The holiday season is finally here, making it the perfect time to gather with family and friends. There’s no better way to enjoy those moments than by playing board games with your loved ones. If you are planning to add a new game to your collection or give one as a gift this season, we highly recommend choosing Risk.

In this article, we’ll give you everything you need to become a master strategist at Risk—whether you are playing the game this holiday season, gifting it to someone, or expecting to receive it yourself. These tips will help you become an impeccable winner and dominate the world of Risk. 

Risk: Possibly the Most popular War game

👤Players: 2-6

🕑Duration:  120 min.

⚔️Competitive

Let’s start with a fun fact: Did you know that Risk, the board game, was not originally called “Risk”? It was first released in France in 1957 as La Conquête du Monde. The title we know it by would not appear until 1959 with the international release of the game.

A war game designed around global conquest that puts players in control of armies competing for world domination. Its combination of strategy, diplomacy, and chance made it stand out in a time when few board games offered large-scale competitive gameplay. The classic version of risk, at its core, is easy to understand.

It is a turn-based board game where players reinforce their armies, take control, and attack neighbouring territories. It includes a dice-driven combat mechanic and set-collection mechanics through cards, which add dramatic swings as the game progresses.

The objective of Risk is clear: to eliminate opponents and conquer the world map pictured on the board. 

The game rapidly became a classic of the board-gaming community and has been stated as one of the most famous ones for two reasons: 

• Replayability: No two games are ever the same. Changing alliances, betrayals, unpredictability of dice rolls, and player decisions make Risk highly-replayable. Risk creates memorable moments of tension and triumph. Its blend of straightforward rules and strategic depth has cemented its reputation as one of the most iconic war games. 

• Simple, yet effective asymmetry: While it is true that  every player starts with the same number of armies and chooses territories randomly or through draft, and the rules and mechanics are identical, some territories are easier to defend. Starting positions and the differences between them are what makes this game asymmetrical. Also, alliances and diplomacy between players can favour some players and not others, which creates a situational asymmetry.

5  Strategies to Dominate the Risk Board Game

⚠️Attention Gamers!

While most of the following core strategies can apply to nearly every version of Risk, some versions of the game introduce new rules, maps, or objectives that may require you to adapt your approach.

Secure and hold a continent

Secure and hold an entire continent to obtain a consistent reinforcement bonus at the start of each turn that can increase your army strength. Controlling a continent early in the game is a must-achieve objective to create a strong base of operations, to expand and defend.

You’ll need to place your armies strategically to protect the entry points and anticipate the attacks of neighbouring players, balancing extending your borders while securing them.

• The Australia example:

Often considered the easiest continent to secure and hold control of in the classic version of Risk because it has only one entry: Indonesia. The player can occupy all of the continent’s territories and only needs to defend one single border. 

Holding this control position gives the player a bonus of two extra armies per turn, which makes this an easy territory to control, reinforce, and establish a safe base of operations. 

Control and Focus on Chokepoints

Controlling chokepoints it is another key strategy to win. Chokepoints in Risk are those territories that act as gateways between continents or major regions. If the player fortifies these territories, they can limit the enemy movement and push them into constant battles with other players. 

Taking control of chokepoints is a highly-strategic move in which the player can safely expand into weaker neighbouring regions without overextending their borders, monitor opponents, and respond quickly to threats.

• The Brazil example: 

In Risk, Brazil is the only entry territory from North America into South America. The player who controls the Brazilian chokepoint can effectively secure the continent, making it much harder for opponents to invade South American territories.

Moreover, once the  continent is secured, the player gains the South America Continent Bonus, which is two extra armies per turn. 

Time Your Card Turn-Ins

Risk classic has 56 cards that can be used as a powerful tool to increase reinforcements when turned in the right moment.  Each set of exchanged cards gives additional armies to the player, and its value increases throughout the game, making timing crucial. 

This can help the players to launch decisive attacks and/or eliminate opponents. In order to  achieve this, it is highly important to watch the opponents card counts. 

Eliminate Players at the Right Moment

Eliminating opponents is crucial to win.  When a player removes an opponent from the game, they gain all of their Risk cards, which can be turned in for a large reinforcement boost.

It is important to choose a target. We recommend focusing on the weakest opponents first. For players who have accumulated several cards, also make sure you can finish the elimination of that opponent in one turn.

Stay Under the Radar Early

Stay under the radar during the first turns; do not be the first to attack. It is as simple as that. In Risk, an early aggression can make the player a target for multiple opponents. Build your armies and consolidate territory and borders without provoking other players. Let other opponents initiate fights with each other while you grow your control area.

This gives you flexibility and more time to plan your attacks, while maintaining stability and accumulating armies. 

Level Up and Claim your Victory at Risk

Now you know the five core strategies to win at Risk, and we encourage you to try them and come back to this post and tell us about your experience. Mastering Risk is as much about strategy and planning as it is about adapting to the unpredictable twists of the game.

So plan wisely, anticipate your opponents’ moves, and seize every opportunity to expand your empire. Also, don’t forget to register your wins — and losses — on your gamer’s CV. So other players can find you and maybe you’ll find other players interested in the same games as you!

Game on!🎄