Tafl
Family of asymmetric Norse strategy games — a king and defenders must escape, attackers must trap them.
🌤indoor
What is Tafl?
Tafl is a family of Germanic and Scandinavian strategy games played across Northern Europe from before the Viking era until roughly the 12th century, when chess supplanted it. The board is a square grid with one player commanding a king and defenders in the centre, the other twice as many attackers around the edges. The king wins by reaching a corner; attackers win by surrounding him.
Quick facts
Category
Board Games
Type
Individual
Players
2–2
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇸🇪 Sweden
Estimated origin
Northern Europe, pre-Viking era
Olympic
No
Popularity
niche
Sources & provenance
Last verified 2026-08-24.verified