Ludo: Rules and How to Play
Ludo is a 20-minute dice race for 2 to 4: bring your four pieces out of base, round the board and home before anyone else. Land on a rival to send it back. Free in your browser, no sign-up.
Setup
- 2 to 4 players. On your own, play against the computer (add computer players at the table).
- Each player has four pieces in the base of their colour. Play is on the cross board whatever the number of players.
- Every piece carries its owner's mark (yellow circle, blue square, red triangle, green cross), so you can tell them apart without relying on colour. The yard and the home lane show the same mark.
How to play
- Take turns rolling the die and move one of your pieces clockwise by the number rolled.
- A 6 brings a piece from base to your start square. With no piece on the course you still roll, and your turn ends if it is not a 6.
- A 6 gives you another roll. After three 6s in a row, the third is not played and your turn ends.
- Land exactly on an opponent's piece to send it back to base, and roll again. A piece on a safe square — each colour's start square and the square 8 ahead of it — cannot be captured.
- Your own pieces may share a square. Two or more pieces of one colour block that square: no other piece may pass it or land on it.
- After a lap, turn into your home column and head for the centre. You need an exact roll to reach home.
- If no piece can move, your turn ends after the roll.
Winning and scoring
- The first to bring all four pieces home wins.
- Other places go by pieces brought home, then pieces out of base, then how far those pieces have travelled (a local rule plays on to rank everyone).
Defaults on this site
| Item | Default on this site |
|---|---|
| Players | 2–4 players (set automatically by the party size) |
| Turn time limit | None by default (the host can set 30 or 60 seconds) |
| If someone drops mid-game | Reopening on the same device returns you to your seat. If you do not return, the CPU plays in your place. |
| Draws | In ranked play, a draw counts as halfway between a win and a loss for your rating. |
| Source of the rules | Based on the standard reference rules |
Rules supervised by Qdan, Inc. (based on the standard reference rules)
House rules
Defaults follow the standard reference rules. The party can change these.
| Name | Description | Default | Changeable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Board | “Always the cross”, the default, uses the cross for any number of players. “Match the players” — the long board for two and the T-shape for three — is a non-standard way to play. | Always the cross | Can be changed |
| Roll to leave base | The roll that lets a piece leave base for your start square. | 6 | Can be changed |
| No piece on the course | What happens when none of your pieces is on the course. “Nothing special”, the default, means you roll as usual. “Bring one out” (tapping the die puts a piece on your start square and ends your turn) and “Three tries” (roll up to three times for a leaving roll) are non-standard ways to play. | Nothing special | Can be changed |
| Three 6s end the turn | After three 6s in a row, the third is not played and your turn ends. Turning this off is a non-standard way to play. | On | Can be changed |
| Capture bonus | Sending an opponent's piece back to base earns another roll. Turning this off is a non-standard way to play. | On | Can be changed |
| Home bonus | Bringing a piece home earns another roll. | Off | Can be changed |
| Safe squares | Squares where a piece cannot be captured. “Start and star”, the default, is each colour's start square plus the square 8 ahead of it. “None” and “Start” alone are non-standard ways to play. | Start and star | Can be changed |
| Blocking | “Pairs”, the default, means two or more pieces of one colour cannot be passed or landed on by others. “Off” and “No overtaking” (no piece — yours included — can be passed, though you may land on one) are non-standard ways to play. | Pairs | Can be changed |
| Exact roll home | A piece must reach home with an exact roll. Turn this off and a larger roll stops at home. | On | Can be changed |
| Play on for places | Keep playing after the first player finishes, until only one is left. | Off (ends when one player finishes) | Can be changed |
| Rotate first player | Play again passes the first turn to the next player. | On | Can be changed |
Terms
- Base
- The corner where pieces start and where captured pieces return.
- Start
- The square of your colour where a piece enters the course.
- Home column
- The five squares of your colour that lead to the centre. Opponents cannot enter.
- Home
- The centre of the board. Bring all four pieces here to finish.
- Safe square
- A square where a piece cannot be captured: each colour's start square and the square 8 ahead of it (the star).
- Block
- A square holding two or more pieces of one colour. No other piece may pass it or land on it.
FAQ
How do I bring a piece out?
Roll a 6. With no piece on the course you still roll, and your turn ends if it is not a 6.
How do I capture?
Land exactly on the square of an opponent's piece; it goes back to base and you roll again.
Are there squares where I am safe?
Yes. A piece on a colour's start square, or on the square 8 ahead of it (the star), cannot be captured. Two of your pieces on one square also block everyone else.
Can I reach home with a larger roll?
Not by default — you need an exact roll. A local rule lets a larger roll stop at home.
Play now with these rules
Last updated 2026-09-20 · Run by Qdan, Inc.