Four Ludo pieces, a die and a dice cup on a Ludo board |
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| Players | 2–4 |
|---|---|
| Age range | 4 and up |
| Playing time | < 120 min |
| Random chance | Low |
| Skill(s) required | Dice rolling, right moves |
Ludo (from Latin ludo, "I play") is a simple board game for two to four players, in which the players race their four tokens from start to finish according to dice rolls. Like other cross and circle games, it is similar to the Indian Pachisi, but simpler. The game and its variants are popular in many countries under various names.
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Pachisi originated/started in India by the 6th century.[1] The earliest evidence of this game in India is the depiction of boards on the caves of Ajanta.[1]
This game was played by the Mughal emperors of India; a notable example being that of Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar, who played living Pachisi using girls from his harem.[1]
Variations of the game made it to England during the British Raj, with one appearing under the name Ludo around 1896, which was then patented.[1]
In North America, the game is sold under the brand name "Parcheesi". Variations of the game are sold under the brand names "Sorry!" and "Trouble".
In Germany, this game is called "Mensch ärgere dich nicht" which in English means "Man, don't get irritated", and has equivalent names in Dutch, Croatian, Czech and Slovak.
In Bulgaria, the game is called "Не се сърди човече", which means "Don't get angry, little guy!".
In Scandinavia it is known as "Fia", a name derived from the Latin word fiat which means "so be it!" Common variations on the name are "Fia-spel" (Fia the game) and "Fia med knuff" (Fia with a nudge), (in Denmark though the game is known as Ludo).
A Ludo board is normally a square marked with a cross. Each arm of the cross is divided into three columns, with the columns divided into usually six squares. The centre of the cross is the finishing square which is often divided into four coloured triangles. Each coloured triangle is combined with a coloured middle column appears as an arrow pointing to the finish. The shaft of each arrow is a player's "home column" and is five squares long.
To the left of each home column, one square from the edge of the board, is a large starting square, also coloured, with four smaller squares therein, on which each players four pieces are placed. During game play a piece moves from its starting square, clockwise around the perimeter of the board, and up the player's home column to the finishing square. This is opposite to pachisi which runs counterclockwise. In the space to the left of each arm is a circle or square to hold a player's pieces before they are allowed into play. Unlike pachisi, there are no resting squares, but the coloured home column may only be entered by its own player's tokens. However, Ludo played in the Indian Subcontinent has a resting place in each quadrant, normally the fourth square from the top in the right most column.
The special areas on the board are typically brightly coloured with yellow, green, red, and blue. Each player uses cardboard or plastic tokens of matching colour.
At the start of the game, the player's four pieces are placed in the start area of their colour.
Players take it in turn to throw a die. A player must first throw a six to be able to move a piece from the starting area onto the starting square. In each subsequent turn the player moves a piece forward 1 to 6 squares as indicated by the die. When a player throws a 6 the player may bring a new piece onto the starting square, or may choose to move a piece already in play. The player is also granted another turn as a bonus, but if a 6 is rolled three times in a row it is counted as a foul and the player therefore loses her turn.
If a player gets a 6 they can separate chances (the player can separate 6 on one piece and 3 on the other if they get a 6 and a 3, if the pieces are already out of the house). The player can also play the numbers (6 & 3) using the same piece in any order. If a player cannot make a valid move they must pass the die to the next player.
If a player's piece lands on a square containing an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is captured and returns to the starting area. A piece may not land on a square that already contains a piece of the same colour (unless playing doubling rules; see below).
Once a piece has completed a circuit of the board it moves up the home column of its own colour. The player must throw the exact number to advance to the home square. The winner is the first to get all four of their pieces onto the home square.
In some parts of Africa the following rules are reportedly played: