Snakes and ladders
Snakes and ladders is a board game for two or more players regarded today as a worldwide classic. The game originated in ancient India as Moksha Patam, and was brought to the United Kingdom in the 1890s. It is played on a game board with numbered, gridded squares. A number of "ladders" and "snakes" are pictured on the board, each connecting two specific board squares. The object of the game is to navigate one's game piece, according to die rolls, from the start (bottom square) to the finish (top square), helped by climbing ladders but hindered by falling down snakes.
Game of Snakes and ladders, gouache on cloth (India, 19th century) | |
| Years active | Ancient India 2nd century CE to present |
|---|---|
| Genres | |
| Players | 2 or more |
| Setup time | Negligible |
| Playing time | 15–45 minutes |
| Chance | Complete |
| Skills | Counting, observation |
| Synonyms |
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The game is a simple race based on sheer luck, and it is popular with young children. The historic version had its roots in morality lessons, on which a player's progression up the board represented a life journey complicated by virtues (ladders) and vices (snakes). The game is also sold under other names such as the morality-themed Chutes and Ladders which was published by the Milton Bradley Company starting from 1943.