How to Play the Board Game Snakes and Ladders

Snakes and Ladders (also called “Chutes and Ladders”) is a timelessly cool game for both kids and adults. Although it was originally created in ancient India to teach about good and bad deeds during life’s spiritual journey, it has become a world-renowned game because it’s fun and easy to play. The goal is to move to the top left square on the board, avoiding the snakes and taking shortcuts through the board by climbing up the ladders. Keep reading to learn all the rules for the game, its history, and a few variations you can use to spice things up.

Snakes and Ladders: Overview

Start on the 1 square and take turns rolling a die and moving that amount of spaces. When your counter lands on the bottom of a ladder, slide it up to the top. If your counter lands on the head of a snake, slide it down to the snake’s tail. The goal is to be the first to reach the 100 space on the board.

Section 1 of 3:

Playing the Snakes and Ladders Board Game

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1
Put each player’s counter on the 1 space and take turns rolling the die. Place the counters on the “1” or “Start Here” space in the bottom left of the board. Have each player roll the die—whoever rolls the highest number gets to take the first turn. When it’s your turn, roll the die and move your marker forward as many spaces as the die says to.^{[1]
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- For example, if you roll a two, move your counter to square two. On your next turn, if you roll a five, move your counter forward five squares, ending up on square seven.
- If you don’t have counters that came with the board, you can use coins, chess pieces, paper circles, or anything that you can use to tell whose counter is whose.
- You don’t have to roll a 6 to start the game—all you have to do is roll the highest number out of the group. If 2 or more players tie for the highest number, have them roll the die again.
- Play continues in a circle going left.
2
If you land at the bottom of a ladder, climb to the top with your counter. The ladders on the game board allow you to move upwards and get ahead faster. If you land on a square that shows an image of the bottom of a ladder, move your counter up to the square at the top of the ladder.^{[2]
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- If you land on a square along the top or middle of a ladder, you don’t get to move up to the top of it. You also cannot go down ladders.
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3
If you land on the head of a snake, slide your counter down to its tail. Some versions have snakes on the board, while others have chutes (slides). If you land exactly on the head or the top of a snake or chute, you must slide your counter to the square at the bottom of it.^{[3]
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- If you land on a square that is in the middle or at the bottom of a snake (or chute), you don’t have to slide down to the bottom of it.
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Take an extra turn if you roll a 6. Move your counter forward six squares. If you land on any snakes or ladders, follow the instructions above to move up or down. Roll again to take your extra turn.^{[4]
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Research source} As long as you keep rolling sixes, you can keep moving up the board!
- This means if you roll 3 sixes in the game, you get to keep taking an extra turn until you don’t roll a 6 anymore.
- Some versions of this game don’t include this rule.^{[5]
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Land exactly on the 100 square to win. The first person to reach the highest square (labeled “100,” “Home,” or “Win”) in the top left of the board wins. However, you have to roll the exact number you need to land on that space—if you roll too high, your counter stays where it is and you’ll need to roll the die again on your next turn.^{[6]
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- For example, if you’re on space 98 and you roll a 4, you have to stay on space 98. If you roll a 2 on your next turn, then you win!

Section 2 of 3:

Rule Variations for Snakes and Ladders

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Bounce your counter off the 100 square if you roll too high to win. Like in the original version, you need to roll the exact number you need to land on the last space to win the game. However, instead of staying on the same square, your counter will bounce off the last space and move back if you roll too high.^{[7]
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- For example, if your counter is on space 96 and you roll a 5 (for a total of 101), you move forward 4 spaces and back 1 space. This puts your counter on space 99.
2
Play backward and try to reach the 1 square first. If you’d like to switch up the gameplay, flip the board around and place each person’s counter on the 100 space. Play the rest of the game as normal. The first player to exactly land on the square labeled “1” or “Start Here” wins the game!^{[8]
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- Alternatively, try going up the snakes and down the ladders instead of down the snakes and up the ladders.
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Allow players to roll higher than 100 to win. Having to land exactly on the final square makes the game more exciting because it gives players a chance to catch up. However, it can also make the game take longer, which may be frustrating for younger players. Instead, let people roll higher than they need to reach 100.
- For a little more excitement, give each other player one turn to try to beat you when you reach or pass 100. Two or more people can tie and win together if they end up on the same square.
Have each player play with two counters, each the same color so no one gets confused. When you roll the die, you can move one of your two counters by that amount. You need to have both of your counters reach the last square to win.
5
Roll 2 dice and choose which one to move your counter forward with. In this variation, roll 2 dice instead of 1 to take your turn. Choose 1 die and move your counter forward by that amount. Move another player of your choice forward by the amount on the other die.
- For example, if you roll a 2 and a 5, you might move your counter forward 5 squares. Then, you choose Sarah’s counter and move it forward 2 spaces.
- Alternatively, if you land exactly on the same square as another player’s counter, move their counter back to the 1 space on the board.
6
Write words or questions on the board to make the game educational. Add your touch to the game by writing words, trivia questions, or other educational material in some of the squares. For example, you could write a simple word in each square for players who are learning to read. When a player moves their counter, they read out each word they pass through.^{[9]
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- Alternatively, teach the causes and effects of good behaviors with the snakes and ladders. For example, a ladder might travel from "I did my homework" to "I got good grades." A snake may go from "I didn't eat any fruits or vegetables today" to "My stomach feels bad."

Section 3 of 3:

History of Snakes and Ladders

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Snakes and Ladders originated in India and was called “Moksha Patam.” This timeless game may have been played as early as 200 BC and was originally named “Moksha Patam,” “Parama Padam,” “Gyan Chaupar,” or “Mokshapat.” The game was taken to England at the end of the 1800’s and was turned into “Snakes and Ladders.”^{[10]
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- The original game was played on painted cloth or paper and taught the effects of good and bad actions. The snakes led to demons, while the ladders went to gods or different versions of Nirvana.^{[11]
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- Some scholars believe the game may have actually been invented in the 13th century AD by Saint Gyandev, a poet who wanted to teach morals to children.
- Milton Bradley created the American version “Chutes and Ladders” in 1943. The snakes were replaced with chutes and the good and bad deeds were toned down to make it more kid-friendly.^{[12]
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If I am on 96 and 6 falls on the dice, what should I do? Move forward or wait until I get 4 on the dice?

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You need to wait to you get four, or you can also do the four steps and do two backwards which will make up six spaces. Everyone has their own rules, so ask your fellow players.

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Can I make my own rules in Snakes and Ladders?

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As long as everyone who is playing agrees to play by those rules, sure.

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Where do you put the snakes and ladders?

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The snakes and ladders are printed onto the board. If making your own, copy from Google.

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Play an online version of Snakes and Ladders on Crazy Games or Toy Theater.

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To make your own Snakes and Ladders game, draw 40 to 100 equal squares on a piece of cardboard. Add 6 ladders and 6 snakes at various points on the board that lead between different squares.

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