Ludo comes from Pachisi, a game played in India for centuries. The modern version became one of the country's most-played phone games, the one families, friends and strangers all play. It looks like pure luck, and any single game can be. But every roll usually gives you a choice of which token to move, and over dozens of games those choices decide who wins more often. This guide is about making them well.
Key Takeaways
- A token 1 to 6 squares in front of an opponent faces about a 17% chance of capture each time that opponent rolls.
- At 7 to 12 squares the risk drops to about 3%. Distance matters more than most players realise.
- Safe squares (stars and starting squares) and your home column can't be attacked.
- Capturing a token that's far along the track costs its owner the most progress. Prioritise those.
- Luck decides single games. Good decisions show up over many games, not every game.
Ludo Rules as Played in India
Ludo is played by 2 to 4 players, each with four tokens of one colour. The aim is to move all four tokens once around the board and into your home triangle before anyone else.
Opening a token
All tokens start in their base. You need a 6 to move a token out onto your starting square. Some home games also allow a 1.
Moving
Each roll moves one token forward, clockwise around the board, by the number shown. If no move is possible, the turn passes.
Bonus rolls
A 6 gives you another roll. Most versions also give a bonus roll for capturing a token and for getting a token home. Three 6s in a row usually cancels the turn.
Capturing
Landing exactly on a square occupied by an opponent's single token sends it back to its base. It needs another 6 to come out again.
Home column and finish
After a full lap, tokens turn into their own coloured home column, where no one can attack them. You need the exact number to land in the home triangle.
Safe squares and blocks
- Safe squares. Each colour's starting square and the star-marked squares, usually eight in total, can't be captured on. Several colours can share them.
- Blocks. In many Indian house rules, two tokens of the same colour on one square form a block (joda) that can't be captured, and in some versions can't be passed either. Apps differ, so check.
Common Ludo Modes
| Mode | How it differs | What it rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Classic | Full rules; all four tokens must get home | Patience and risk management over a long game |
| Quick | Shorter game, often with tokens starting open or fewer tokens needed home | Aggression. There's less time to recover from a capture. |
| Timed / points | Play for a set time; points for squares moved and captures | Captures and steady movement over finishing |
| Team (2 vs 2) | Opposite colours play as partners | Protecting your partner and targeting the other team's leading tokens |
The Dice Maths Behind Every Move
The most useful number in Ludo is how likely a token is to be hit. It depends almost entirely on how far in front of an opponent's token it sits.
| Squares in front of an opponent | How they can hit you | Chance per opponent turn |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 6 | One exact roll | ~17% (1 in 6) |
| 7 to 12 | A 6, then an exact second roll | ~3% (1 in 36) |
| 13 to 17 | Two 6s, then an exact third roll | under 1% |
| On a safe square | Can't be captured | 0% |
These figures are per opponent token, per turn. Two opponent tokens behind you roughly double the risk. The opponent also may choose not to hit you if another move suits them better. But the pattern is clear: the danger zone is the six squares in front of an enemy token. Getting out of it, or onto a star, matters more than almost anything else.
How long does it take to roll a 6?
Because 6s are slow to arrive, a captured token loses more than its distance. It also has to wait in base for another 6. That's why capturing is so powerful and why getting captured early hurts less than getting captured late.
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On each roll, run through these questions in order. The first one that applies usually gives you the best move.
Can I capture a token that's far along?
Sending home a token that's travelled most of the board costs its owner the most. It's usually the best move available, even if your capturing token ends up slightly exposed.
Is one of my tokens in the danger zone?
If a token sits 1 to 6 squares in front of an opponent, move it to a safe square or at least 7 squares clear.
With a 6, should I open a token?
Early in the game, usually yes. More tokens on the board give you more choices on later rolls. Late in the game, using the 6 to move a leading token home may be better.
Can I land on a safe square?
Stars are free parking. A token on one can wait for a threat to pass or for an opponent to come into range.
Can I set up a capture?
Park a token 1 to 6 squares behind an opponent's token, ideally on a safe square, so you threaten it while you can't be hit back.
Otherwise, advance your most exposed token
If nothing above applies, move the token most at risk of being attacked later, not the one closest to home.
Positional habits that add up
- Don't race one token alone. A single runner with three tokens stuck in base leaves you with no choices when the dice go wrong.
- Watch your starting square. Opponent tokens just past your start are easy targets. When you open a token with a 6, your bonus roll can hit anything 1 to 6 squares ahead.
- Be careful passing opponents' starting squares. Their newly opened tokens can attack you the same way.
- Get tokens into the home column, then leave them. Inside the column they're safe. Keep them there as spare moves for awkward rolls.
- In four-player games, be less aggressive. Threats come from three directions, and the player you attack may not be the one who hurts you.
A Worked Decision
You roll a 4. You have three options:
| Option | Result | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| A. Capture a blue token that's three-quarters of the way round | Blue loses most of a lap and needs a 6 to restart. Your token ends up 2 squares in front of a green token (~17% risk). | Best. The damage to blue is far bigger than your risk. |
| B. Move a token from 3 squares to 7 squares in front of red | Risk falls from ~17% to ~3%. | Good if there were no capture |
| C. Move your lead token closer to the home column | Progress, but it doesn't reduce any risk or create any threat. | Weakest |
Common Ludo Mistakes
Good habits
- Checking what's 1 to 6 squares behind each token before moving
- Opening tokens early to keep your options open
- Using stars as waiting points
- Capturing advanced tokens whenever possible
Costly habits
- Always moving the token closest to home
- Leaving a token just in front of an opponent's start
- Racing one token while the rest wait in base
- Treating a lost game as proof your strategy failed
