How to Get Started Playing the Board Game Risk

Pass out infantries (which count as one "army") based on the number of players. Give 35 each to three players, 30 each to four players, 25 each to five players and 20 each to six players. Roll a die to determine player order, with the highest number getting first choice. Shuffle the RISK cards and place them face down near the board.

Place an army on each of the 42 territories, starting with the first player and following in turn clockwise around the board. Once all of the territories are claimed players can place one more army on any owned spot of their choosing during each turn until all initial infantry supplies are exhausted.

Get new armies on your turn by calculating how many territories you own and dividing by three, rounding up to the nearest whole number. If you have 11 territories, for example, you would get to place three more armies on the spots you own. You also earn bonus armies if you control entire continents (these bonuses are listed on the game board.)

Attack adjoining territories if you so desire after you place your armies at the beginning of your turn. Roll the red dice when attacking (the defender rolls the white dice). You can roll up to three dice if you have four or more armies in your territory, while the defender rolls two dice if she has at least two armies in her territory.

Determine the outcome of the rolls. First, compare the highest pair of numbers to see who has the highest number. Ties go to the defender. Next, compare the next highest pair of numbers. Remove armies from each territory based on who earned the highest dice roll, one army per pair of dice and no more than two per roll.

Attack again if you desire, or if you vanquished the defender's army move at least one army into your now occupied territory. You can also attack other locations during your turn or fortify your position by moving armies from one occupied territory to an adjoining one. Draw the top card off the RISK deck if you captured at least one territory on your turn.

Turn in RISK cards at the beginning of your next turn if you match three of the same design, one each of the three designs or two plus a wild card, if you have one. The number of armies each player will receive upon trade-in depends on how many sets have already been traded in. This number increases as follows: 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 25. You get a bonus of two armies if you own any of the territories pictured on one of the trade-in cards to be placed on that game spot.

Continue play until one player eliminates all opponents and captures all of the 42 territories on the game board.