How to Play Ludo the Right Way – Master Ludo Rules

Ludo originated in the sixth century CE and still holds a special place in the hearts of Indians who appreciate its simplicity, the thrill of the chase, and the joy of winning. Whether you are an experienced Ludo player or just a beginner who wants to learn how to play Ludo like an expert, here are all the rules of Ludo you need to know to master this game.

Ludo Gameplay

Online Ludo starts when a player throws the die, trying to get a 6 to open any of the four pawns parked in their respective coloured houses and move them to the start area. The game moves clockwise, with each player taking turns to get a six and land a pawn out of the house and onto the track. 

Once a pawn has reached the start, players throw the die again to obtain a number according to which they move the pawn a particular number of spaces on the board. Understanding how to play Ludo is relatively simple, and this process of rolling the die and moving pawns continues until a player successfully moves all their pawns to the centre of the board, ultimately winning the game.

The player’s main objective is to be the first one to release all four pawns and move them all once across the entire board to enter the home column and into the home area – a large square in the middle of the board.

Rules of Ludo

Ludo is a game that can be played by a minimum of two and a maximum of four players. There are a few basic Ludo game rules that each player must follow to allow the game to proceed fairly. These include:

• Roll the Dice & Move the Pawn

Players must roll the dice and move the corresponding spaces to move their pawns on the board. For instance, a roll of three means the player can advance their pawn three spaces. Each player begins the game with four pawns in their house. The winner is the first player to move all four pawns out of the starting area, covering the entire board once and into the end zone.

• Release the Pawn

To start the game, a player must roll the dice to get a 6; if they do, they can release a pawn from its house. If they do not, they lose their turn, and the die passes on to the next player. After releasing your first pawn, if you roll a 6, you can either release a new pawn from the house or move an existing pawn six spaces on the board.

• Pawn Elimination

While playing, if your pawn lands on a space on the board already occupied by the opponent’s pawn, their pawn gets eliminated and sent back to their home area. They must restart the journey of that pawn from zero by rolling a 6 to release it from its home. You also receive a bonus dice roll for elimination. 

• Elimination Exception

If a player has 2 pawns (of the same colour) in a single space, it forms a block, and the opponent’s pawn (different coloured pawn) cannot eliminate either from the track. It is a safe space for the two pawns. All pawns must continue their journey across the track without eliminating each other in that space.

• Rule of the 6

If a player rolls a six on the dice, they get an additional chance to roll it again, giving them 2 rolls. If they roll a 6 again, they get another roll. However, they must roll a different number this time, as three 6s in a row is a void chance, nullifying the moves made in the previous 2 rolls.

• Win the Game

Ludo game rules mention that all four pawns must go around the track once to be eligible to enter their home column, which leads to the winner’s area.

When a pawn reaches the home column, it must roll a specific number on the die to enter the winner’s area. For example, if the last pawn needs to move over 3 spaces to enter the winner’s zone, the player must roll a number 3 or less to progress or enter the area. Rolling a higher number with no more pawns to move is considered a missed chance, and the die is passed to the next player. 

Conclusion

Now that you have understood how to play Ludo, keeping all these rules in mind will help you create the perfect strategy and plan every move before each dice roll to ensure you win the game. So, why wait? Simply download a reputable online gaming platform and enjoy the spree of Ludo with your friends and family and earn exciting rewards!