I invited three of the guests for a game of Hnefatafl and decided to use the Tawlbwrdd 11x11 variant (Tawlbwrdd Lewis cross).
This is a very efficient game in company with beginners, the simplest tafl game ever! Even simpler than Sea battle tafl. All squares are alike, there are no special squares on the board. All pieces are alike, the king is no different from any other piece, it's just that one of the pieces (the king) has to make it to any board edge square. Any piece is captured this way (show a custodian capture). That's all, very simple to explain to a beginner and simple to play.
The game works very well, the game balance is till now measured to a fine -1.06 (106 black wins per 100 white wins).
To help a beginner, the experienced player can beforehand remove some of his pieces:
- when white, pieces f3 and f9, and perhaps c6 and i6 etc.
- when black, pieces f1, f11, a6 and k6, or perhaps e2, g2, e10, g10, b5, b7, j5 and j7, etc.