Chapter 2.1: Snakes and Ladders

Snakes and ladders, or Chutes and ladders, is a classic children's board game.^[1] It is played between 2 or more players on a playing board with numbered grid squares. On certain squares on the grid are drawn a number of "ladders" connecting two squares together, and a number of "snakes" or "chutes" also connecting squares together.

Each player starts with a token in the starting square (usually the "1" grid square in the bottom left corner, or simply, the imaginary space beside the "1" grid square) and takes turns to roll a single die to move the token by the number of squares indicated by the die roll, following a fixed route marked on the gameboard which usually follows a boustrophedon track from the bottom to the top of the playing area, passing once through every square. If, on completion of this move, they land on the lower-numbered end of the squares with a "ladder", they can move their token up to the higher-numbered square (known as "climbing the ladder"). If they land on the higher-numbered square of a pair with a "chute" (or snake), they must move their token down to the lower-numbered square (known as "sliding down the chute/snake").

Its simplicity and the see-sawing nature of the contest make it popular with younger children, but the lack of any skill component in the game makes it less appealing for older players.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakes_and_ladders

its so funny when you are too observant and just happen to base your patterns in life to certain material things on earth. for example, the ups and downs of life with a wheel. or the high and lows of your love affair with snakes and ladders. you roll the die and see where it takes you, thats the risk of the journey. round and round it goes, where it stops nobody knows. land on a ladder square, you get to skip a few squares. good signs. land on a snake square, you fall back a few squares back. bad times. you just foul up just by making one freakin wrong move, then you fall down. when will it ever end? when will you reach the top? the 100th square and obtain your prize?

-Anonymous