Family · Race Games

Race games: roll, race and reach the finish

Roll, race, and reach the finish. The race family holds the oldest board games we can still play, from Senet and the Royal Game of Ur to Pachisi, Patolli and the long road to backgammon. Several of them are playable right here, with reconstructed rules.

13 guides in the family4 playable here

All six game families

PlayablePachisi: India’s Royal Game That Conquered the WorldPlay Pachisi, the Indian race game and ancestor of Ludo and Parcheesi, free in your browser - authentic cowrie-shell dice and the history from Akbar's court at Fatehpur Sikri.
PlayablePatolli: Play the Aztec Game of Chance OnlinePlay Patolli, the Aztec cross-and-circle gambling game, free in your browser - authentic bean dice, reconstructed rules, and the real history of Macuilxochitl and Durán.
PlayablePlay Senet for free onlinePlay Senet online for free and learn about ancient Egypt's most important board game. Discover the 5,000-year history, rules, and spiritual meaning of this game of the dead.
PlayableThe Royal Game of Ur: A 4,500-Year-Old MysteryThe Royal Game of Ur, the 4,500-year-old Sumerian race game from the tombs of Ur: its rules, its history, and a full 3D version you can play right here.
GameHounds and JackalsGame of Hounds and Jackals. Middle Kingdom, Dynasty 12. Reign of Amenemhat IV. ca 1814–1805 BCE. Egypt, Thebes, pit tomb CC25. Ebony, Ivory. The M...
GameMehen: The Coiled Serpent Game of Ancient EgyptExplore Mehen, the mysterious coiled serpent board game of ancient Egypt. Learn its history, rules, spiritual significance, and connection to the snake god Mehen.
GameMoksha Patam: The Spiritual Origins of Snakes and LaddersDiscover how Moksha Patam, an ancient Indian game of karma and salvation, became the beloved children's game Snakes and Ladders. A journey through Hindu philosophy and British colonialism.
GameNard – The Original BackgammonThe history of Nard, the predecessor of modern Backgammon.Origins, how it was played in ancient times, and its evolution into the game we love today.
GameSugoroku: Japan’s Ancient Race Game and Its Many FormsDiscover Sugoroku, Japan's beloved race game with roots in ancient China. From Buddhist moral boards to backgammon variants and modern adaptations.
GameTabula and Backgammon: The 5,000-Year Race GameTrace the epic history of backgammon from ancient Mesopotamian race games through Roman Tabula to the modern doubling cube. A 5,000-year journey.
GameYut Nori: Korea’s New Year Race Game of Sticks and HorsesYut Nori is Korea’s 1,500-year-old New Year race game: four throwing sticks, four horses, captures and shortcut routes. Rules, history, and how to play.
HistoryAseb: The Mysterious Game of 20 SquaresDiscover Aseb, the ancient game of 20 squares. Learn about its origins in Egypt, its deep connection to the afterlife, and how it became a popular pastime across the Near East.
HistoryCircus Maximus: The Roman Origin of Modern Sports BettingExplore the Circus Maximus, where Roman chariot race betting laid the foundation for modern sports betting. Learn about factions, odds, and public wagering - the ancient blueprint for today's sportsbook.