Senet part 1 of 4

Rules Summary:

Also, don't forget to check out the video with the sticks-of-two-different-sizes variant (which I believe to be most correct).
   • Senet different sized sticks  
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Senet
version by Anthony Valentino

The game starts with the pieces (five pawns per player) in the first row. This is the home row and serves to hold the pieces awaiting rebirth. Any placement is acceptable. The direction of play reverses with each row (like a C).

Five lots (sticks) are used: three short ones and two long ones (or somehow marked three and two). Each throw may be used to move a single pawn the total number or divided between two pawns, provided the results are groups (long with long and short with short). If only one set of results would give a legal move, a pawn may be moved that number of houses and the other result forfeited (just like the two dice in modern Backgammon). The five lots are cast. The number of white faces that are up equals the number of houses the player gets to move. If all lots face down (all black sides up), the player loses a turn. (*The different sized stick method is not represented in this video, but the other rules are).

Only one pawn may occupy a house at a time. a pawn may capture an unprotected opposing pawn by landing on its house. Captured pawns return to the home row and must be “reborn.”
A pawn is “reborn” by re-entering the board as it did initially.

Pawns on the marked houses, and pawns that are in houses adjacent to one or more pawns of the same team, are protected from capture.

Squares 11-14 – The initial squares of the playing track. A pawn must still land directly on the House of Rebirth before proceeding further.

Square 15 – House of Rebirth. Pawns must land directly on this house before proceeding further. The player who lands on this house gets another turn.

Square 26 – House of Happiness. Pawns landing here get an extra turn. A player can bear off the board from this house.

Square 27 – Waters of Chaos. Pawns landing here are removed from the board and sent back to the home row to be “reborn.”

Squares 28-30 – These are marked so that a 3, a 2, or a 1 must be cast to bear off the board.

Players must make a legal move. A player who has no legal move after a cast loses his turn. The first player to bear all his pawns off the board wins.