When was Hnefatafl invented?
Its origins are unclear, but it seems that it has appeared during the Viking period, in the 7th or 8th century CE, in Scandinavia and other lands which the Vikings have conquered, as accounted for in archaeological finds of Hnefatafl pieces.
What does the word Hnefatafl mean?
fist table
Hnefatafl literally translates to “fist table,” from the Old Norse (equivalently in modern Icelandic) hnef, ‘fist’, and tafl, ‘table’.
Who invented Hnefatafl?
Hnefatafl began its life in Scandinavia. It probably developed from a Roman war game called Ludus Latrunculorum, which in turn developed from petteia, a game of the Greeks.
How old is Hnefatafl?
1600 years old
The game of Hnefatafl is well over 1600 years old and was played in much of North-West Europe up until the time of the first crusade. In different countries it has been known under different names and has been played on boards of different sizes. Its heyday was the period from about 400 to 1000 AD.
How does the king move in Hnefatafl?
The objective of the king is to escape to the periphery of the board, while the objective of the attackers is to capture the king, preventing his escape. The pieces move orthogonally, like rooks in chess, and capture is by surrounding a piece on two opposite sides.
What variations of Hnefatafl exist?
The pages below each describe a particular variant, with history, rules and if the game has been much played, strategy too.
- Fetlar Hnefatafl.
- Tablut.
- Brandub.
- Tawlbwrdd.
- Alea Evangelii.
- York Hnefatafl.
- Ealdfaeder Taefl Rules.
- Sea Battle Tafl.
Can the king capture pieces in Hnefatafl?
The King is unarmed and cannot capture. A piece that is next to the corner square can be captured by a single opposing piece. The piece is moved so that the opposing piece is trapped between the corner and the piece moved – the corner square acts as the second capturing piece.
When was the first hnefatalf World Championship held?
Zoom image First Hnefatalf World Championship in 2008. Hnefatafl is a board game with a history dating back over 1600 years. Hnefatafl enthusiasts in Fetlar established the Fetlar Hnefatafl Panel in 2007 to standardise rules and promote the game worldwide. Following on from this, Fetlar has now hosted several Hnefatafl World Championships.
Where did the game of Hnefatafl come from?
“Games like hnefatafl and chess may have been introduced amongst the elite but there is a plenty of evidence that they ended up being played by all ranks in society,” he said. Caldwell estimates that hnefatafl probably first appeared in Scotland during the Iron Age.
When was the Fetlar Hnefatafl panel set up?
Zoom image The Fetlar Hnefatafl Panel (FHP) was set up in 2007 with the object of playing the game, testing rules and deciding a set of practical rules to publicise world-wide in order that all players were able to contend when they met with a standard set of rules.
What did Heidrek mean by the game Hnefatafl?
“This is the game of hnefatafl ,” he says, “the darker ones guard the king, but the white ones attack.” Heidrek’s reference, here, is one of several in the Icelandic sagas to an ancient board game known as hnefatafl (pronounced “neffa-tafel”).