Be the first to move all five of your pieces off the board.
Panoramica
Senet is one of the oldest known board games, played in ancient Egypt over 5,000 years ago. It's a race game for two players combining luck and strategy. Players move their pieces along a 30-square board based on throwing sticks.
Preparazione
The 30-square board is arranged in three rows of 10, numbered 1 to 30 along an S-shaped path. Each player has 5 pieces placed alternately in the first row (squares 1-10); Player 1 starts on the odd squares. Four throwing sticks (or equivalent dice) are used.
Come giocare
- Throw the four sticks to determine your move (counts of 1-5, with extra turn on 1, 4, or 5).
- Move one piece forward by the number thrown. You cannot land on your own piece.
- Land on an unprotected opponent's piece to swap positions with it.
- Squares 27-30 are the special houses: square 27 (House of Beauty) is safe, and a throw of 4 or 5 bears a piece off from it; square 28 (House of Water) sends a piece back to square 15 (House of Rebirth) or the nearest empty square before it; square 29 (House of Three Truths) needs an exact 3 and square 30 (House of Re-Atoum) an exact 2 to bear off.
- Pieces on squares 27-30, and pieces next to a friendly piece, are protected and cannot be swapped.
- Pieces bear off only from squares 27, 29 and 30.
- You must use your throw if possible; if no legal move exists, you pass (a throw of 1, 4 or 5 still gives you another throw).
Vincere la partita
First player to bear off all five pieces wins. The special squares near the end create exciting finish-line drama.
Consigli strategici
Storia
Senet boards have been found in Egyptian tombs dating to 3100 BCE, including King Tut's. The game had religious significance and was associated with the journey to the afterlife.