Chutes and Ladders

Snakes and ladders (Chutes and Ladders in the USA) is a board game for two or more players regarded today as a worldwide classic] The game originated in ancient India as Moksha Patam¹, and was brought to the United Kingdom in the 1890s.

Which board do you remember best?

19th Century Jain Version of Moksha Patam
UK Version, 1900
1940’s Version
1952. This is the version I grew up with.
1979. This is the version I played with my children.
2020 Version
Current Edition

This game is both instructional and a lot of fun, and is 100% a game of chance. No skill whatsoever is required, making it relatively contention-free for players of all ages.

The Old Wolf has spoken

Footnotes

¹Moksha Patam is the ancient Indian precursor to the game of Snakes and Ladders, originating as a spiritual game to teach the concepts of karma, virtue, and liberation (moksha) from the cycle of rebirth. While the Western version simplified the game, Moksha Patam originally used ladders to symbolize good deeds leading to higher spiritual levels and snakes to represent vices causing spiritual decline. The ultimate goal of the game was to reach the final square, representing moksha, through virtuous actions, though the exact symbolism and number of ladders and snakes varied. Moksha: Means liberation or spiritual release from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. Patam/Pata: Indicates a path or ladder.