Learn Senet: Tutorial

Instead of dice, Senet uses 4 throwing sticks, each with a flat side and a rounded side.

The number of flat sides landing face-up determines your move:

- 1 face up = move 1 square (extra turn!)

- 2 face up = move 2 squares

- 3 face up = move 3 squares

- 4 face up = move 4 squares (extra turn!)

- 0 face up = move 5 squares (extra turn!)

Rolls of 1, 4, and 5 grant an extra turn, letting you throw again after moving.

Select one of your pieces and move it forward by the number of squares thrown.

You cannot land on a square occupied by your own piece. If your piece lands on a square occupied by an opponent's unprotected piece, the two pieces swap positions.

An opponent's piece is protected (cannot be swapped) if it is on one of the houses on squares 27 to 30 or if it is adjacent to another friendly piece.

Here, Player 1 has thrown a 2. The piece on square 5 can move to square 7, swapping with Player 2's piece there.

The last four squares on the board are special houses:

Square 27 -- House of Beauty: A safe square. From here, a roll of 4 or 5 bears the piece off.

Square 28 -- House of Water: Landing here sends your piece back to square 15 (or the nearest empty square before it). A dangerous trap!

Square 29 -- House of Three Truths: You need an exact roll of 3 to leave this square and bear off.

Square 30 -- House of Re-Atoum: You need an exact roll of 2 to leave this square and bear off.

Pieces on these four houses are protected from swapping. Square 15, the House of Rebirth (marked with an ankh), is where the House of Water sends pieces back.

The House of Water (square 28) is the most feared square on the board.

Any piece that lands here is immediately sent back to square 15, the House of Rebirth (or the nearest empty square before it if square 15 is occupied). This can set you back significantly!

Players must carefully calculate their throws to avoid landing on square 28. Sometimes it is better to move a different piece, even if it means wasting a good roll.

In this position, Player 1 has a piece on square 27 (House of Beauty). A throw of 1 would send that piece to the dreaded House of Water!

To win, you must bear off (remove) all 5 of your pieces from the board.

Pieces bear off by moving past square 30. From square 27 (House of Beauty), a roll of 4 or 5 takes the piece past the end of the board and bears it off.

Squares 29 and 30 have special requirements:

- From square 29: you need exactly a 3 to bear off.

- From square 30: you need exactly a 2 to bear off.

Here, Player 1 has two pieces ready to bear off. The piece on square 29 needs a roll of 3, and the piece on square 27 can bear off with a 4 or 5.

Throws of 1, 4, or 5 grant an extra turn after you move. This means you throw again immediately.

Extra turns can chain: if you throw a 1, move, then throw a 5, move again, then throw a 4, you get yet another turn. This can be a powerful streak!

If you have no valid moves after throwing (all your pieces are blocked), you pass your turn. If the throw would have granted an extra turn, you still get to throw again even after passing.

Strategic use of extra turns can help you race ahead or set up defensive positions.

The first player to bear off all 5 pieces wins the game.

Senet combines luck (the stick throws) with strategic decisions about which piece to move. Key strategies include:

Avoid the House of Water. Plan your moves to skip over square 28 whenever possible.

Block your opponent. Protected pieces (adjacent to friendly pieces) cannot be swapped, so grouping pieces creates barriers.

Use extra turns wisely. Throws of 1, 4, and 5 give bonus turns. Sometimes moving a piece 1 square is better than moving another piece further.

Player 1 has borne off all 5 pieces and wins!