Online Ladder Game (Amidakuji): Fair Prize and Chore Picks
Use a free online ladder game (Amidakuji) to fairly assign prizes, chores or turns. Learn why every path ends at a different prize, plus step-by-step tips.
A ladder game is a quick and fair way to decide who buys the coffee, who takes out the trash, or who presents first. In Japan it is called Amidakuji, and many people know it as a game drawn on paper. Each person picks a vertical line at the top, follows it down through a set of horizontal “rungs”, and lands on a result at the bottom. Nobody picks the result directly, and everyone gets exactly one result.
An online ladder game keeps the fun and removes the hassle. You don’t need paper, a ruler, or someone who promises not to peek while drawing. You type the names and the prizes, and the ladder is drawn for you. This guide covers where a ladder game helps, why it is fair, and how to run one in your browser with Deftivo.
Where a ladder game helps
A ladder game works well when you have a group of people and a matching list of outcomes, and you want each person to get one outcome with no repeats. Common uses include:
- Who buys coffee or lunch. Put “Buys coffee” as one prize, and everyone else gets “Nothing”.
- Household or office chores. Assign dishes, vacuuming, recycling and plant watering in one go.
- Presentation or turn order. Use “1st”, “2nd”, “3rd” and so on as the prizes.
- Small prizes at a party or class. Hand out gift cards, snacks or seats without arguments.
- Team or group splits. Use “Team A” and “Team B” as repeated prizes to divide people.
It is especially handy when people are suspicious of a simple coin toss or a hand-picked list. Watching each path being traced makes the result feel earned.
Why the ladder game is fair
The fairness comes from a simple rule: a horizontal rung always connects two neighbouring lines, and when you reach one, you must cross it. Crossing a rung swaps your position with the line next to you. Every swap is a one-to-one exchange, so two people can never end up on the same line.
Think of it like people standing in a row and occasionally swapping places with the person beside them. No matter how many swaps happen, there are still the same number of people in the row, each in exactly one spot. That is why every player ends at a different prize.
On paper, the weak point is the person drawing the rungs. If they know where the prizes are, they could, in theory, nudge the outcome. An online ladder draws the rungs randomly, and the prizes can stay hidden until each path is followed.
Paper ladder vs online ladder
| Paper ladder | Online ladder | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Draw lines and rungs by hand | Type names and prizes |
| Risk of bias | Drawer could place rungs on purpose | Rungs placed randomly by the tool |
| Hiding prizes | Fold or cover the bottom of the paper | “Hide prizes” option |
| Mistakes | Easy to miss a rung while tracing | Path is traced for you |
| Sharing results | Take a photo | Save an image or share a link |
| Remote groups | Hard to do fairly | Works when everyone sees the same screen or link |
| Feel | Classic and hands-on | Fast and tidy |
Paper is still great when everyone is in the same room and enjoys the ritual. Online is easier for larger groups, remote teams, and anyone who wants a clean record.
How to make a ladder game with Deftivo
The Deftivo ladder game runs entirely in your browser, so the names and prizes you type are not uploaded anywhere.
- Open the ladder game page.
- In Players (one per line), type each person’s name on its own line. You can use 2 to 12 players.
- In Prizes (same number as players; missing ones become “Nothing”), type the outcomes, one per line. If you list fewer prizes than players, the missing ones automatically become “Nothing”. You cannot list more prizes than players.
- Press Make a ladder. A new ladder with random rungs is drawn.
- Keep Hide prizes turned on if you want suspense. Then tap a player’s name to follow that person’s path down the ladder and reveal what they got.
- Press Reveal all when you want to show every result at once.
- Once every path has been revealed, check the Results list, which shows each player paired with their prize.
- Press Save image to keep a picture of the ladder and results, or Share link to send the same ladder to others.
Sharing the link is useful for group chats: everyone can open the same ladder and check each path for themselves.
How it differs from a wheel spinner
A wheel spinner and a ladder game both pick things at random, but they answer different questions.
| Ladder game | Wheel spinner | |
|---|---|---|
| Main question | “Who gets which outcome?” | “Which one item wins?” |
| Results per round | Everyone gets one result | One pick per spin |
| Repeats | Each prize goes to one player | The same item can come up again unless removed |
| Best for | Chores, turn order, prize matching | Picking a winner, a restaurant, a random name |
If you need to match a whole group to a list of tasks in one go, use the ladder. If you just need one name or one choice, a wheel is quicker. For assigning people to specific seats or desks, a seating chart maker is a better fit.
Tips and pitfalls
- Count your prizes first. Since more prizes than players is not allowed, trim the list or add players before making the ladder.
- Use “Nothing” on purpose. For a “who pays” game, enter just one prize and let everyone else get “Nothing” automatically.
- Keep names short. Short names are easier to read on a phone and in a saved image.
- Agree on the rules before you start. Decide whether the first ladder is final, so nobody asks for a redo after seeing the result.
- Reveal one by one for suspense. With “Hide prizes” on, tapping names one at a time makes the game more fun for a group.
- Save or share right away. If the result matters, such as a chore rota, save the image or share the link so everyone has the same record.
- Watch out for duplicate names. If two people share a first name, add an initial so the results list is clear.
FAQ
Is an online ladder game really random?
The rungs are placed randomly each time you press “Make a ladder”, so nobody chooses the paths in advance. Because every rung swaps two neighbouring lines, each player still lands on a different result. This makes it both random and one-to-one.
What happens if I have fewer prizes than players?
The empty spots are filled with “Nothing” automatically. This is the easiest way to set up a “one person pays” or “two people win” game. You only need to type the prizes that actually matter.
How many people can play at once?
The Deftivo ladder game supports 2 to 12 players. For bigger groups, you can split people into smaller rounds. Another option is to use team names as prizes to divide a large group.
Are the names I type uploaded anywhere?
No. Deftivo processes everything in your browser, so the player names and prizes stay on your device. If you choose “Share link”, the ladder details are placed in the link itself so others can open the same ladder.