The age-old game of Snakes and ladders has been given many other names, like snake ladder game, ladder snake, and ladder games, Chutes and ladders are a common alternative used in the West. There are many variations of the game created too, online and offline. But the original game, originated in ancient India, went by the name ‘Moksha patam’ or ‘Moksha Patamu.’ The game was actually used for religious instructions to teach the concept of karma and kama- destiny and desire. Though many variations and iterations have been created of the game the core concept of how to play the game remains the same.

Objective and Basic Rules of Snakes and Ladders game

The main goal in this board game is to take your tokens home faster than your opponents via ladders and avoid the snakes that hamper the progression of the token. Typically, there are 100 squares on the board of the snake ladder game. This game of snakes is designed in a numbered grid pattern, where the players have to move in a zig-zag course, left to right on one row and opposite on the next, to reach the top. Tokens can move steps on the grid based on the number on the dice. 

Detailed Game Rules

Rule 1: Starting the game: 

To start the game of snakes and ladders, players must first roll the dice. In most games, a higher number or ‘6’ is required for the tokens to start off on the board. But there are also versions like on Q GamesMela where the luck factor of one player receiving 6 or higher numbers is eliminated so that the game is more focused on the player’s skills. After the dice is rolled, the player moves his/her token equal to the number on the dice, on the board. The first row moves the token from left to right. 

Rule 2: Movement rule 

As mentioned earlier, the tokens move as per the number on the dice in this popular board game. While some versions require a roll of six to start, other versions start right away with any number on the dice. The first row starts the movement of the token from left to right, the next row is opposite of the first and similarly, the next row is opposite to the previous row, in turn creating a zig-zag sort of motion across the board. 

Rule 3: Climbing up ladders and avoiding the snakes 

In all the Ludo top board games, the concept of ladders and snakes remains the same. Ladders are the positive aspect of the game which takes you to the top faster, and snakes are the negative aspects, the obstacles, that hamper your progress and push you to the bottom of the board. Players must aim to land themselves exactly at the bottom of the ladder so they can climb to the top faster and avoid landing at the top of the snakes to prevent themselves from sliding down to the bottom, in turn losing their progress. This dynamic creates thrilling ups and downs in the games making it super exciting. 

Rule 4: Additional turns for rolling a six

The most common rule amongst all the iterations of the snake ladder game is the additional turn that the player receives upon rolling a six. After moving six squares the player gets to roll the dice again. The player can use this to his advantage to cover extra steps or to find opportunities to climb ladders or capture tokens. 

Rule 5: Capturing tokens 

The popular board game of Ludo also has one more action that gives a player his/her winning edge. Capturing other players’ tokens! The way to do this in the game of snakes is by simply landing your token on the square where your opponent's token is already present. Once you do that your opponent's token is taken out from that square and now they have to start their journey right from the start, from square 1. This makes your opponent lose all the progress and puts you at an advantage of covering more ground than your opponent and also earning extra points. But beware, your tokens can be captured too using the same technique by your opponents, landing on the same square as you. So, avoid getting captured. 

Rule 6: winning the game

The rule for winning is fairly simple in the Snakes and Ladders game. Ascend your token to the last square of 100 before your opponent. To increase the probability of their winning edge players must use the numbers on the rolled dice wisely. They must strategically position themselves to land on ladders to ascend quicker than their opponents, avoid snakes, capture other player tokens, and avoid getting captured.