HISTORY
This old game, from India, was at first an exercice in morality. The base of the ladders showed virtues: Faith, Reliability, Generosity, Knowledge and Ascetism. The tip of the snakes pointed to evils: Disobedience, Vanity, Vulgarity, Theft, Lying, Drunkenness, Debt, Rage, Greed, Pride, Murder and Lust. The Hindu game was used to teach children about the religion in that the good squares allow a player to ascend higher in the league of life whereas evil will reduce a player back through reincarnation to lower tiers of life. Presumably the last square, 100, represents Nirvana.
The morality of the game must have appealed to the Victorians, who took to the game when it was published in 1892 in England. Called "Snakes and Ladders", the game play was pretty much the same but some of the vices and virtues were renamed according to Victorian ideals. So Penitence, Thrift and Industry elevated a player up a ladder to squares labelled Grace, Fulfilment and Success while Indolence, Indulgence and Disobedience slid a player down to Poverty, Illness and Disgrace. The number of ladders and snakes were also equalised. |
Get the GAME:
Download and print the four panels on letter size sheets of paper or thin cardboard.
PUT IT TOGETHER
Material:
- Scotch tape or masking tape
- MacTac clear transparent
- Scissors
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- Tape the back sides of panel 1 and 2 together by putting little strips of masking tape on the back side, making sure the corners meet.
- Tape panels 3 and 4 together the same way.
- Assemble panels 1-2 to 3-4.
- Glue the big panel onto a poster card cardboard and cut down to size.
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PROTECT IT
To keep the game from scratches or getting dirty fingers on the images, you can put a sheet of MacTac (transparent adhesive plastic sheet sold in rolls) on the panel. leaving 3 inches of Mactac over the sides.
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- Press firmly on the panel from the middle to the side, to prevent trapping air bubbles. Get out remaining bubbles by pricking them with the tip of a needle.
- Cut the corners of the MacTac at 45 degrees angle.
- Turn the gave over and press the MacTac edges on the back.
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NOTE: Plastic adhesives are sold under different names too. Take the CLEAR transparent one, not the one with a texture.
PLAY IT
You'll need a six-side die and one marker for each player. The marker can be as simple as a good sized coat button (the little metallic pin at the back of those button make them easy to pick up), one colour different for each player.
Number of players illimited, starting at two. For over 6 players it is recommended to play with 2 dice and the move is the total of the two. This technique helps to get every marker on the board on the first turn.
RULES
The first player roll the die and puts his marker on the corresponding square.
The second player (the one at the left of the first player) rolls the die and puts his marker on the corresponding square. If he gets the same number as the first player, the first player looses his place and takes away his marker.
Once all players (in a counter-clockwise manner) have played once (not counting those who lost their turn), the first player rolls the die and advances his marker the number of squares indicated on the die.
Anywhere in the game, if a marker stops on a square already occupied, the first marker is evicted and that player has to start all over again from square one.
When a marker stops at the blunt base of an arrow, it slides down to the tip of this arrow. The arrows doesn't count if the marker steps over it and lands on another square and you cannot climb a descending arrow.
When a marker stops at the base of a ladder, it climbs up to the tip of this ladder. The ladder doesn't count if the marker steps over it and lands on another square.
When doing the last stretch before 100, the marker has to land on 100 to win the game. If the number of the die exceed what is needed for 100, the marker doesn't move. For example, if your marker is on 97 and you roll a 4, you don't move. If you roll a 2, your marker goes to 99, but if you roll a 3, you win!
NOTE: The arrows have replaced the chutes or snakes, simply because those would have hidden too much of the images.
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