HNEF: Hnefatafl

Play Hnefatafl, the Scandinavian strategy board game often called Viking chess. HNEF uses Copenhagen rules on an 11×11 board. Lead the attacking army to capture the king, or command the defenders and clear his path to a corner.

The two sides have different strengths and different goals. Attackers control more pieces. Defenders must create an opening before the king is surrounded.

Play live online
Challenge other players in real-time matches or invite a friend. Play ranked live games to build your rating and climb the leaderboard.

Take turns at your own pace
Make your move, close the app, and return for your opponent's reply. You don't need to be online together. Choose a time limit per move and keep several correspondence games going at once. Join a public game or send an invitation to another player.

Play offline or share a device
Challenge the computer with a choice of difficulty levels, or play against a friend on the same device. Try both sides of the board and practise without an internet connection.

Learn the rules and revisit your games
Interactive lessons introduce movement, captures, the king's escape, and the Copenhagen rules. Use match history and replay to revisit saved games move by move and examine the positions that decided them.

A board game with no dice or card draws
Victory comes from controlling space, setting traps, and recognising when to attack or escape. HNEF pairs this tactical contest with Nordic scenery and animated character portraits.

Play a full match now, or leave your next move for later.

Recent changes:
General improvements and bug fixes.