A Book of Historic Board Games

While not exclusively about Hnefatafl, A Book of Historic Board games has an extensive chapter on Tablut, the hnefatafl game played in Lapland till the eighteenth century. The chapter has a history of tablut, with a digressions abut hnefatafl in general, along with a straightforward set of rules and a section on strategy.

Tablut is one of twelve historic board games included in the book, each chapter having between 12 and 24 pages on its chosen game (tablut being one of the longest). All of the games have been chosen on the basis that they have an interesting history, and that rules that have survived in such a state of completeness that little is necessary in the way of modern reconstruction.

Each game receives the same treatment: an entertaining history, a complete set of rules, and an extensive discussion on the strategies employed within the game. The text is accompanied by black and white photographs and numerous diagrams illustrating play. References and a bibliography are given for those who want to research the games more deeply.

A Book of Historic Board Games is aimed at a wide audience: those who simply want to play some interesting old games, those who want to research those games more fully, and those who want a little help with tactics in order to get the best out of the games.