Senet
Senet is an ancient Egyptian race game, painted on tomb walls thousands of years ago. Each player moves five pieces along a 30-square track that zigzags back and forth across three rows.
Nobody knows the original rules for sure, so this version uses a popular modern reconstruction. It runs in a browser tab, and you can take on the computer at Easy, Medium or Hard or play a friend on one device. The final stretch, with its special houses, is where most games swing.
How to play Senet
The board starts with all ten pieces on squares 1 through 10, colors alternating. Each turn begins with the Throw sticks button. The count of sticks that come up marked is how far you move. If no marks show, the throw counts as 6.
Move one highlighted piece forward by that amount. Stop on a lone enemy piece and you trade places with it. Two enemy pieces side by side cannot be landed on, and square 15 protects whoever occupies it. Throws of 1, 4 and 6 earn another throw.
Square 26 must be landed on exactly; no piece may jump past it. Square 27 is a trap that sends a piece back to 15. To bear off, a throw has to carry the piece just beyond square 30. Get all five off first to win.
Controls
| Action | Keyboard | Mouse | Touch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Throw | Tab to Throw sticks, Enter | Click Throw sticks | Tap Throw sticks |
| Move a piece | Tab or arrows to a highlighted square, Enter | Click a highlighted piece | Tap a highlighted piece |
| Color and opponent | — | Choose a color and level, New game | Choose a color and level, New game |
| Undo or resign | — | Undo or Resign buttons | Undo or Resign buttons |
Tips
- Keep pieces together. A pair of your pieces next to each other cannot be landed on and makes a wall your rival has to get around.
- Approach square 26 with care. Aim to hit it exactly, then use a small throw to step over the trap on 27.
- Bonus throws after a 1, 4 or 6 let you combine moves. Use the first to escape a threat and the second to form a pair.
- Trading places with a rival piece near the end of the track costs it the most ground, so look for those hits late in the game.
- Leave one piece behind the pack. It gives you a harmless move when every forward piece would land somewhere bad.
If you like Senet, try these
Royal Game of UrFrom the same ancient world of race games, Ur uses rosettes and knock-backs on a lane both players share.
MancalaCounting ahead matters in this sowing game, where seeds and captures replace a race to the end of a track.
Questions
How do the throwing sticks work in Senet?
Four sticks are thrown, and the number of marked sides facing up is your move, from 1 to 4. If none are marked, you move 6.
What happens on square 27 in Senet?
Square 27 sends any piece that lands there back to square 15. That is why the safest way past is a small throw from square 26.
Is the Senet computer opponent good?
Easy picks any legal move, so it is good for learning. Medium and Hard think about moving ahead, hitting your pieces and staying safe, so they are noticeably tougher.
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