games games family ancient celtic strategy board games played armies uneven numbers representing variants early scandinavian board game called contemporary literature size board number pieces varied games involved distinctive ratio pieces lesser having king piece started centre complete description rules game exists king objective escape variously board periphery corners greater force objective capture attacking force natural advantage start game likely indicating important cultural aspect mimicking success viking raids cultural indication king importance viking chiefs presence battle kings europe later claimed divine rule sat throne bodies battlefield essential viking chief considered equal war importance war reflected war strategy game indicate important reason gaming boards found males ages male skeleton ages found weapons board game tended boys battlefield explains young boys played war strategic board games controversy games employed spread traveled including iceland britain ireland versions comprising wales played earlier supplanted chess 12th century term old norse table board pronounced original game preferred term game scandinavia end viking age distinguish board games chess fox games known specific possibly arose meaning board game fist fist fist referred central king piece precise etymology disputed certainly referred king piece sources refer king table term referred board games known specific game referred way modern people refer cards games confused games inclusion word names similarities fox game dating 14th century known played europe tables medieval forerunner chess modern irish played ireland welsh equivalent equivalent terms mean wood sense popular medieval game played equal forces variant medieval descendant roman game saga literature mentioned medieval including saga saga saga period treatments offer important clues game numerous incidental references exist saga literature help indicate widespread use board games mentioning rituals varied viking period region region underlying basics culture fact mention board games indicates use read understood large audience saga evident boasts tops list skill saga conversation game reveals king men red attackers white word refer revealing ambiguous clues lie series posed character identified disguise saga stated refers fight lord brown red fair white attacking controversy word refers versions king support argument king captures balance play note assignment colours brown red defenders fair white attackers consistent saga asks beast iron kills flocks horns head runs answer controversial response variously translated bear runs thrown bear escapes attacked problem translating word refer die suggested translation horns referring corners sided die flocks kills referring stakes players lose alternatively refer king horns referring defenders consistent translation bear escapes attacked ultimately literary references prove inconclusive use variants irish irish form know poems played men chief number boards found famous elaborate wooden board found featuring holes pieces possibly allow game means black raven high king scottish variant played board king defenders sixteen attackers documented known variants variant best documented version recorded rules drawing board journal expedition description latin incomplete speak language hosts described game observing players game played mat hide diary referred light defending pieces dark attacking pieces game played late 19th century described variant played wales described played pieces king attacker documented drawing manuscript dated version played board pieces king opponent passage states played king centre men places men seek capture placed centre board central positions men game piece belonging king comes attackers dead thrown game attackers comes king men manner king comes attackers watch king moves space unable escape capture says goes harm king line wins game popular game medieval scandinavia mentioned norse saga references contributed controversy possible use playing rules game explicitly recorded playing pieces boards extant known sure game played fact recorded employed archaeological literary sources indicate played board popular game viking era end 8th century turbulent time conflicts chess popular game middle ages rules forgotten time particularly popular countries followed viking civilization parts europe primarily british isles viking country game developed differently different locations archaeologists found editions places ireland ukraine literally translates fist table old modern fist table study medieval manuscripts examination pieces boards allowed researchers figure game probably played recorded played wales means game described drawing 12th century oxford manuscript played intersections board cells manuscript describes layout board religious clear game based reconstruction complete description rules game exists best description history given game diary travels following rules based translation english game played board initial setup shown king starts central square castle called piece occupy defenders called start squares adjoining form cross sixteen attackers called start groups centre edge board notes squares domain remaining squares neutral zone occupied piece game piece number vacant spaces straight line compare chess piece pass piece path king path neutral zone edge board immediately blocked escape game rule suggests king escape domain king path escape paths escape escape imminent compare check chess piece save king captured removed board surrounded opposite sides enemies known capture king surrounded sides enemies taken prisoner surrounded sides escape fourth king square adjoining surrounded sides enemies fourth captured rule suggests king left return king captured conquered victorious problems gameplay left ambiguous completely untouched notes translations problematic variations played modern balance play controversy concerning widely reported game rules strongly favor king rule modifications produce balanced play king king participate captures escape corners edges hostile attacker camps king defenders captured vacant attacker camp square reveals produce balanced play modifying rules gameplay solution bidding players turns bidding moves win game lowest gets king player open bid turns player counter bid turns player confident ability escape rounds ability contain bid king player escape turns player wins play round match players switch sides round king escapes rounds winner player king escaped fewest turns description robert preceding account years states king captured men suggests special capture king incorrect states statistics modern games played man capture king white wins black demonstrated balanced play results rules allowing man capture king sources indicate scandinavian museum typically king captured attackers hall case surrounded sides legacy published swords shields essentially recorded transformed shields king shield transformed swords basis modern board games bear significant resemblance historical games important differences games feature similar symmetry classic attacker defender ratio important differences tactics developed 1960s game series features like symmetry defenders plus flagship king pitted attackers board objective defenders escort flagship centre outer zone board apart distinction inner zone outer zone distinctive spaces board features distinctive double evidence points historical games modern game inspired series fantasy novels turn inspired historical games features general symmetry games played octagonal board defenders pitted thirty attackers features important differences moves attacks revived island annual world championships held summer auspices yorkshire championships won somerset term refers time limit seconds marked sounding played online sites similar nielsen created site currently hosts modern game site launched
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