Hnefatafl forum

I have a question about the rules for Tablut and Tawlbwrdd.

Will a warrior be captured if he is surrounded on a corner square by two enemy men?

Strictly, if you read the rules then the answer appears to be no, there is no capture. However logic suggests that because the game is supposed to enact a battle between the two armies, then if all the liberties have been taken from a warrior in this way then in effect he has fallen.

Can anyone say which is correct?

No, the piece is not captured if surrounded on the corner, he is just trapped unless a friendly piece gets to free him.
In those variants, the only way to capture a normal piece is by flanking it on both sides (with two enemy pieces or with one enemy + the throne).

We tested this rule a fews years ago. But in all the games played, I don’t think a situation came up in which a piece as threatened in the corner, much less captured. We decided not to add it as a rule since it is basically unnecessary. In truth, I have played a few games where this rule may have affected the outcome. But the situation is very rare. So we abandoned the rule.