Risk Rules

To play RISK, you need between 2 and 6 players, and be at least 10 years old. It is a game of conquest and control of territory. For the original version, you need at least 3 players.

The Objective of the Game

In the original version, your objective will be to eliminate all your opponents in order to control all the territories.

Contents of the Game

• 1 game board representing the map of the world, divided into 42 territories.
• A deck of 44 RISK cards including 2 jokers.
• 14 mission cards.
• 5 dice: including 3 red Attack dice and 2 blue Defense dice.
• 6 armies of different colors.
  

Setting Up the Game

• Each player chooses a color and its corresponding army.
• An army is made up of 40 infantry, 12 cavalry and 8 artillery.
• The number of players determines the number of “armies” in play:

• To limit the number of objects on the board, you can exchange the infantry for a cavalryman or a cannon.

Starting the Game

• Every player must roll the dice.
• The player with the highest number starts by placing 1 army in any territory on the board.
• Continue clockwise until all 42 territories are occupied.
• Each player will, in turn, place a second army on a territory they already occupy.
• Continue until all the armies are placed.
• The number of armies that can occupy a territory is not limited.
• Shuffle the RISK cards and place the pile next to the board. 
• The player who had the highest dice roll is the first player to draw.
  
  

How to Play a Round

A turn takes place over 3 steps:

• Placing new infantries on the board.
• The attack.
• Fortifying your position.

Placing New Infantries

• The number of infantries you can place on one of your territories is calculated by dividing the number of occupied territories by 3. 
• If at the start of your turn your army occupies an entire continent, you may place additional armies.

• Trading RISK cards against additional armies.

The Course of an Attack

• An attack is optional. 
• It is only possible if you:
  – Attack a territory adjacent to yours.
  – Attack a territory linked to yours by a dotted line.
  – Have at least 2 armies from the territory where you are attacking.

• You can attack until the entire army of the territory is decimated.
• You can attack as many territories as you want.
• The attacker must announce which territory they are attacking and from which territory.
• Both parties must announce the number of dice they intend to roll.
• The attacker must have at least 1 army more than the number of red dice they intend to roll.
• To roll 2 blue dice, the attacker must have at least 2 armies.
• Compare the dice with the highest points. This applies even when rolling more than one die.
• If the attacker’s die is higher, the attacked territory loses an army.
• If the attacker’s die is less than or equal to the defender’s die ‘s, they lose an army.
• After an attack, your troops return to their territory.
• If your troops manage to occupy an enemy territory, they must move there, but leave at least 1 army behind.
  

How to Fortify Your Territory

• You can move as many armies as you want to any of your territories.
• To move armies, they must be in an adjacent territory.

RISK Cards

• If at the end of a turn you manage to capture a territory, you will be entitled to 1 RISK card.
• If the RISK card obtained corresponds to a territory that you already occupy, you gain 2 additional armies.
• The objective is to collect a combination of:
  – 3 cards with the same symbol. (Example: 3 infantry, 3 cavalry, 3 artillery)
  – 3 cards with different symbols. (Example: 1 infantry, 1 cavalry, 1 artillery)
  – 2 cards and a joker.

Exchanging a Combination

• The combination can be exchanged for armies during the fortifying phase.

• The exchanged cards will be placed under the draw pile.

Winning the Game

• The player who manages to occupy all 42 territories wins the game.

Rules of Other Variations

• The exchanged cards are placed at the edge of the board, starting from the 4 mark, which will serve as a reference for the number of armies won.
• Beyond the 6th card placed, the player will receive 5 armies more than the previous one.
• The armies obtained can only be placed in the corresponding territory.
• You must have at least 3 cards to be able to exchange them.
• When you decimate an opponent’s army, you take all of their RISK cards.
• When having 5 cards in hand, you must make a trade.
• Each player draws a mission card at the start of the game. Completing their mission wins them the game.
• If you have used all your infantries, you can use ones of a color that is not in use. 
• You can exchange your infantry for cavalry or artillery.

Official rules in PDF

Explore the official Risk rule in PDF.