How many dice are used in Ludo?

One six-sided die. Players take turns rolling once; rolling a 6 gives another roll.

What do you need to roll to start in Ludo?

You need a 6 to move a piece from your base onto your starting square. After a 6 you roll again.

How do you capture a piece in Ludo?

Land exactly on a square occupied by an opponent's piece. That piece goes back to its base and you get an extra roll. Pieces on star squares and starting squares cannot be captured.

Do you need an exact roll to get home in Ludo?

Yes. A piece must reach the home triangle with an exact roll. If the roll is higher than the steps left, that piece cannot move and you may move another piece.

What happens if you roll three 6s in a row?

In standard rules, and in Ludo 3D, three 6s in a row forfeit the turn and play passes to the next player.

How to play Ludo

Q: How many players can play Ludo?

Ludo is played by 2, 3 or 4 players. Each player takes one colour (red, green, yellow or blue) and the 4 pieces of that colour. In Ludo 3D, bots fill empty seats, so you can also play alone.

The complete Ludo rules on one page: players and dice, bringing pieces out, capturing, safe squares and getting home. Then play online with friends in a couple of taps.

In short: Ludo is a board game for 2–4 players using one die. Each player has 4 pieces. You need a 6 to bring a piece into play, and a 6 gives you another roll. Pieces travel once around the board clockwise and into your colour's home in the centre. Land on an opponent's piece to send it back to base. The first player to get all four pieces home wins.

🎲 Play Ludo online now

Free · No sign-up · No ads · Browser and Android

Goal of the game

Each player moves their four pieces from their starting square once around the board clockwise and into the coloured triangle in the middle, their home. The first player with all four pieces home wins; the others can keep playing for second, third and fourth place.

Players, dice and pieces

Players	2, 3 or 4 (bots can take empty colours)
Dice	One six-sided die
Pieces	4 per player, in their colour
Game length	Usually 20–40 minutes
Age	Simple enough for kids, tactical enough for adults

Ludo rules step by step

Turns: Players roll the die once each, in clockwise order.
Starting: You need a 6 to move a piece from your base onto your starting square. After a 6 you roll again.
Moving: Move one of your pieces clockwise by the number rolled. If several pieces can move, you choose.
No move: If no piece can move (for example all are at base and you didn't roll a 6), your turn passes.
Capturing: Landing exactly on an opponent's piece sends it back to its base, and you get an extra roll.
Safe squares: Star squares and every colour's starting square are safe: pieces there can't be captured.
Going home: After a full lap a piece enters its coloured home column. It needs an exact roll to reach home; if the roll is too high, that piece waits.
Three 6s: Rolling three 6s in a row forfeits the turn.
Winning: The first player to bring all four pieces home wins.

Ludo 3D board with four colours, star safe squares and home triangles in the centre — The board: four colours, star safe squares, homes in the centre

Rolling the dice in Ludo 3D: hold, pull and release the button — Roll a 6 to bring a piece out and roll again

Capturing an opponent's piece and sending a Don't be mad message — Land on a rival to send them back to base

Tips to win at Ludo

On a 6, consider bringing out a new piece: more pieces on the board means more options.
Avoid stopping 1–6 squares in front of an opponent on an unsafe square; prefer star squares.
Protecting a piece close to home is often worth more than risking a new one.
Take captures when you can: you set your rival back and earn an extra roll.

How to play Ludo online with friends

In Ludo 3D you can play with friends over the internet without creating an account:

Open the game, switch to Online and tap Create Room.
Send the invite link via WhatsApp, SMS or email with the share icon. Friends who tap it join your room directly.
When everyone is in, tap Start Game. Bots play any empty colours.
If someone steps away when it's their turn, a bot plays for them after a short wait; they pick up where they left off when they return.

To play on one phone, choose This device: up to 4 players take turns, or you play against bots. On Android this mode also works offline.

Online Ludo room with room code, share button and joined players — Create a room, send the link

A bot plays for a player who stepped away — A bot covers for players who step away

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Common house rules

Many families play Ludo with small changes. These are the most common house rules; Ludo 3D uses the standard rules above.

Three tries to start: A player with no pieces in play may roll up to three times for a 6.
Blocks: Two pieces of the same colour on one square can't be passed.
Forced capture: If you can capture, you must.

A short history of Ludo

Ludo descends from Pachisi, a cross-and-circle game played in India for centuries. A simplified version spread in England in the late 19th century as Ludo, and the American cousin is known as Parcheesi. In Germany, Josef Friedrich Schmidt's Mensch ärgere Dich nicht ("Don't get angry, man!") came out in 1914; in Turkey the game is known by the translation of that name, Kızma Birader.

Frequently asked questions

How many players can play Ludo?

2, 3 or 4. Each player takes one colour and 4 pieces. In Ludo 3D bots fill empty seats, so you can also play alone.

How many dice are used?

One six-sided die. Rolling a 6 gives another roll.

What do you need to roll to start?

A 6. The piece moves onto your starting square and you roll again.

How do you capture a piece?

Land exactly on an opponent's piece. It goes back to base and you roll again. Pieces on star and starting squares are safe.

Do you need an exact roll to get home?

Yes. If the roll is higher than the steps left, that piece waits and you may move another piece.

What happens with three 6s in a row?

The turn is forfeited and play passes to the next player.

Is Ludo the same as Kızma Birader?

Practically yes. Kızma Birader is the Turkish name of Mensch ärgere Dich nicht, the German member of the same family as Ludo; the differences are mostly house rules.

Can I play Ludo online with friends for free?

Yes. Ludo 3D is free in the browser and on Android, with no sign-up and no ads.