How to Play the Board Game Risk

Understand the pieces. Risk includes a game board with a map of the world divided into provinces, as well as three types of army units: Infantry (usually a man with a rifle), Cavalry (usually a horse), and Artillery (usually a cannon). The shapes of the pieces may vary depending on the edition of the game, but the rules will be the same. The different pieces may be freely exchanged with each other at any time according to the following exchange rate:

1 Infantry = 1 "army"
1 Calvary = 5 "armies"
1 Artillery = 10 "armies" (see reference 2)

The other major piece in the standard game is the RISK card. Risk cards are obtained by conquering territories, and can be traded in sets for extra armies.

Choose territories. At the start of the game, each player receives a number of starting armies dependent on the number of players:

For three players, 35 armies each.
For four players, 30 armies each.
For five players, 25 armies each.
For six players, 20 armies each. (see reference 2)

Variations exist in which it is possible to play with two players, but the standard rules require at least three.

Each player rolls one die, with the highest roller going first. Taking turns, each person sets down one army on an unoccupied territory of their choice. This is done until every territory has been claimed.

Distribute starting armies. Once all the territories have been claimed, players may distribute their remaining starting armies into their own territories one at a time. They may place as many or as few armies in a given territory as they like, as long as at least one army remains in the territory.

Award start of turn armies. At the start of her turn (including the first turn), the player counts the number of territories that he occupies and divides by three, dropping any fraction (so if a player has 9, 10, or 11 territories, the result is 3). This is the number of extra armies he will receive on this turn. These armies can be placed immediately in any territory the player possesses. There is one exception to this rule: a player always receives at least three armies, even if he has only one territory.

Cash in cards. If a player has a full set of three RISK cards in her hand, she can trade them in for extra armies now. If she has five or more cards, she must turn them at the start of her turn. There are two ways to build a full set: one each of an infantry, calvary, and artillery card, or a set of three identical cards. For example, three infantry cards. The number of armies depends on how many sets have already been traded in, and follows the following pattern:

1st set receives 4 armies.
2nd set receives 6 armies.
3rd set receives 8 armies.
4th set receives 10 armies.
5th set receives 12 armies.
6th set receives 15 armies. (see reference 1)

Each additional set above six receives an additional five armies. For example, the seventh set receives 20.

Attack. Players may launch as many attacks as they like on their turns, and can only attack territories adjacent to their own. The attacker may choose to roll between one and three dice, and the defender to roll either one or two. The highest attacker's die is compared to the highest defender's die, and then the next highest attacker's die to the next highest defender's die. An extra die is ignored (for example, if the attacker rolls three and the defender rolls two, the attacker ignores his lowest die). A player cannot roll more dice than she has armies in a territory.

If the attacker wins on both dice, then the defender loses two armies. If the defender wins on both dice, then the attacker loses two armies. If the attacker and defender each win on one die, then they each lose an army.

The attacker may stop after any round. Otherwise, the battle is over when all the defender's armies have been lost. Defenders cannot "retreat" in the middle of a battle, and attackers must have at least two armies in a territory to attack another from that area, and they are forbidden from ever leaving a territory empty.

Fortify position. A player may end her turn by fortifying her position. She does this by moving armies from a single territory she controls to another territory she controls. She may only do this once on her turn, and it immediately ends her turn.

Receive a RISK card. If a player has successfully taken at least one province from another player, then she receives one RISK card. A player can never receive more than one RISK card on a turn, no matter how many territories she takes.

Go to next player. The next player begins his turn by going back to Step 3.