Ludo
Free online dice board game · Play the computer · No sign-up
Ludo in a nutshell
Ludo is a race game for two to four players. Each player has four tokens that start in their yard. Roll a 6 to bring a token out, race it once round the board and up your home column, and send other players' tokens back by landing on them. The first player to get all four tokens home wins.
- Put your tokens in your yard. Each player takes the four tokens of one colour and places them in the big square of that colour in a corner of the board.
- Roll a 6 to come out. Take turns rolling the die. You need a 6 to move a token out of your yard onto your coloured start square.
- Move round the board. Move one token forward by the number you roll, going clockwise round the outside track. If no token can move, your turn passes.
- Roll a 6, roll again. A 6 gives you another roll after you move. In the usual rule, a third 6 in a row ends your turn without moving.
At a glance
- Players
- 2 to 4 players 4 tokens each
- Length
- 20 to 40 minutes depends on players and luck
- Equipment
- Ludo board plus one six-sided die
- Learn it in
- 5 minutes mostly luck, with some choices
Ludo questions
What happens if I roll a 6 but have no token that can move?
You still roll again. A 6 always earns another roll, even when it can't be used. On GamesBento this happens automatically.
Can two of my tokens share a square?
Yes. Your own tokens can stand together. Some families play that two tokens together form a block that nobody can pass or capture; that is a house rule and is not used here.
Do I have to move a token if I can?
Yes. If any of your tokens can move by the number rolled, you must move one of them, even if you would rather not.
Does capturing a token give an extra roll?
In many families and apps it does, and some also give an extra roll for bringing a token home. It isn't part of the classic rules, so on GamesBento it is an option you can switch on when you start a new game.
What if I roll more than I need to reach home?
That token can't move. You need the exact number, so move a different token if you can, or wait for the right roll.
Is Ludo all luck?
The die decides a lot, but your choices matter too: which token to move, when to capture, and when to hurry a token out of danger or onto a safe square.
