ludo

Ludo is a board game for two to four players that originated from the Indian game Pachisi. The standard board is square with a cross-shaped track that leads each player’s four tokens from a starting area around the board to a central home path unique to the player’s color. The objective is to move all four tokens from start to finish by advancing them along the track and up the corresponding home path.

Each player controls a set of four tokens in a distinct color. Gameplay uses a single six-sided die. On a turn, a player rolls the die and may move one of their tokens forward by the number shown. A roll of six is typically required to release a token from the starting area onto the track, and it usually grants an extra turn. If a token lands on a square occupied by an opponent’s token, that token is captured and placed back in its starting area. Most rules prohibit landing on one’s own token, and some variants allow temporary blocking arrangements by stacking tokens, though this is not universal.

Tokens continue around the board and into the player’s home path, culminating in the final home space. The first player to move all four tokens into their home area wins the game. Ludo has many regional variants and rule refinements, but the core idea remains a race to complete a color-coded route while sending opponents’ pieces back to start. The game is widely played in homes and communities worldwide and also exists in numerous digital editions.