Edition: Classic Hasbro Risk with a world map of 42 territories and 6 continents. Last checked October 25, 2026
Risk Rules: How to Play Risk
Risk is the strategy game of world conquest with armies and dice. Here are the rules in short, plus answers to the points where editions and families often disagree.
- Players
- 2 to 6
- Age
- 10 and up
- Playing time
- 1 to 4 hours
How to win: Conquer all 42 territories, or complete your secret mission if you play with missions.
Who is right?
The classic arguments at the table when you play Risk.
Who wins when the dice show the same number?
The defender.
On a tie the defender always wins, and the attacker loses an army.
Some let the attacker reroll ties to make attacking more attractive. That is not official.
How far can you move armies at the end of your turn?
It depends on the edition.
Under classic rules you make one move from one territory to an adjacent one. Some newer editions allow moving through a chain of your own connected territories. You must always leave at least one army behind.
Many allow several moves, as long as they go between your own territories.
How many armies does a card set give?
It depends on the edition.
Some editions give more armies for each set traded during the game. Others give a fixed number based on the symbols. Check the rulebook in your box.
Many families choose fixed values, because escalating values can make the endgame explosive.
Do you get a player's cards when you knock them out?
Yes.
Whoever eliminates another player takes all of that player's Risk cards. If that gives you too many cards, you must trade in right away.
Some send the cards back to the deck to avoid big swings at the end.
What you need
- Game board with a world map
- Armies in 6 colors
- 5 dice, 3 for the attacker and 2 for the defender
- Risk cards with territories and wild cards
- Mission cards in editions that include them
Setup
- 1Each player gets a number of armies based on player count: 3 players 35, 4 players 30, 5 players 25, 6 players 20.
- 2Claim territories in turn, either by choosing or by dealing out the territory cards, and place one army in each.
- 3Then take turns placing the rest of your armies in your own territories.
- 4If you play with missions, each player draws a secret mission card.
How to play
- 1Get new armies at the start of your turn: your number of territories divided by 3, rounded down, with a minimum of 3.
- 2If you hold an entire continent, you get a bonus: Australia 2, South America 2, Africa 3, Europe 5, North America 5 and Asia 7.
- 3If you have a set of three cards, you can trade it in for more armies. With 5 or more cards, you must trade.
- 4Attack from one of your territories into a neighboring territory. The attacker rolls 1 to 3 dice and must have at least one more army in the territory than the number of dice.
- 5The defender rolls 1 or 2 dice. Compare highest die with highest, second highest with second highest. The defender wins ties.
- 6When you conquer a territory, move in at least as many armies as the number of dice you rolled in the last attack.
- 7You may attack as many times as you like and stop whenever you want.
- 8If you conquered at least one territory during your turn, draw one Risk card.
- 9Finally, you may make one fortifying move of armies from one of your territories to another.
Trading in cards
A valid set is three of the same symbol, one of each of the three symbols, or two cards plus a wild card. Editions use two different ways of awarding armies.
- Escalating value, as in classic American editions: the first set traded gets 4 armies, then 6, 8, 10, 12 and 15. After that, 5 more for each set.
- Fixed value by symbol, as in many European editions: a set always gives the same number, depending on which symbols are in it.
- If you own one of the territories shown on the cards you trade, you often get 2 extra armies in that territory.
House rules
Pick the rules you want to play with tonight. Everyone at the table has to agree.
Our Risk rules for tonight
Everything else follows the official rules.
Frequently asked questions
How many armies do you start with in Risk?
With 3 players, 35 each. With 4 players, 30. With 5 players, 25. With 6 players, 20. Two players have a special rule with a neutral army.
How do you win with secret missions?
Each player has a secret goal, such as conquering certain continents. The first player to complete their mission on their turn reveals the card and wins.
How many dice can the defender roll in Risk?
1 or 2. To roll 2, the defender must have at least 2 armies in the territory.
Source: Hasbro's rulebook for classic Risk and common family tradition. The rules are written in our own words. Ask the referee if you are unsure.