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Ludo is a fun, family-friendly board game for 2 to 4
people. The game has its roots in an Indian game Explore this Article
called Pachisi, and it is similar to games like Parchisi
Beginning the Game
(aka Parcheesi) and Uckers. It's easy to learn how to
play Ludo! The goal of the game is to get all your Moving Pawns Around the Board Anonymous
A
Jan 11, 2018
pawns inside the home space, which is located in Winning the Game
the middle of the board. Article Summary "I just needed to refresh my memory."
Questions & Answers More success stories Share yours!
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Part
1 Beginning the Game

How to How to
Set up and Play Play Snakes and
the Game of Life Ladders

How to How to
Play Candy Land Play Sorry

1 Place all of your pieces onto the corresponding color pocket. A Ludo board is set
up like a cross with 4 equal-sized arms. Each arm has 3 rows of squares and 1 of
these rows will correspond to 1 set of 4 Ludo pawns. The object is to make a lap around
the board going all the way around the outer row of squares and then traveling up the
center of your row when you complete the lap. The pocket (circle or square next to your
corresponding color row) is where your pieces stay until you get them onto the board.[1]
You can play Ludo with 2 to 4 players. Each player chooses 1 of the 4 colors
represented on the board and on the pawns.
All pieces in the pocket are not yet in play. The pieces must remain in the pocket
until you bring them into play.

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2 Decide who goes first by rolling the die. Let each player roll the die. Whoever rolls
the highest number goes first. The order of play will proceed clockwise from the
player who goes first.[2]
If you prefer, you can also have the youngest player go first.[3]

3 Roll a 6 to bring your first pawn onto the board. To start moving a pawn across the
board, each player must roll a 6 on their turn. If the starting person doesn’t roll a 6,
then the player to the right of them takes their turn. If you do roll a 6, bring a pawn onto the
board and place it on the start space.[4]

Tip: For an easier variation, specify at the start of the game that players can roll a 1 or a
6 to get a pawn on the board.

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4 Roll again to determine how many spaces to move your first pawn. After you roll
a 6 and get a pawn onto the board, roll a second time to determine how many spaces
that pawn may move. Move the pawn as many spaces as the number you roll.[5]
For example, if you roll a 2, then move the pawn 2 spaces.

5 End your turn and pass the die to the next player after you move a pawn. You
may only move 1 of the new pawns on the board during your turn. After you have
moved a pawn, your turn is over. Hand the die to the next player and allow them to take
their turn.[6]

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6 Place another pawn on the board if you roll another 6. After a player rolls an initial
6 to activate a pawn into play, that player gets to roll a second time. If you roll a 6 on
your second dice roll, then you get to place another pawn on the board. Then, roll again to
determine how many spaces to move that pawn.[7]
Each time you roll a 6, you get another pawn on the board and another turn to roll.
If you roll another 6, place a pawn on the start space and then roll again.

Part
2 Moving Pawns Around the Board

1 Continue to roll at the beginning of each turn and move your pawns. Gameplay
should move in a clockwise fashion. After one player takes their turn, the next player
takes their turn, and so on all the way around the table. Each player should roll the die, and
then move a pawn or add a new pawn to the board depending on the roll.[8]
For example, if the player rolls a 6, they can place a pawn on the board and then
roll again to move it.
If the player rolls a 1-5 and has a pawn on the board already, they can move that
pawn.
If a player rolls a 1-5 and does not have a pawn on the board, then they cannot
move and it is the next player’s turn.

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2 Capture an opponent’s pawn by landing on the same space. You can capture an
opponent’s pawn any time you land on the same space one of their pawns is on. If
you land on another player’s pawn space, that player must take the pawn off of the board.
On their turn, they will need to roll a 6 again to get the pawn back onto the board.[9]

3 Get more than 1 of your pieces on the same space to make a block. A block
forms when 1 or more pawns of the same color are on the same space. Blocks act as
barriers against your opponents. When you have 2 pawns of the same color on a space, an
opponent may not pass or land on that space.[10]

Tip: Keep in mind that blocking your opponent will help you to delay them from reaching
their home base, but it may also slow you down. Try to delay any blocking tactics until
you are nearing your own home base.

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4 Land on the same space as an opponent’s pawn to move past it. If an opponent's
pawn is blocking your pathway, you will need to land on the same space as the pawn
to capture it. You cannot move past that pawn.[11]
If there is block 3 spaces away from your pawn and you roll a 4, you cannot move
your pawn and you must pass your turn.

5 Move your pawns around the board going towards your home stretch. To get
your pawns on the home space, you'll need to make a lap all the way around the track
of the board. Follow the arrows on the board if there are any or move your pawns around
the edges of the board in a clockwise fashion. Once you've made a complete lap, your
pawns will be moving into the home stretch area of the board.[12]

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1 Avoid spaces with special markings on them. Some Ludo boards have additional
markings on certain spaces, such as a circle or a crown, and these spaces are called
patches. You’ll want to avoid these spaces since landing on one of them will send your
pawn back to the pocket. This means you will have to roll a 6 to get that pawn back onto
the board again.[13]

2 Roll the exact number needed to get each pawn onto the home base. Note that
you cannot jump over your pawns in Ludo once they are in the home stretch. If you
have an empty space in your homerun, you’re required to move the closest pawn into that
space. Move the pawn according to the number you roll on the die.[14]
For example, if you have 1 space to move and you roll a 3 or a 2, you cannot move
that pawn 1 space. You need to roll a 1 to be able to move the pawn.

