What is "patolli"

Patolli \Pa*tol"li\, n. [Mex. patolli dice.] An American Indian game analogous to dice, probably originally a method of divination.

n. A board game similar to pachisi played by the Aztecs.

Patolli or patole is one of the oldest games in America. It was a game of strategy and luck, and very much a game of commoners and nobles alike. It was reported by the conquistadors that Montezuma often enjoyed watching his nobles play the game at court.