Although is mentioned often in legend and myth, it is still largely unknown how the game was played. There are two main theories regarding the rules and board layout. One is that is a variant of the Welsh game , itself descended from the Norse games. These games, along with the Irish , are played on a grid, often seven squares by seven, with the king in the middle. The king has a number of defending pieces around it at the beginning of the game, and they are surrounded by twice as many attackers. The object is to make a clear path for the king to the edge of the board, while the attackers must attempt to surround, and thereby capture, the king.