Kids and Adults Alike Are Welcome at The King's Table
Written: Aug 31 '05 (Updated Aug 31 '05)
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Pros: Simpler precursor to chess, fun for adults and kids and a handsome package to boot.
Cons: Not a one I can think of.
The Bottom Line: This surprisingly interesting precursor to chess is a great choice for adults and kids alike. Wooden Expressions has put an intriguing game into a handsomely crafted package. Highly recommended.
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| theeye's Full Review: King's Table (A Viking Game) |
A long, long time ago, when my husband and I were still childless and when quiet, grownup evenings of playing board games had not yet faded into distant memory, we received a wonderful gift. King's Table (The Viking Game) was the name on the package; inside was an intriguing, handsome wooden box topped with a square grid playing board and containing a set of unfamiliar wooden playing pieces.
A quick perusal of the short rulebook established that this was a precursor to chess, ostensibly invented by the Vikings, but with vastly simpler rules. The game is asymmetric: each side has a different set of pieces and a different objective. White controls eight cone-shaped defending pieces and a single King, while Black controls an attacking force of sixteen black spool-shaped pieces. The initial positions of all pieces are marked on the board for convenience; during play, however, all spaces are equivalent except for the central square which may be occupied only by the King.
The mechanics of play are thoroughly simple. Every piece (whether a cone, spool or King) makes the same move, namely the rook's move in chess; that is, a piece may move any number of spaces in a horizontal or vertical -- but not diagonal -- direction, provided that there are no intervening pieces of either color. A spool or cone piece may be captured by the opposing player by sandwiching it between two of one's own pieces; the King, however, must be surrounded on all four sides to be captured. Capturing pieces, thus, generally requires at least two moves -- and some stealthy strategizing.
Black's goal is to capture the King, while White wins the game if the King manages to escape to one of the four corners of the board. The relative size of the two forces and the initial positioning of the board are exquisitely designed to balance the two objectives and neither side seems to have an inherent advantage.
There are a handful of additional details. A piece located on one of the four corners of the board can be captured by sandwiching it at right angles. The central square, which is off-limits to any piece but the King, can nevertheless contribute to the capture of a King positioned just next to the central square: Black need only occupy the other three neighboring squares to declare victory. And the capture of any piece may only take place on the turn of the capturing player; either player may, with impunity, move his own piece into position directly between two opposing pieces.
And that is it for the rules, which may be mastered with ease even, I dare say, by those with short-term memory loss. But the strategy: now there's the rub. For a game with such simple rules, King's Table has surprising strategic depth and significant replayability. No, it's not chess, but then again, most of us aren't Grandmasters. For the chess dilettante or even for those somewhat intimidated by chess, this game provides a very respectable beginner's ground for some pleasant intellectual exercise.
And Then We Were Three
Enjoyable though it is, some five and half years ago, King's Table found its way to the back of our closet and gathered a fair bit of dust. Those of you with small children will understand. We made it through the teething stage and through the potty-training stage and through the interminable Chutes and Ladders stage (shudder) and, about a year ago, finally started pulling out some more grown-up board games to try with our son, who has become a game-playing fiend.
Monopoly has been a big hit, though he needs some help with the reading. Checkers is right up his alley. We've tried chess, which The Kid likes quite a bit. But his version of chess is, um, a bit eccentric. I know, Mommy! I'll take one black bishop and one white and you'll take the other black bishop and the other white one. And you can have half the black pawns and half the white. [And so on.] That's a good rule, isn't it, Mommy?
Then, one day, I spotted the nearly-forgotten King's Table in the back of the closet and pulled it out. And found that, engaging as it is for adults, it is actually quite perfectly suited for a game-loving five-year-old as well. There's no reading required, after all, and the rules -- if not the strategy -- are eminently simple. My son picked it up in no time at all and is both able and willing to follow the rules.
Finally. A game that he enjoys that is actually fun to play. (If you've ever been subjected to a daily dose of Chutes and Ladders, you will appreciate my relief.)
Will your child like this game? I'd suggest the following rule of thumb. Once a child has become reasonably adept at playing checkers, that is, once he is able to play with a modicum of strategic forethought, he's probably ready to be introduced to King's Table.
One important cautionary note: If you've not played this game before, you may find that the temptation to play strategically is irresistible. If you're playing with, say, a five year old, this will likely lead to your winning. If you're playing with a five-year-old who's anything like my five-year-old, your victory will be met with something less than total equanimity. Consider yourself forewarned.
All in all, King's Table is a marvelous gift idea for any game-lover. And if your favorite game-lover has been doing Chutes and Ladders duty lately, giving this gift is practically a moral imperative.
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Manufacturer's site: http://woodexpressions.com/cat04/items/499309.htm
Pricing: Available on-line for between $15 and $25
Historical background and variations: http://www.gamecabinet.com/history/Hnef.html
Hat tip: Thank you to marytara for a blindingly fast response to my request to list this product on Epinions
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): Was a gift
Type of Toy: Board Game
Age Range of Child: Whole Family
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Epinions.com ID:
theeye
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Location: New York, NY (it's a hell of a town!)
Reviews written: 66
Trusted by: 165 members
About Me:
Company president, math geek, first time mom at 39, epinion addict. Sleep? Not lately.
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