Saap Seedi

Saap Seedi — how to play and tips

Saap Seedi, known in English as Snakes and Ladders, is one of the most loved board games ever played in India and is believed to have its roots in the ancient Indian game Moksha Patam. This free online version brings the classic 100-square board to your phone or computer. Two players race from square 1 to square 100, helped by ladders that carry them up the board and held back by snakes that slide them down. There is no skill in the roll of the dice, but the tension of every turn, with a ladder or a snake just a few squares ahead, makes it endlessly exciting for kids and adults alike.

How to play

Tap the dice at the bottom of the screen to roll it. Your token moves forward that many squares, one square at a time, following the zigzag numbering of the board: left to right on the bottom row, right to left on the next, and so on up to 100. If you stop at the bottom of a ladder, you climb to the top of it. If you stop on the head of a snake, you slide all the way down to its tail. Rolling a 6 gives you another turn. To win you must land on square 100 with an exact roll; if your roll is too high, you stay where you are and wait for the next turn.

Game modes

Choose You vs Computer for a quick solo game, where the computer rolls automatically for the second player, or choose 2 Players to pass the phone between two people on the same device. Your total wins against the computer are saved as your best score in your browser.

The board

This board has eleven ladders and ten snakes. The longest ladder climbs from square 28 to square 84, a huge jump, while the most dangerous snake at square 99 drops you all the way to square 80 just before the finish. Because snakes near the end are so cruel, the last stretch of the game is always full of drama, and a player who looks sure to win can lose the lead on a single unlucky roll.

Tips for a better game

Snakes and Ladders is a game of luck, so the best strategy is to enjoy it and stay patient: no roll is ever wasted, since a snake today can be followed by a ladder tomorrow. Watch for the exact number you need near the end; it helps to know which squares are one to six steps from 100. For families, it is a great way to teach younger children counting, taking turns and handling disappointment gracefully. Playing a quick best-of-three with friends makes the game even more fun, and the high drama of the final squares is exactly why this game has lasted for centuries.

Playing on mobile and desktop

The whole board fits on a phone screen, with a large dice button that is easy to tap, and on a computer you can press the space bar to roll. Everything runs in the browser, so nothing needs to be installed, and the game works well even on slow connections.