Viking chess sets: a buying guide

"Viking chess" is the modern name for Hnefatafl and its smaller cousins (collectively Tafl). Before you buy, three things decide whether you'll enjoy a set: the board size, the material, and whether you actually want the board game or the Kubb lawn game.

Board size by variant

Hnefatafl plays on an 11×11 board with 37 pieces — the full, classic game. Tablut is 9×9 and Brandubh is a fast 7×7. If you're new, an 11×11 Hnefatafl set is the standard starting point; a multi-variant board lets you try all three. Learn the differences on the rules pages.

Material: wood, resin, or cloth

Cloth/linen boards fold flat and travel well but slide around; solid wood feels best on a table and lasts for decades; resin pieces are an affordable middle ground. Hand-carved sets are heirloom pieces — beautiful, heavy, and priced accordingly.

At a glance

SetVariantMaterialBoardPiecesPriceBest for
Masters Traditional Games Hnefatafl — Masters EditionHnefataflMoulded polyresin pieces (Lewis Chessmen styling); natural linen cloth board11×1137 (24 attackers, 12 defenders, 1 king)$$Best overall budget pick
Sons of Vikings Hnefatafl — Engraved WoodHnefataflEngraved solid wood board; 37 engraved wood playing pieces11×1137 (24 attackers, 12 defenders, 1 king)$$Best mid-range wood set
Norse Tradesman Handcrafted Hnefatafl — Ox-Bone & Mango WoodHnefataflSolid mango wood board with inscribed Norse runes; 37 hand-carved ox-bone pieces11×11 (≈15.25" playing surface)37 (24 flame-treated ox-bone attackers, 12 ivory ox-bone defenders, 1 oversized king)$$$Best premium / heirloom display piece
SevenOaksGrove Viking Tafl Games — Five Tafl Games on One BoardMultiAmerican maple hardwood pieces; two-sided cloth game board11×11, 9×9 and 7×7 grids on one reversible cloth board56 maple hardwood pieces (universal set for all five variants)$Best multi-variant value
Lykos Leather Brandubh — Irish TaflBrandubhOrganic natural canvas board (~14"); hardwood pieces; leather king; storage pouch7×715 as sold (8 attackers, 6 hardwood defenders, 1 leather king) — note: canonical Brandubh uses 4 defenders + king (13 total)$Best small-board pick (Brandubh)
GoSports Kubb Viking Clash — Backyard SizeKubbPremium knot-free rubber wood (hand-sanded hardwood)n/a (lawn toss game — no board grid)21 (10 kubbs, 1 king, 6 batons, 4 corner stakes) + carry case$$Best for the lawn (Kubb)

Top picks

Best overall budget pick

Masters Traditional Games Hnefatafl — Masters Edition

A complete, portable 11×11 Hnefatafl with detailed resin pieces and a fold-flat linen board — the easiest correct way to start playing.
Moulded polyresin pieces (Lewis Chessmen styling); natural linen cloth board · 11×11 · 37 (24 attackers, 12 defenders, 1 king) · $$ ($36–48)
  • Authentic standard 11×11, 37-piece set, so the rules play correctly straight out of the box.
  • Linen cloth board folds flat into the box — genuinely portable for travel or pub play.
  • Detailed resin pieces with two visually distinct sides; reviewers praise the sculpting for the price.
  • Rounded piece tops are a little fiddly to pick up when the board gets crowded.
  • US third-party pricing drifts above $40; the cheapest price needs UK international shipping.
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Best mid-range wood set

Sons of Vikings Hnefatafl — Engraved Wood

A solid engraved-wood 11×11 Hnefatafl from a US retailer — the classic mid-range 'nice gift' set.
Engraved solid wood board; 37 engraved wood playing pieces · 11×11 · 37 (24 attackers, 12 defenders, 1 king) · $$ ($79–100)
  • Correct standard 11×11 / 37-piece configuration.
  • Solid engraved wood board (~11.6") rather than cloth or cardboard; ships fast from a US retailer.
  • Printed rules included; reviewers cite strong build quality.
  • The flat board is only ~1/8" thick, which can feel light for the price; the raised version costs more.
  • Product pages have been reorganized, so confirm the current exact price for the wood-pieces variant.
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Best premium / heirloom display piece

Norse Tradesman Handcrafted Hnefatafl — Ox-Bone & Mango Wood

A hand-carved ox-bone and mango-wood heirloom Hnefatafl — the collector/display tier.
Solid mango wood board with inscribed Norse runes; 37 hand-carved ox-bone pieces · 11×11 (≈15.25" playing surface) · 37 (24 flame-treated ox-bone attackers, 12 ivory ox-bone defenders, 1 oversized king) · $$$ (≈$350)
  • Every piece is hand-carved, hand-polished ox-bone, so each set is one of a kind.
  • Solid mango-wood board (~10 lb) with Norse rune inscriptions gives real display presence.
  • Backed by a one-year warranty, 30-day returns, and a printed guidebook.
  • At ~$350 it is among the most expensive mass-market Hnefatafl sets — out of reach for casual buyers.
  • The grid is laser-inscribed rather than routed/inlaid, so squares can be harder to read in active play (≈3.9/5 across ~85 Amazon ratings).
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See the full comparison on the best viking chess sets page — or try the game free before you buy.

These are independent picks; we don't currently earn a commission on them. Prices and specs were checked against the listings and can change.