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In Egypt under the New Kingdom, scenes of people playing senet are numerous, especially from the tombs of Deir el-Medina, in the Thebes region. These scenes often illustrate Formula 17 of the Book of the Dead and reveal a key moment in the eschatological journey of the deceased. The dead person is mostly shown playing alone, but sometimes his wife plays opposite him, or even in his place. This article attempts to understand what governs this choice, by comparing the images of female players from Deir al-Medina with those from other Theban tombs and a nearby temple, which turn out to be very different. In the former, they appear to represent women’s agency – possibly tinged with mockery – while in the latter, the game may be a symbol of sexuality. Fundamental aspects of the act of gameplaying appear here – the potential for agency, difference from the world of non-playing and a sexual dimension – as two superimposed images of the female gender.