Ludo rules and winning tips

The short answer

Ludo is played by two to four players. Each has four tokens that start at home. You need a 6 to bring a token onto the board, tokens travel once around the track, and the first player to bring all four tokens into the centre wins. Landing on an opponent’s token sends it back home. Roll a 6 and you get another turn.

lightbulb You cannot control the dice, but you control which token you move. That choice is where games are won.

Standard rules

Rules vary between families and apps. Common differences are whether two tokens of the same colour block opponents, whether you must roll a 6 to finish, and how many extra turns a 6 can give. Agree on the house rules before you start.

1. Each player picks a colour and places four tokens in their home area.
2. Players take turns rolling one die, clockwise.
3. A token can leave home only on a roll of 6, and it moves to your starting square.
4. On each turn you move one token forward by the number you rolled.
5. Rolling a 6 gives you an extra roll.
6. If your token lands on a square holding a single opponent token, that token is captured and returns to its home.
7. Tokens travel around the board and then up the home column of their colour to the centre.
8. To finish, a token usually needs an exact roll to reach the centre. The first player to bring in all four tokens wins.

Winning tips

• Get tokens out early. With few tokens on the board you waste rolls that are not a 6.
• Do not spread everything equally. A token that is far ahead and safe is worth more than four tokens in danger.
• Capture when it hurts most. Sending home a token that has nearly completed the lap costs the opponent far more than capturing one that has just left.
• Watch the distance. An opponent token within six squares behind yours can capture it next turn; move out of range or onto a safe square when you can.
• Use safe squares. Starting squares and marked safe squares protect your tokens from capture in most rules.
• Keep a token ready near home. When you roll the exact number you need, you can finish without waiting.

Playing against the computer or online

Practising against the computer is the quickest way to learn which moves pay off, because you can play many short games. Online play adds the fun of competing with friends, and you still use the same strategy: leave home early, protect advanced tokens and capture at the right moment.

Ludora, the free Android Ludo game from Robince Studio, lets you play classic Ludo online with friends, against the computer and in multiplayer.

Frequently asked questions

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