Viking Chess (Hnefatafl)

The old Norse game of king and siege. Two unequal armies: dark raiders ring the board; the light guard their king at the central throne.

• Every piece moves like a rook — any distance in a straight line, no jumping.
• Only the king may rest on the throne or the four corners (others may slip across the empty throne).
• Capture an enemy by flanking it on two opposite sides; a corner or the empty throne can serve as one side.
• The attackers win by surrounding the king on all four sides (a board edge or the throne can count).
• The defenders win if their king reaches any corner. Attackers move first.