Test your strategic skills in this ancient and mysterious game. Play alone or compete online to win rare artifacts. Increase your skill and unleash the power of the Norse Gods on your opponents. What is Tablut? Tablut is a variation of an ancient and mysterious board game, called hnefatafl or tafl. Although tafl was first played hundreds of years ago by the Vikings, many civilizations throughout history have played variations of the game; nonetheless, all versions share common characteristics. Even though the tafl games predate chess by centuries their principles are very similar. Two players compete on a square game board; one player controls the king?s army, the other, the invading army. The goal is simple: the king must be safely moved to a corner space on the board in order to escape the invasion. On the other hand, the invading army must capture the king by surrounding him on four sides. The game pieces are moved vertically or horizontally across the game board, similar to the rook in chess. A piece is captured when it is surrounded by enemy pieces on two apposing sides. Tablut Online features: Simple game play with an emphasis on strategy, makes Tablut ideal for both beginners and advanced players. Compete against players from around the world in online matches. Increase the stakes by wagering items. Unlock up to seven different game variations based on real games played throughout history. Enter the Tablut World Tour mode to compete against twelve of the greatest tafl players in history. Win rare items that reveal the powers of the Norse Gods and can be wagered in Internet Matches. Fifty items are available in all. Travel to six unique locations such as an ancient Viking port, a Roman hall, and a Medieval castle. Unlock new portraits that can be used to create new characters for Internet Matches. Play against others over the Internet, a computer opponent, or against another person on the same computer.