Many players mistakenly believe they only gain the territories of an eliminated opponent, but the official rules grant additional card rewards.
According to the Parker Brothers Official Rulebook, when you eliminate an opponent, you receive all the cards they currently hold.
Risk Rules 2022, Elimination of Opponents
These rules correspond to the US edition of Risk.
Official Rule Breakdown
When a player is able to take the last remaining piece of an opponent on their turn, they are awarded all cards that the eliminated opponent had in their possession (Risk Rules 2022, Elimination of Opponents). Following this acquisition, the player may combine these new cards with their existing hand. If the combined total allows for the creation of one or more sets, the player may turn them in immediately during that same turn to collect additional armies. This is only possible if the total number of cards held by the attacker and the eliminated player combined equals six or more sets.
Step-by-Step
- Step 1: Capture the last remaining army/territory of an opponent.
- Step 2: Collect all Risk cards currently held by that eliminated player.
- Step 3: Combine the collected cards with your own current hand.
- Step 4: Identify any complete sets (Infantry, Cavalry, or Artillery) within the combined total.
- Step 5: Turn in those sets immediately to receive the corresponding army reinforcements.
Example Play Situation
Alice attacks Bob's last territory and eliminates his army. Alice takes all of Bob's Risk cards and adds them to her own. Since the combined cards allow her to form two complete sets, Alice turns them in immediately to receive extra armies for her next turn.
Common Misconceptions
- Thinking you only get the territories and not the cards
- Waiting until your next turn to turn in the newly acquired cards
- Believing you can only turn in sets if you had them before the elimination
Quick Reference
| You Can | You Cannot |
|---|---|
| You can combine eliminated cards with your own hand | You cannot turn in sets if the combined total is less than six cards |
| You can turn in sets immediately after an elimination | You cannot wait until a later turn to claim the eliminated player's cards |
| You can receive multiple army increases if you form multiple sets |
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the official rule for eliminating a player in Risk?
- You receive all cards held by the opponent you just eliminated.
- Can I turn in cards from an eliminated player on the same turn?
- Yes, if you can form sets using the combined cards, you may turn them in immediately.
- Do I get the opponent's armies too?
- No, you receive their cards, but the armies are removed from the board.
- What happens if I collect cards but can't make a set?
- You simply add those cards to your hand for future use.