Real sets across every budget and every variant — from a portable resin Hnefatafl to a hand-carved ox-bone heirloom, plus a 7×7 Brandubh, a five-in-one tafl board, and the Kubb lawn game people often mean by "viking chess". Specs and prices are honest and were checked against the listings; we don't take a cut yet. Want to learn first? Play free.
The Masters Edition is the most reliable on-ramp to Hnefatafl: a full, correct 11×11 set with the standard 37 pieces, so beginners learn the real game rather than a simplified variant. The linen board folds flat, the resin pieces are nicely detailed for the money, and the whole thing packs away into the box — a good first set before you commit to solid wood.
If the budget resin set sells you on the game, this is the natural step up: real engraved wood, board and pieces, from a US seller that ships quickly. It’s the typical gift-tier Hnefatafl — substantial enough to leave out on a table, while still a correct 11×11/37-piece set. Just note the flat board is thin; the heavier raised version is a pricier upgrade.
This is the set you buy as a gift or a centerpiece, not a travel board. The ox-bone pieces are hand-carved and weighty, the mango-wood board is heavy and rune-inscribed, and it ships with a warranty and a guidebook. The honest trade-off: the laser-inscribed grid can be harder to read mid-game than a routed board, and the price puts it firmly in heirloom territory.
If you want to explore the whole tafl family rather than commit to one board size, this is the value pick: a single reversible cloth board with the 11×11, 9×9 and 7×7 grids and one universal maple piece set, so you can play Hnefatafl one night and Brandubh the next. It’s cloth rather than wood and stores in a tube, but for the price the variety is unmatched.
Brandubh is the 7×7 sprint of the tafl family — a full game in a few minutes — and this canvas set is a cheap, portable way in. It’s well reviewed and rolls up for travel. One honesty note worth knowing before you teach it: this set ships six defenders, whereas canonical Brandubh uses four defenders plus the king, so check which rules you’re playing.
Important: this is Kubb, the Scandinavian wooden lawn-toss game — also marketed as “Viking chess” / “Viking chess yard game” — and it is not the Hnefatafl board game the rest of this guide covers. If you came looking for an outdoor party game with batons and blocks, this is the one; if you wanted the strategy board game, see our sets above. The GoSports set is durable hardwood, widely stocked, and comes ready to play.
New to the game? Start with the rules or play a round free.
Affiliate disclosure: these are independent picks; we don't currently earn a commission on any of them. Prices and specs were checked against the listings and can change.