Patolli
Ancient Mesoamerican race game of strategy and gambling.
Patolli (Nahuatl: [paˈtoːlːi]) or patole (Spanish: [paˈtole]) ranks among the oldest known games in the Americas. Combining strategy and luck, it was enjoyed by both commoners and nobles. Spanish conquistadors recorded that Moctezuma Xocoyotzin often liked to watch his nobles play the game at court.
The game and its variants were widespread across pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. Strictly speaking, "Patolli" refers to the Aztec version, whose rules survive in codices, but scholars also use the term for similar board games found throughout the region, even when the exact rules are unknown. Versions were played by the Toltecs (about 750–1000), the Aztecs (1168–1521), and all the peoples they conquered—including the Zapotecs and Mixtecs. The Maya played a version from the Postclassic period until Catholic authorities suppressed it in the 16th century. Notably, there is no direct archaeological or textual evidence linking Patolli to the Teotihuacan culture.
- Culture
- Mesoamerican (Aztec, Maya, Toltec, Zapotec, Mixtec)
- Type
- Race game with gambling
- Earliest known evidence
- c. 200 BC (Aztec precursors, but no confirmed Teotihuacan link)
- Latest known play
- 16th century (suppressed by Catholic authorities among Maya)
- Game pieces
- Six red and six blue pebbles (or beans, maize, jade)
- Dice
- Five (or sometimes six) black beans with marked holes
- Board shape
- 52 squares arranged in an 'X'
Lore & Background
Patolli was a race game with a heavy focus on gambling. Players would meet and inspect the items each had available to gamble, betting blankets, maguey plants, precious stones, gold adornments, food, or in extreme cases their homes, family, or freedom. Each player had to have the same number of items to bet at the beginning, typically six, because each player had six markers. Once an agreement was made, players prepared by invoking the god of games, Xōchipilli. According to surviving codices, the four squares in the middle of the 'X' served as special safe zones or scoring areas, but the mechanic of landing on an opponent's marker to remove it and force a treasure surrender is not documented in primary sources.
Reader's Guide
Patolli is significant as one of the oldest known games in America, with evidence of play spanning from the Teotihuacanos (c. 200 BC) through the Aztecs and Maya until the 16th century. The game was played by both commoners and nobles, and the conquistadors reported that Moctezuma Xocoyotzin enjoyed watching his nobles play. The game's rules are known from surviving Aztec codices, though scholars also use the term for similar boards found throughout Mesoamerica with unknown exact rulesets. The game involved a board of 52 squares in an 'X' shape, with movement determined by tossing five black beans. Special areas allowed capturing opponent markers, forced treasure payments, or extra turns. The ultimate goal was to win all of the opponent's treasure, which could require multiple rounds. The god Macuilxochitl was considered to participate, with offerings placed in a special area; a toss of all beans standing on their sides instantly won all goods bet.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Patolli?
Patolli is an ancient Mesoamerican race game that blends strategic positioning with the randomness of dice rolls. It is regarded as one of the oldest known board games in the Americas, with evidence of similar games dating back to roughly 200 BC.
How do you actually play Patolli?
Each player advances six red and six blue pebbles—sometimes beans, maize kernels, or jade—along a marked board, moving pieces based on the roll of five or six black beans with drilled holes. The core tension comes from balancing tactical placement against the luck of the dice, and wagering was an integral part of the experience.
Who played Patolli in the ancient world?
The game crossed every social boundary in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, enjoyed by both commoners and the ruling elite. Spanish chroniclers noted that Moctezuma Xocoyotzin took particular pleasure in watching his nobles compete at court.
What happened to Patolli after the Spanish arrived?
Catholic authorities in the 16th century actively suppressed the game, viewing it as a pagan and gambling practice. By the late 1500s the tradition had largely vanished from public life, especially among Maya communities where the crackdown was most severe.
Why does Patolli matter to board-game history?
It is one of the earliest documented strategy-and-luck board games in the Western Hemisphere, predating European contact by centuries. Its Aztec rules survive in codices, and scholars use the name as an umbrella term for a whole family of related race games found across Maya, Toltec, Zapotec, and Mixtec cultures.
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