Edition: Classic Ludo for 2 to 4 players with one die, as played in the UK and around the world. Last checked October 25, 2026
Ludo Rules: How to Play Ludo
Ludo is one of the most played family games in the world, and a close cousin of Parcheesi and Sorry! You race your four pieces around the board and send others back home along the way. Here are the classic rules and answers to the questions that most often start arguments.
- Players
- 2 to 4
- Age
- 5 and up
- Playing time
- 30 minutes
How to win: The first player to get all four pieces home wins.
Who is right?
The classic arguments at the table when you play Ludo.
Can you send home a piece on a safe square?
No.
A piece on a safe square is protected and cannot be sent home. On the Danish board, if you land on an opponent on a globe, your own piece is sent home instead.
Many families ignore safe squares, so anyone can be sent home anywhere.
Do you need a 6 to get out?
Yes.
A piece can only leave the starting area on a 6.
You get three tries to roll a 6 when all your pieces are still in the starting area.
What happens on a star?
Depends on the board.
On the Danish board, landing on a star moves you ahead to the next star. On many international boards, a star simply marks a safe square.
Some play that you only jump if the next star is free.
Do you get another turn after rolling a 6?
Yes.
After a 6 you roll again. Many international rules say three 6s in a row ends your turn. In classic Danish Ludo, three 6s in a row has no penalty.
Three 6s in a row sends the last piece you moved back home.
Do you need the exact number to get home?
Yes.
You must roll exactly the number needed to land home.
You may bounce off the home square and move back with the rest of the roll.
What you need
- Ludo board
- 16 pieces in four colors
- 1 die
Setup
- 1Each player picks a color and puts four pieces in their starting area.
- 2Put the die in the middle of the table.
- 3The youngest player goes first, and play moves clockwise.
How to play
- 1Roll the die. A 6 lets you move a piece out onto your start square.
- 2Move one piece forward the number of squares shown on the die.
- 3If you land on an opponent's piece, it is sent back to its starting area.
- 4Get all four pieces home to win.
The Danish board: globes and stars
Danish Ludo boards have special squares. Squares with a globe are safe squares. Squares with a star send you ahead to the next star. Many international boards mark safe squares with a star instead.
- Globe: a piece on a globe cannot be sent home. If you land on an opponent standing on a globe, your own piece goes home instead.
- Two or more pieces: if an opponent has several pieces on the same square, you cannot send them home. If you land there, your own piece goes home.
- Star: if you land on a star, jump ahead to the next star.
House rules
Pick the rules you want to play with tonight. Everyone at the table has to agree.
Our Ludo rules for tonight
Everything else follows the official rules.
Frequently asked questions
How many 6s do you need to get out in Ludo?
One 6 moves one piece out onto your start square. Many give three tries when all your pieces are still in the starting area.
What is the difference between Ludo, Parcheesi and Sorry?
They are all race games where you move pieces home and send others back. Ludo uses one die, Parcheesi uses two dice and has blockades, and Sorry! uses cards instead of dice.
Source: Common international Ludo tradition, manufacturers' rule sheets and Danish family tradition. The rules are written in our own words. Ask the referee if you are unsure.