Controls

You play by moving pieces. Tap a piece and then tap its destination. Every piece slides in straight lines like a chess rook, any distance until blocked.

The two sides have opposite objectives:

• The defenders (Swedes) must escort their king from the central throne to any square on the edge of the board. Reaching the edge means the king has escaped and the defenders win.
• The attackers (Muscovites) must capture the king by surrounding him on all four sides, or on three sides with the central throne making the fourth. Trapping him wins for the attackers.

You capture ordinary soldiers by flanking them between two of your pieces on opposite sides.

The nine-by-nine board makes Tablut quicker than larger tafl games. Against the computer, the difficulty rises across eight levels.

Tips

• As the defender, aim for the nearest edge. The king wins by reaching any board edge, so identify the least-guarded direction and work your pieces to clear and protect a path there.
• As the attacker, guard all four directions. The king can escape to any edge, so spreading your larger force to cover every side, rather than clustering, is how you prevent a breakout.
• Capture by flanking. You remove an enemy soldier by trapping it between two of your pieces on opposite sides, so set up these pincers deliberately rather than expecting to capture by moving onto a piece.
• Use the throne against the king. The central throne can count as one of the sides needed to trap the king, so as the attacker, herding him back toward it can make the capture easier.
• Defenders, clear the king's escape early. The board is small, so a fast, decisive break for the edge often beats waiting, since the attackers have less room to seal every route.
• Attackers, tighten the net patiently. You have more pieces, so a coordinated, gradual squeeze that closes escape routes one by one traps the king more reliably than a scattered chase.

Frequently asked questions