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Snakes & Ladders

Climb up. Slide down. Curse the dice.

Roll and race up the board. Ladders shoot you forward, snakes drag you back. First to land exactly on 100 wins.

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How to play

  1. 1Take turns rolling one die and moving forward that many squares.
  2. 2Land on a ladder foot and you climb to its top.
  3. 3Land on a snake head and you slide to its tail.
  4. 4You need the exact roll to land on 100 — overshoot and you stay put.
  5. 5First player to 100 wins, the round's over.

How to play Snakes and Ladders online

Snakes and Ladders needs no skill, only nerve, which is exactly why it works with a table of mixed ages. One person creates a room, the others join with the code, and the board appears on every screen.

You can put the board on a TV or laptop and let everyone use their phone as the dice, or play entirely on separate devices from different places. Two to four players can join, and the host can add a computer player to fill a seat.

Nothing to set up and no pieces to lose: the board, the dice and the exact-roll rule are all handled for you.

Snakes & Ladders rules in full

  • The board is a 10 by 10 grid, squares 1 to 100, with 8 ladders and 8 snakes in a fixed layout.
  • Roll one die and move that many squares. Land on the foot of a ladder and you climb to the top; land on a snake's head and you slide to its tail.
  • You must land on 100 exactly. If your roll would take you past it, you stay where you are.
  • Rolling a 6 gets no bonus, so every turn is roll and pass.
  • Players can share a square. Nobody gets knocked off it.
  • The first player to land exactly on 100 wins immediately.

Tips for winning at Snakes & Ladders

  • There's no strategy to steer the outcome, so the real skill is enjoying it. Cheer for the ladders.
  • Expect the last few squares to take a while. Any roll that would go past 100 is wasted, so the finish is a wait for the right number.
  • It's a good first game for a five-year-old, because there's nothing to decide and nothing to get wrong.

Snakes & Ladders questions

Can I play Snakes and Ladders online with friends?
Yes. Create a room, share the code or link, and up to four people can play from their own devices.
Do you need the exact number to win?
Yes. You must land exactly on square 100. A roll that goes past it means you stay put.
How long does a game take?
Usually 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how kind the snakes are.
Can I play against the computer?
Yes. Add a computer player from the lobby.
Start a Snakes & Ladders roomJoin with a code

At a glance

Players
2–4
Length
10–20 min · Medium
Ages
5+
Difficulty
Easy
Online play
Yes — join strangers

Snakes & Ladders guides and articles

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