Ludo - Wooden Classic Game

Ludo (from Latin "I play") is a board game for two to four players, in which the players race their four "tokens" from start to finish according to die rolls.

The game and its variants are popular in many countries and under various names (and like other cross and circle games, Ludo is derived from the game Pachisi, originated in India by the 6th century, but simpler).

Note: "Tokens" can be colored wooden balls, marbles, or anything else that has a unique color. Each player owns a color.

Game Overview

Two, three, or four players may play. At the beginning of the game, each player's four tokens are out of play and staged in one of the corner areas of the board in the player's color (also known as the “Player's Yard"). When able to, the players will enter their tokens one per time on their respective starting spot, and proceed to race them clockwise around the board along the game track till they reach their “Home Column". A player continues by racing tokens up the occupy all spots in his Home Column. The rolls of a cube die control the swiftness of the tokens, and entry to the Home Column requires a precise roll from the player. The first to bring all their tokens to the finish (Home Column) wins the game. The others often continue play to determine second, third, and fourth place finishers.

Rules (Gameplay)

Each player has a Home Column of 4 spots with their color. In addition there is a "shifted" spot with the same color - this is the 'START' spot.

Each player rolls the die, the highest roller begins the game. Players alternate turns in a clockwise direction.

To enter a token into play from its yard to its Start spot, a player must roll a 6. If the player has no tokens yet in play and rolls other than a 6, the turn passes to the next player. Once a player has one or more tokens in play, he selects a token and moves it forward along the track the number of places indicated by the die. Players must always move a token according to the die value rolled; if no move is possible, the turn passes to the next player.

When a 6 is rolled, the player may choose to advance a token already in play, or, may enter another staged token to its starting spot. Rolling a 6 earns the player an additional or "bonus" roll in that turn. If the additional roll results in a 6 again, the player earns an additional bonus roll. If the third roll is also a 6, the player may not move and the turn immediately passes to the next player.

Players may not end their move on a spot they already occupy. If the advance of a token ends on a square occupied by an opponent's token, the opponent token is returned to its owner's yard. The returned token may only be reentered into play when the owner rolls a 6.

The winner is the first player who places all his tokens in his column.