Senet

📜 History

Senet is considered one of the oldest known board games, played in ancient Egypt more than 5,000 years ago. Found in tombs, painted on frescoes, and mentioned in funerary texts, it was probably more than simple entertainment: it also symbolized the soul’s journey through the afterlife.

🧾 Description

Senet is an ancient race and strategy game for two players, born in ancient Egypt. Each piece moves along a sacred path where the throw meets tactical decision-making. Progress, protect your pieces, and exit the board before your opponent.

📖 Rules

Two players face each other on a board of 30 squares.
On each turn, the throw of sticks determines the possible movement.
Choose wisely which piece to move: some moves open the way, others can trap you.

Turn sequence:
You throw the sticks, then choose a piece to move.
Results 1, 4 and 5 allow you to play again.
If no piece can be played, your turn is lost.

Strategy:
You can take the place of an opposing piece by swapping with it.
A piece protected by an adjacent ally cannot be captured.
Groups of 3 consecutive pieces form an impassable wall.

🏠 Special houses
The final 5 squares are sacred and modify the game. Pieces on these squares are protected from capture.

☥ 26 — House of Happiness
Mandatory passage before exiting, but you cannot exit from this square.
If you stop here, you play again.

≈ 27 — House of Water
If you stop here, your piece is sent back to a free square.

△ 28 — House of Three Truths
You must throw 3 to exit the board.

☀ 29 — House of Re
You must throw 2 to exit.

✦ 30 — House of Atum
You must throw 1 to exit.

You cannot access these final houses directly without passing through square 26.

🏁 Victory
Exit all your pieces from the board before your opponent to win the game.

Spirit of the game:
Senet is a game of balance:
between strategy, anticipation… and a little bit of destiny.