A Snakes and Ladders board with a yellow ladder, a red snake and a die

Snakes and Ladders

Snakes and Ladders is the classic race to square 100. Roll the die, move your token, climb up every ladder you land on and slide down every snake. It's pure luck, so a five-year-old can beat a grown-up, and every game is different. Play with 2, 3 or 4 players on one phone, tablet or computer, or against computer players.

Players
  • 2–4 players
  • 5-minute games
  • Tap Roll

How to play Snakes and Ladders

  1. Choose how many players: 2, 3 or 4. Everyone starts on the Start strip below the board.
  2. Players take turns. On your turn, press Roll. The die shows a number from 1 to 6 and your token moves that many squares.
  3. The squares go from 1 at the bottom left to 100 at the top left. The path runs left to right along the bottom row, then right to left on the next row up, and so on, back and forth.
  4. Land at the foot of a ladder and you climb straight to the top of it.
  5. Land on a snake's head and you slide all the way down to the tip of its tail.
  6. Roll a 6 and you get another turn straight away.
  7. You must land exactly on square 100. If your roll would take you past it, you stay where you are and try again next turn.
  8. The first player to reach square 100 wins.

Controls

DeviceHow to play
Phone or tabletTap the Roll button when it's your turn
MouseClick Roll
KeyboardPress R, or Space or Enter when the Roll button is selected

The coloured faces beside the board show which square each player is on. The token whose turn it is bobs up and down.

Playing against the computer

Choose vs Computer to play against computer players. You are Orange, and the other tokens roll for themselves. Snakes and Ladders has no choices to make, so there are no levels: the computer rolls the same fair die as you, and the dice decide everything. Want a crowd? Pick 3 or 4 players before you start, and the extra seats are filled by computer players.

Is it really fair?

Yes. Every roll uses your browser's secure random numbers, and each number from 1 to 6 is exactly as likely as the others. Nobody, human or computer, gets better dice, and no roll is planned in advance. Some games will be over in a few minutes and some will be long, because one unlucky snake can undo a lot of good rolls. That's part of the fun.

About Snakes and Ladders

Snakes and Ladders comes from India, where a version called Moksha Patam was played for centuries. It was a lesson as much as a game: ladders stood for good deeds that lift you up and snakes for bad deeds that drag you down. The game reached Britain in the late 1800s and spread around the world, often with the moral pictures replaced by simple snakes and ladders. This board is our own design, with 7 ladders and 8 snakes.

Questions

Is Snakes and Ladders free to play?

Yes. It's free in your browser, with no download and no sign-up. There are never ads during a game.

How many people can play?

From 2 to 4 players on the same device. Choose the number of players before you start. In vs Computer mode, you play against one, two or three computer players.

Do I need a 6 to start?

No. In this game any roll moves you off the Start strip and onto the board. A 6 still gives you an extra roll.

What happens if I roll too high near the end?

You need the exact number to reach square 100. If you're on 97 and roll a 5, you stay on 97 and wait for your next turn.

Is there any skill in Snakes and Ladders?

No, it's all luck, which is why it's a great game for young children: anyone can win. It's also a gentle way to practise counting and reading numbers up to 100.

Updated 5 November 2026