Snakes & Ladders

Each player starts in the Waiting Area, effectively on square zero. Players take turns to roll the dice and move their playing piece around the board. The first player to reach the final square finishes first, but play continues until all players have finished.

Starting the Game

If First Player is selected, Player 1 takes the first turn and moves immediately by the total shown on the dice. Play then passes to the next player in turn.

If First to Roll Maximum is selected, each player must roll the maximum possible result before entering the board. This means the maximum value on every die: for example, 6 with one six-sided die, double-six with two six-sided dice, or 12 with one twelve-sided die.

A qualifying roll does not itself move the playing piece. The player rolls again and uses this second result for their first move. Players who fail to roll the required maximum remain in the Waiting Area and try again on their next turn.

Moving Around the Board

On a normal turn, add together the values of all the dice and move forward by that number of squares. Follow the numbered squares in order as they wind backwards and forwards across the board.

If a move finishes on the head of a snake, follow the snake down to its tail. If it finishes at the foot of a ladder, climb the ladder to its other end. These action squares are subtly highlighted on the board.

Maximum Rolls

A maximum roll means that every die shows its highest possible value. The effect of a maximum roll depends on the rule selected when the board was created.

• Nothing: the roll is treated like any other roll and play passes to the next player afterwards.
• Roll Again: after completing the move, the same player rolls and moves again.
• Forfeit: the player rolls again after a maximum roll, but three maximum rolls in succession cause the player to forfeit the turn and return to square 1.

A maximum roll used to qualify a player to leave the Waiting Area is separate from these rules. The player simply makes another roll to determine their initial move.

Reaching the Finish

What happens when a roll would take a player beyond the final square depends on the selected ending rule.

• Exact Landing: the player must roll exactly the number required to reach the final square. If the roll is too high, the playing piece does not move.
• Close Enough: any roll which reaches or passes the final square completes the game for that player.
• Bounce Back: the player moves to the final square and then moves backwards by the unused part of the roll. For example, on a 100-square board, a player on square 98 who rolls 6 moves to 100 and then back four squares to 96.

If a bounce-back move finishes on a snake head or at the foot of a ladder, that snake or ladder is followed as normal.

Finishing the Game

When a player reaches the final square, that player has finished and takes no further turns. The remaining players continue in the normal order until everyone has finished. The results record each player's finishing order and the number of dice rolls they needed to complete the game.