties go to defender. Repeat with next-highest. Loser removes 1 army per lost die-pair.
Conquering territory
If defender reaches 0 armies, attacker takes territory + moves ≥1 attacker in. Receive territory card if attacking that turn.
Fortify (once per turn)
At end of turn, move any number of armies from one territory to one connected friendly territory.
Card trades (sets of 3)
3 different symbols (infantry/cavalry/artillery) or 3 same = reinforcement armies; escalating value if playing multiple sets.
Continent bonuses
Own all territories in a continent = bonus armies each turn (Australia 2, Europe 5, Asia 7, North America 5, South America 2, Africa 3).

Advanced rules

Escalating card trades (classic)
1st trade = 4 armies, 2nd = 6, 3rd = 8, 4th = 10, 5th = 12, 6th+ = 15 (and each subsequent +5).
Fixed card trades (2008 rules)
3-same symbols = 4/6/8/10 armies; 3-different = 10; wild card counts as any.
Blitz attack
Attack multiple times in same conflict; announce '3 vs 2' rolls until win or retreat.
Fortification restriction
Only one fortification per turn — move any amount of armies between exactly two connected friendly territories.
Mission Risk variant
Each player draws secret mission card at start; first to complete it wins (missions: eliminate specific colour, hold Europe + South America, etc.).
2-player variant (Neutral)
3-color game where third color is 'Neutral' — each player alternates controlling neutral army placement.

Scoring

Classic Risk: no points; win by world domination or mission completion. Ranking based on elimination order.

Action	Points
Territory owned	Contributes to reinforcements + card cycle
Continent owned	Bonus reinforcements per turn
Territory card set traded	4-15+ reinforcement armies
Player eliminated	Attacker takes eliminated player's cards

Win condition · Classic: last player standing (world domination). Mission: first to complete secret mission.

Playing area

Called

world map board

Dimensions

Stylized world map with 42 territories on 6 continents (North America 9, South America 4, Europe 7, Africa 6, Asia 12, Australia 4)

Cardboard map with numbered territories and continent-color coding.

Equipment

Game board
Stylized world map with 42 territories + continent bonuses shown.
Army pieces (60+ per player)
Plastic soldiers/tanks in 6 colors (originally infantry, then cavalry & artillery for value 5, 10).
Territory cards (44)
Deck of 42 territory cards + 2 wild cards; used for reinforcements.
3 attacker dice + 2 defender dice
6-sided dice for combat resolution.
Mission cards (variants)
Secret objective cards in Mission Risk variant.

Officiating

Self-refereed; competitive tournament play uses referees for rule interpretations.

Self-refereed

Strategies

Australia strategy
Only 4 territories with one border (Siam) — easy to defend and hold for +2 bonus each turn.
South America strategy
4 territories + 2 borders (North Africa, Central America); good bonus (+2) for smaller commitment.
Avoid Asia early
12 territories + many borders; only useful when strong (+7 bonus is huge but hard to hold).
3v2 dice rule
3 attacker vs 2 defender dice: attacker wins 37.2% of both dice, defender 29.3% of both, split 33.6%. Overall attacker slight edge.
Card trades escalate
Trade sets when needed; escalating value 4/6/8/10/12/15+ armies each subsequent set — late-game explosion.
Eliminate for card jackpot
Killing a player takes all their territory cards — may enable 2 trades that turn.
Diplomacy (informal)
Alliances with 2-3 players against strongest — verbal only, no rules; strongest player often becomes target.

Terminology

Territory: One of 42 regions on the world map.
Continent bonus: Extra armies per turn for owning all territories in a continent.
Reinforcements: New armies received each turn based on territories, continents, card trades.
Combat / Attack: Dice-battle between adjacent territories.
3v2 dice: Max attacker rolls 3 dice, max defender rolls 2.
Fortify: End-of-turn move of armies between two connected friendly territories (once per turn).
Card set trade: Trading 3 territory cards for reinforcement armies.
Wild card: 2 wild cards in deck; count as any symbol for trades.
Turn-in / Reset (2008 rules): Fixed value trades instead of escalating.
Mission / Objective card: Secret win condition in Mission Risk variant.
World Domination: Classic win condition: control every territory.
Neutral (2-player): 3rd color controlled by both players in 2-player game.

Major competitions

World Risk Championship
annual (online + LAN) · worldwide · since 2007
Risk Legacy Community Tournaments
ongoing · worldwide

Where it is played

Governing bodies

Hasbro (publisher since 1991 Parker Brothers acquisition)
Founded 1923 · Pawtucket, USA
Official site ↗
World Risk Federation
Founded 2010
Official site ↗

Famous names & records

Famous athletes

Albert Lamorisse (France, 1922-1970) — Designer of original 'La Conquête du Monde' (1957); also director of 'The Red Balloon' (Oscar-winner 1956)
David Whitcher — Multiple World Risk Champion
Michael Perlman — Longtime Risk tournament winner
Erik Karls — Risk online champion (WarZone / dominating.net)

Records

Most Risk copies sold
Risk (all editions) — 50+ million (2024) (2024)
Longest game played (documented)
Various — 24+ hours (charity events) (2018)
Original French title
La Conquête du Monde — 1957 France; translated to Risk (English) 1959 USA (1959)

Learn this sport

beginner

1
Play with 3-4 friends first game
First game takes 3-4 hours; expect to learn by playing.
2
Australia strategy
Best strategy for beginners: hold Australia (only 1 border, +2 bonus per turn).
3
Learn dice probability
3v2 attack slightly favours attacker; understand odds.

intermediate

1
Try Mission Risk variant
Faster games (90-120 min) with secret win conditions.
2
Advanced maps
Risk Europe, Risk 2210 A.D., Risk Legacy expand the game significantly.
3
Online play (WarZone, dominating.net)
Free online Risk platforms with global player base.

advanced

1
World Risk Championship
Online + LAN annual tournaments.
2
Risk Legacy campaign
15-game campaign that permanently modifies board and rules.

Frequently asked

How long does a Risk game take?+

Classic World Domination: 4-6 hours typical, sometimes 8+. Mission Risk: 90-120 min. Risk Legacy: 15-game campaign, each 90 min. First game with new players often 6+ hours.

What's the best strategy in Risk?+

Hold Australia (only 4 territories, 1 border, +2 bonus/turn) — best beginner strategy. South America (4 territories, 2 borders, +2 bonus) close 2nd. Avoid Asia early (12 territories, hard to hold).

Who invented Risk?+

French filmmaker Albert Lamorisse (1922-1970) — also director of Oscar-winning short film 'The Red Balloon' (1956). Published in France 1957 as 'La Conquête du Monde'; Parker Brothers USA in 1959.

How does combat work?+

Attacker rolls up to 3 dice (must have ≥2 armies attacking); defender rolls up to 2 dice. Compare highest attacker vs highest defender die; ties go to defender. Then repeat with second-highest. Each loss removes 1 army.

What's Risk Legacy?+

A 15-game campaign version (2011) where each game permanently modifies the board — rules unlock, players sign territories, and cards get destroyed. Board tells a story across the campaign. Highly acclaimed innovation.

Is Risk still played competitively?+

Yes — World Risk Championship annual, plus online platforms (WarZone.com/dominating.net) host regular tournaments with global player base. Not as popular as Chess/Go but has passionate community.

Sources & provenance

Wikipedia — Risk— Wikipedia
Hasbro — Risk— Hasbro
BoardGameGeek — Risk— BoardGameGeek

Last verified 2026-08-24.community