[2] As in Hnefatafl, the game features unevenly matched teams with different objectives.

The rules of play are as follows:[3] One player has a "gold" fleet consisting of one large flagship and twelve escorts, with the objective of evading capture while breaking through his or her opponent's blockade, to move the flagship to the perimeter of the board.

The other player has a "silver" fleet of twenty ships, and forms a blockade to trap the gold flagship and destroy the gold fleet's escorts, with the objective of capturing the flagship.

(This move is similar to the capture-move of the pawn in chess, except that captures can be made on any of the four diagonals.)

If the flagship is captured before it reaches the outer edge of the board, silver player wins.