Senet is the board game of ancient Egypt: thirty squares, five pieces each and four throwing sticks instead of dice. Several boards were found in Tutankhamun’s tomb, and Egyptians played it for well over two thousand years.
Play right on the page
- Against the computer or two players at one screen — no account, nothing to install.
- The rules are Timothy Kendall’s reconstruction, the same as in the “How to play” section: a pair can’t be hit, three pieces in a row block the way, square 26 takes an exact throw, and the House of Water sends a piece back to square 15.
- Pieces that can move are outlined and the square a piece will land on lights up; on a keyboard, Space throws the sticks.
Coming to the city
The next step is senet in Anubis City itself: a table for two where you can play a friend or another player by the same rules. We’ll announce the opening here in the news; for now senet is on our roadmap.
In the meantime, walk along the avenue of sphinxes in front of the halls and look down: senet boards are scratched into its slabs.
Play here: senet online.
