How to Play Brandubh: Learn the Rules
Brandubh is the Irish member of the ancient tafl family, a Celtic cousin of Hnefatafl and Tablut played on a small 7x7 board. An Irish king, the branan, and his four defending princes start at the centre, surrounded by eight Viking raiders. The king tries to break out to one of the four corner provinces, while the raiders try to surround and capture him before he escapes.
How to Play Brandubh: Learn the Rules
Brandubh is the Irish member of the ancient tafl family, a Celtic cousin of Hnefatafl and Tablut played on a small 7x7 board. An Irish king, the branan, and his four defending princes start at the centre, surrounded by eight Viking raiders. The king tries to break out to one of the four corner provinces, while the raiders try to surround and capture him before he escapes.
Objective
The two sides have opposite goals. The defenders (the king's side) win if the king reaches any of the four corner squares, called the provinces. The attackers win if they surround and capture the king before he escapes.
Setup
Brandubh is played on a 7x7 board with a special central square called the throne. The king starts on the throne with his four defenders on the squares directly around him, forming a small cross. The eight attackers are placed in pairs at the middle of each edge, pointing inward like the arms of a cross. The attacking side takes the first move.
Gameplay
Every piece moves any number of squares horizontally or vertically, like a rook in chess, and may not jump over other pieces. Only the king may rest on the throne; other pieces may slide across it when it is empty but never stop there. The four corner provinces are restricted to the king as well. A soldier is captured when an enemy traps it between two enemies on opposite sides, or between an enemy and a hostile square. A single move can capture up to three pieces at once.
Winning
The defenders win the moment the king reaches a corner province. The king is captured like any other piece, by trapping him between two attackers (or an attacker and a hostile corner), except on the throne, where all four surrounding squares must be occupied by attackers. The throne is never hostile to the king, so standing beside it gives him no extra protection. A player who cannot make a legal move loses, and a position repeated for the third time ends the game against the player forcing the repetition.
Objective
The two sides have opposite goals. The defenders (the king's side) win if the king reaches any of the four corner squares, called the provinces. The attackers win if they surround and capture the king before he escapes.
Setup
Brandubh is played on a 7x7 board with a special central square called the throne. The king starts on the throne with his four defenders on the squares directly around him, forming a small cross. The eight attackers are placed in pairs at the middle of each edge, pointing inward like the arms of a cross. The attacking side takes the first move.
Gameplay
Every piece moves any number of squares horizontally or vertically, like a rook in chess, and may not jump over other pieces. Only the king may rest on the throne; other pieces may slide across it when it is empty but never stop there. The four corner provinces are restricted to the king as well. A soldier is captured when an enemy traps it between two enemies on opposite sides, or between an enemy and a hostile square. A single move can capture up to three pieces at once.
Winning
The defenders win the moment the king reaches a corner province. The king is captured like any other piece, by trapping him between two attackers (or an attacker and a hostile corner), except on the throne, where all four surrounding squares must be occupied by attackers. The throne is never hostile to the king, so standing beside it gives him no extra protection. A player who cannot make a legal move loses, and a position repeated for the third time ends the game against the player forcing the repetition.
Learn, Play, and Have Fun!
Ready to play Brandubh online? Start a match against the computer now. No signup, no friction.