Viking Chess: An Ancient Alternative
If we say “Viking chess,” what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Is it the Lewis Chessmen? While that is a good guess, it's not quite right. The world of Viking chess is vast, and we are going to explore its history and how the game is played.
Viking chess has such an intriguing backstory and plays a big role in Norse culture. So, let’s dive into its history and find out what makes these chess pieces so unique.
What is Viking Chess?
Historians trace Viking Chess back to the 4th century, noting its popularity throughout the Viking era and the Middle Ages.
The Vikings called it Hnefatafl, a strategic board game they played long before modern chess appeared.
In the game, players control opposing forces — However, one side protects a king while the other attempts to capture him. When doing our research, it is clear that the Vikings hold Hnefatafl in high regard.
It tests their wit and tactical prowess, mirroring the asymmetric nature of Viking warfare. In the game, the two armies are unequal. One larger than the other, battle it out on a board, symbolizing the Vikings’ affinity for daring strategy and combat.
The Vǫlospá (poems in the Poetic Edda) hints at an early reverence for games among the Norse gods, where they play with golden gaming pieces. This reverence extended to everyday Vikings, who saw Hnefatafl not just as a pastime but as a symbol of the rugged yet balanced life.
But, sadly, compared to regular chess, Viking Chess is relatively unknown.
Although the rules of regular chess have remained mostly unchanged for hundreds of years. Hnefatafl’s rules have varied throughout history, with many versions of the game emerging.
The Spread of Board Games
While the Vikings loved games and strategy, However, they didn’t invent chess as we know it today. Instead, they adapted and developed unique board games.
The relationship between the Viking game Hnefatafl and the new board game of chess is complex. Both are even described by the same term: Tafl.
We found a great book, Board Games of the Vikings – From Hnefatafl to Chess by Michael Schulte, which gives us great insight into Viking Chess.
According to the document, chess brought new appeal to Northern Europe. It offered symmetrical gameplay with two kings facing off on equal terms. Figures like Earl Rǫgnvaldr Kali Kolsson and King Knútr the Great embraced the game. Norse sagas associate it with their broader skills and elite status. For the Norse elite, chess represented not just a game but a new intellectual pursuit.
Chess began to gain prestige, showcasing the Vikings' adaptability and interest in expanding beyond their native pastimes to embrace broader European influences. Vikings had a deep love for strategy games, including dice and various board games. Archaeologists have uncovered game boards and pieces made from walrus tusk, bone, wood, stone, or imported glass. They found these artifacts in the graves of high-ranking Vikings worldwide.
Burial and Culture
The famous “shield maiden’s grave” of the Birka Warrior, for example, held more than weapons and war horses. Not to mention the impressively crafted gaming set.
At the Salme ship burial off Estonia’s coast, Vikings buried a leader with 40 warriors. They placed a king game piece in his mouth to mark his rank.
One medieval account even claims a heated chess game may have ignited the legendary war between Irish High King Brian Boru and Viking King of Dublin, Sygtrygg Silkbeard.
Chess-like games of strategy appear in numerous Icelandic sagas. The gods in Völuspá play with golden game pieces, leaving these as some of the only relics after Ragnarok renews the world. Aristocrats didn’t just play these games to pass the time; spectators gathered to watch, making them popular events.
The Grágás laws of the 13th century (designed to help Iceland transition into new Christian monarchal realities) expressly forbid spectators from gambling over such games.
How to Play Hnefatafl?
In Hnefatafl, the pieces move across a square board with five special spots. The center is called the “Throne,” and the four corners of the board are escape points for the King. Unlike most board games today, Hnefatafl doesn’t start with even sides, like in chess.
Instead, the sides are split into attackers and defenders. The attackers line up along the board's edges, while the defenders start in the center around the King. The goal for the attackers is to capture the King, and the defenders’ job is to protect him long enough for him to escape.
The Lewis Chessmen – Early Chess in Viking Era
The Lewis Chessmen stands as one of the most famous treasures ever found, first discovered in 1831 on Scotland's Isle of Lewis.
This significant discovery reveals much about Viking chess and the designs of that era. Despite multiple efforts, however, we still know very little about why the chessmen were hidden and who exactly uncovered them.
Myths and rumors often surround the origins of these pieces. According to one popular story, a local crofter named Malcolm MacLeod found a stone chamber beneath a sandbank on Uig Bay beach, where he discovered the precious chess pieces.
The chess set consists of 78 intricately carved figurines. Scholars believe that artisans in Norway crafted the pieces around the 12th or 13th century, during a time when Vikings ruled the seas.
A closer look into the craftsmanship revealed a distinctive feature that could only have originated in Scandinavia. The rook in chess, or "warders," are biting their shields—an action historians associate with berserkers. These fierce warriors reportedly bit their shields in intense fury, a practice that made them widely feared.
The National Museums Scotland publication, The book the Lewis Chessmen Unmasked, explores this theory in detail. It suggests the chessmen might have been a gift from a Norwegian king to strengthen ties with the Isles.
Another theory proposes that a wealthy merchant traveling through the Hebrides owned the set. The merchant may have hidden the pieces with plans to retrieve them later but never returned.
Origins of the Chessmen
Behind the Lewis Chessmen lies remarkable craftsmanship. A recent study by the National Museum of Scotland involved examining the eleven chess pieces in their collection.
Scholars in this study inspected the surface condition of each piece under special-grade microscopes. Researchers studied the chess pieces and concluded that artisans crafted most from walrus ivory and whale tooth. They used whale ivory exclusively for the knight.
Centuries later, the chessmen still look excellent. This condition shows artisans crafted them with care and likely stored them in a leather bag.
Kubb – The Social Strategy Game
Viking chess is also called Kubb in some places, and it is a different type of chess. It’s a lawn game where players throw wooden batons, called Kastpinnar, to knock over wooden blocks known as Kubbar.
- Set up a field to play on.
- Each team will set up 5 Kubbs at the edge of their side of the field.
- Place the king in the middle of the field.
- Determine who goes first by tossing the baton towards the king.
- The team with the closest baton goes first.
Toss batons and try to topple the other team’s Kubbs. To throw, stand behind the baseline on your team’s side and hold the baton on one end so that it spins vertically in the air.
If you knock out the other team’s Kubbs, followed by the king in the middle, you win the game.
The Legacy of Viking Chess and Artifacts
To see why Viking chess is still so significant, let’s look at the Lewis Chessmen. Sotheby’s recently auctioned off one of the original missing pieces from this famous set for nearly a million dollars!
The funny part?
The previous owner had no idea about its value since their grandfather bought it in the 1960s for just five pounds. This sale sparked fresh excitement about the Lewis chess pieces and Norse mythology.
People still love the Lewis Chessmen for their amazing artistry and the skill of the medieval artists who crafted them. These pieces have become icons of Scottish culture and chess, influencing the modern chess set's design. Over the years, they’ve also appeared in Hollywood films.
Viking chess remains a lasting symbol of rich cultural heritage. As you may have noticed, it continues to inspire artists and media today.
Final Thoughts
We hope this article has given you a clear view of Viking chess — its origins, evolution, and significance today.
If you want a Viking-inspired chess set, check out House of Staunton's boards. They beautifully capture the style and essence of Viking chess.