Play Stratego online free
Set up your 40 pieces, choose a difficulty and try to capture the computer's Flag. Below the board: the official rules, every piece and rank, setup ideas and strategy tips.
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- Players
- 2
- Board
- 10×10, 2 lakes
- Pieces
- 40 per side
- Ages
- 8+
What is Stratego?
Stratego is a two-player board wargame of hidden ranks: 40 pieces each, a 10×10 board with two lakes, and the first to capture the enemy Flag wins.
Stratego was created in the Netherlands by Jacques Johan Mogendorff, registered as a trademark in 1942 and in production since 1946. It is a refined copy of the early 20th century French game L'Attaque, and today it is published by Jumbo.
Each player hides 40 pieces, from the Marshal down to the Spy, behind their backs. You only learn what an enemy piece is when it fights. That mix of memory, bluff and planning is why the game is still played in world championships.
You can play a full game against the computer at the top of this page, then read the rules, the piece ranks and our setup guide.
Official how-to-play video
Video: Jumbo / YouTube. The video loads from YouTube only after you press play.
Everything on this site
Rules
Each player hides 40 pieces on a 10×10 board and moves one piece per turn, Red first. When pieces fight, both are revealed and the higher rank wins (equal ranks both go). Capture the enemy Flag, or leave your opponent with no legal move, to win.
How to play
Hide your 40 pieces in your first four rows, then take turns moving one piece one square (Scouts can run further). Move onto an enemy piece to attack: both are revealed and the higher rank wins. Capture the enemy Flag to win.
Pieces & ranks
Each army has 40 pieces of 12 types. In modern Stratego the Marshal is rank 10 and beats everything except an attacking Spy; the Spy is rank 1. Bombs and the Flag never move, and only Miners can defuse Bombs.
Setup guide
Put the Flag in the back row, guard it with two or three Bombs, and use one or two more Bombs as decoys elsewhere. Spread Scouts along the front, keep most Miners back for the end game, and give the Marshal and General room to move behind the three lanes.
Strategy
Win at Stratego by gathering information faster than your opponent: probe with Scouts, remember every piece that moves or fights, keep your Marshal hidden until it matters, save Miners for the Bombs around the Flag, and bluff with low pieces.
Variants
Stratego Original and Classic both use 40 pieces on a 10×10 board; Classic numbers the ranks the other way (Marshal 1) and some Classic sets stop Scouts moving and attacking in one turn. Junior is a simpler children's game, and Quick Battle, Battle Cards and Barrage use fewer pieces for shorter games.
FAQ
Stratego is a two-player game on a 10×10 board with 40 hidden pieces per side. Red moves first, higher ranks win fights, and you win by capturing the enemy Flag. Answers to the most common rules questions are below.
Questions people ask
Can I play Stratego online for free?
Yes. The game on this page is free, runs in your browser and needs no account. You play Red against the computer on Easy, Normal or Hard.
Does the computer cheat?
No. It only sees what a human opponent would see: your pieces stay hidden until they move or fight.
What are the basic rules of Stratego?
Each side hides 40 pieces. Move one piece per turn; when pieces fight, the higher rank wins. Capture the enemy Flag to win. Read the full rules.
Sources
- Koninklijke Jumbo B.V.Stratego Original rules (rulebook PDF)checked Nov 15, 2026
- WikipediaStrategochecked Nov 15, 2026