How to play Ludo
Classic Ludo rules for 2 to 4 players, exactly as they work in Ludo Dynasty.
What you need
Ludo is played by 2, 3 or 4 players. Each player has a colour (red, green, yellow or blue), a yard in one corner of the board and 4 tokens. Everyone shares one die. In Ludo Dynasty you can play online against real players, with family on one phone (Pass & Play), or against the computer.
The goal
Move all 4 of your tokens once around the board, up your own coloured home column and into the centre home triangle. The first player to bring every token home wins.
How a turn works
- Roll the die.
- Rolling a 6 is the only way to bring a token out of your yard onto your start square.
- Choose one token and move it forward exactly the number you rolled, clockwise around the track.
- If none of your tokens can move, your turn simply passes.
Extra turns
You roll again when you:
- roll a 6,
- capture an opponent's token, or
- bring one of your tokens home.
But roll three 6s in a row and your turn ends immediately, so luck can't run forever.
Capturing (cutting) tokens
Land exactly on a square occupied by an opponent's token and that token is captured: it goes back to its yard and needs a 6 to come out again. Capturing is the fastest way to swing a game, and it earns you an extra roll.
Safe squares
The board has 8 safe squares: each colour's start square and the four star squares. A token on a safe square cannot be captured, so they're the best places to wait while opponents pass by.
Blockades
When two of your own tokens stand together on the same square of the shared track, they form a blockade. No other colour can land on it or jump over it. In Pass & Play you can switch the blockade rule off in House Rules.
Getting home
After a full lap, each token turns into its own coloured home column, where opponents can't follow. You need the exact number to reach the centre. If your roll is too big, that token can't move that turn.
Quick Mode and turn timer
Short on time? Quick Mode gives every player just 2 tokens, so a match finishes in half the time. In online games every turn has a 20-second timer. If a player doesn't move in time, the game plays a sensible move for them, so nobody is kept waiting.
5 tips to win more Ludo games
- Get tokens out early: use 6s to open your yard before racing one token ahead.
- Park on safe squares when an opponent is 1 to 6 squares behind you.
- Capture whenever you can. It costs the opponent a whole lap and gives you a bonus roll.
- Build blockades in front of an opponent who is close to home.
- Don't leave a lone token just in front of an opponent's start square.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a 6 to start in Ludo?
Yes. A token can only leave the yard on a roll of 6. Rolling a 6 also gives you another turn.
What happens if you roll three 6s in a row?
Your turn ends straight away and play passes to the next player.
Can a token be captured on a star square?
No. Star squares and every colour's start square are safe squares; tokens there can't be captured.
Do you need an exact roll to finish in Ludo?
Yes. A token must land exactly on home. If the roll is higher than the squares left, that token can't move.
Can I play Ludo with friends online for free?
Yes. Ludo Dynasty is free on Google Play: create a room, share the code on WhatsApp, and play with 2 to 4 friends online, or pass one phone around with Pass & Play.