The Regency Chess Company White/Red Hnefatafl - The Viking Game Cardinal Edition

The Regency Chess Company

1 white King. 12 white Defenders. 24 red Attackers. Screen-printed linen playing surface. Rules and Historical information leaflet. Gift box presentation. Made in the UK. A stunning red version of this classic game presented with crushed stone resin pieces, a cloth board and a lovely presentation box. The attacking side is positioned around the border and comprises 24 infantry in four groups of 6 (red pieces). All pieces move like the Rook in chess, and pieces are captured by "sandwiching," i.e., moving a piece so that your opponent's piece is trapped horizontally or vertically between two of yours. The game starts with the defending (white) team in a cross formation in the centre of the board. This team comprises twelve soldiers and a king. Their objective is for the king to escape by reaching any of the four corner squares. There is abundant information available on the internet about Hnefatafl, including many rule variations that are worth experimenting with. Whichever way you play, it's a great game and an ideal gift. This Hnefatafl set brings to mind the famous Isle Of Lewis, and with the "board" printed on woven textile, there is a nice medieval feel to the set. Most pieces found to date are a bit more basic in design than this, giving evidence of just how popular the game was among ordinary people who could not indulge in the finer things in life. A couple of years ago, we commissioned our Spanish friends Rechapados Ferrer to create a wonderful wooden version of the board. Like its bronze cousin, we have matched this cardinal edition with this stunning board to create a deluxe version of the game.