How to Win at Snakes & Ladders: Board Map and Odds
Snakes & Ladders is a game of pure luck: the die decides every move and there is never a choice of token. What you can control is the setup, and knowing the board makes every roll more exciting. This guide maps every ladder and snake, explains how the game options change the race to 100 and shows what to expect online.
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Know where the ladders are
There are eight ladders: 4 to 25, 9 to 31, 21 to 42, 28 to 56, 40 to 59, 51 to 67, 63 to 81 and 71 to 91. The ladder from 28 to 56 is the longest jump, and 71 to 91 brings you within reach of the finish. The early ladders on 4 and 9 can be reached with your very first roll.
Know where the snakes are
There are eight snakes too: 16 to 6, 33 to 11, 48 to 26, 62 to 18, 75 to 53, 87 to 65, 93 to 73 and 98 to 79. The snake on 62 is the cruellest, a drop of 44 squares. The snakes on 93 and 98 guard the finish, and with Bounce back the one on 98 bites more often than any other, because players who overshoot 100 keep walking back towards it.
Pick the ending that suits you
With Bounce back, a roll that overshoots 100 walks you back down by the extra steps, which can drop you onto the snakes on 98 or 93. With Stay put, your token simply waits for a roll that fits. Stay put makes games noticeably shorter and the finish kinder; Bounce back keeps everyone in the race until the very end.
Choose the pace with Roll again
With Roll again on, every 6 earns another roll, which makes games faster and wilder. Turn it off for a calmer game, which suits younger players. Everyone starts off the board and no 6 is needed to enter, so your first roll moves you straight onto squares 1 to 6.
Play with friends near and far
Play against one to three computer players, pass one device around with up to four people, or play online with two to four players. Online, everyone sees the same dice, and if someone leaves, a computer player takes over their token so the race goes on. At the end, everyone is ranked by how far they got.
Questions
- Is there any strategy in Snakes & Ladders?
- Not in the moves, because every move is decided by the die. You choose the options, such as Bounce back or Stay put and Roll again on a 6, which change how long and how wild the race is.
- Do I need a 6 to start?
- No. Everyone starts off the board and the first roll moves you straight onto squares 1 to 6.
- What is the biggest snake?
- The snake on 62, which slides you all the way down to 18.
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