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3 Reach the home space with all 4 of your pawns first to win the game. Getting 1
of your pawns onto the home base space will not win you the game. Continue rolling
on your turn and moving your pawns onto the home base 1 at a time. The first player to get
all of their pawns onto the home base has won the game.[15]
If 1 or more of your pawns was captured, you need to roll a 6 to get it onto the
board again. If you don’t roll a 6, then try again on your next turn.
All 4 of your pawns must travel around the board and move into the home base
space to win the game, so you cannot win until all of them have made a lap around
the board and go into the home space.

Community Q&A

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Add New Question

Question
How do I attack another pawn?

Community Answer
You attack another pawn by getting an exact number that lands on top of that pawn.
Thanks!
Yes No

Not Helpful 4 Helpful 31

Question
When an opponent's pawn is at my starting position, can he capture me?

Community Answer
No, that position is a safe zone for both you and your opponent.
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Question
If I have two pawns and I get the same number to attack my opponent pawn as I can move
the other pawn, do I have to attack?

Tannakhan
Community Answer
You don't have to attack. However, it usually gives you better results, as you delay your

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Question
Can I attack if there are two pawns on one space?

Community Answer
If there are two counters in one space, they are called doubles. To capture your opponent's
doubles, you have to attack with doubles, or triples. Otherwise, you cannot capture them,
or even go ahead.
Thanks!
Yes No

Not Helpful 6 Helpful 15

Question
Can I move into home run without attacking the opposition's pawn?

Community Answer
In some games, you can. In others, you might not be able to. Check the rules of your Ludo
set or agree to your own set of rules before beginning the game.
Thanks!
Yes No

Not Helpful 5 Helpful 12

Question
What do we do if a piece lands on a pair and it is of the same color?

Community Answer
When this happens, it means you made some sort of "wall" and your opponent can't pass
unless you want to move one of the two pieces (it's a rule of the game, it's not cheating).
Thanks!
Yes No

Not Helpful 6 Helpful 11

Question
Will you have won the game if you move one of the four pawns before your opponent gets
any pawns out of the start circle?

Tannakhan
Community Answer
You cannot win the game if the opponent does not get any pieces out, as you have to take
out one of the opponent's pieces in order to go to the home pocket.
Thanks!
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Not Helpful 9 Helpful 11

Question
How do I get onto the other person's home run?

Community Answer
You can't. You can only get onto your own home run, which is the one corresponding to
your piece color.
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Question
If you throw a six and cannot move, can you throw again?

Holly Dounson
Community Answer

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Question
Are the tiny planes of different colors on my game board important in game play?

Community Answer
Yes, they are important since they mark a person's house and quarter of the board. They
are used to indicate houses and to show players how to navigate around the board.
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Show more answers
Unanswered Questions
If I have one game left to win inside the Ludo home, do I count the highest number or the
lowest?
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How do I count when playing ludo?
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When I have two or more pawns outside the pocket, do I need to move twice or just choose
which one I want to move and go once?
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If a player has three pawns together in the same place and all the pawns is his or her, can
they move if they throw a five?
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Things You'll Need

1 six-sided die

1 Ludo board

16 pawns: 4 of each kind (four different colors, four types of coins, etc.).

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There are several varieties of Ludo. The version you know may not be the same as your
opponent’s version. Discuss the rules as you know them before starting the game.

Related wikiHows

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References

1. ↑ https://www.mastersofgames.com/rules/ludo-rules-instructions-guide.htm
2. ↑ http://www.ymimports.com/pages/how-to-play-Ludo#.VtXb9lUrLnA
3. ↑ https://www.orchardtoys.com/csi/3309569/f/pdf
/piratesnakesandladdersludoinstructionsenglish.pdf
4. ↑ https://www.mastersofgames.com/rules/ludo-rules-instructions-guide.htm
5. ↑ https://www.mastersofgames.com/rules/ludo-rules-instructions-guide.htm
6. ↑ https://www.orchardtoys.com/csi/3309569/f/pdf
/piratesnakesandladdersludoinstructionsenglish.pdf
7. ↑ https://www.mastersofgames.com/rules/ludo-rules-instructions-guide.htm
8. ↑ https://www.mastersofgames.com/rules/ludo-rules-instructions-guide.htm
9. ↑ http://www.ymimports.com/pages/how-to-play-Ludo#.VtXb9lUrLnA

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Article Info

This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated
it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Together, they cited information from 15
references. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our
editorial staff to ensure that each article meets our high standards.

Categories: Strategy Board Games | Board Games for Children

In other languages:

Español: jugar Ludo, Deutsch: Ludo spielen, Français: jouer au Ludo, Bahasa
Indonesia: Bermain Ludo, Português: Jogar uma Partida de Ludo, Nederlands: Mens erger je
niet spelen, Italiano: Giocare a Ludo

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