Ludo Rules: How to Play Ludo, Safe Squares and Captures

Published 27 October 2026 · 6 min read

Ludo is a much-loved race board game, and it is often the first board game children learn. The rules are simple, but every family seems to play a slightly different version. This guide explains the standard Ludo rules step by step, then the common house rules that cause most arguments, so your group can agree before the first roll.

What you need

• A Ludo board: a square board with a cross-shaped track, a coloured base in each corner and a home in the centre.
• Four tokens in each of four colours, usually red, green, yellow and blue.
• One six-sided dice.

Ludo is played by two, three or four players. With two players, sit on opposite colours so the race is fair.

How do you win Ludo?

Be the first player to move all four of your tokens from your base, around the board and into your home in the centre.

How to start

All tokens begin in their base. Players take turns clockwise, rolling the dice once per turn.

1. Roll a 6 to bring a token out. A token can only leave the base and move onto its starting square when you roll a 6.
2. A 6 gives you another roll. After bringing a token out, roll again and move.
3. No 6, no move. If all your tokens are still in the base and you do not roll a 6, your turn passes.

Moving your tokens

• Move one token forward clockwise by the number you rolled.
• If you have more than one token out, you choose which one to move. Choosing well is where the strategy is.
• If no token can make a legal move, your turn passes.
• Three 6s in a row pass the turn in most rule sets. This stops one lucky player from racing a token all the way round in a single turn.

Captures: sending a rival home

If your token lands exactly on a square with a single rival token, that rival is captured and goes back to its base. Its owner must roll a 6 again to bring it out.

In most versions, a capture also earns you an extra roll. That makes captures the biggest swing in the game: you set your rival back and get to move again.

Safe squares

Safe squares are marked on the board, usually with a star. A token standing on a safe square cannot be captured. The starting square of each colour is also safe in most rule sets.

Use safe squares as stepping stones. If a rival token is a few squares behind you, moving onto a safe square is often better than moving further ahead.

Pairs and blocks

When two of your tokens stand on the same square, many rule sets say they form a pair that cannot be captured. Some versions go further and say a pair blocks the square, so rivals cannot pass it. This is one of the rules families disagree about most, so settle it before you start.

Reaching home

Each colour has its own home column leading from the track into the centre. Only your own tokens can enter it, and rivals cannot capture them there.

• You need an exact roll to reach home. If your token is three squares from home, you need a 3. A larger roll cannot be used by that token.
• Reaching home earns an extra roll in many versions.
• The first player to bring all four tokens home wins. The others can keep playing for second and third place.

Common house rules

Ask your group which of these they use:

• Capture to enter home. Some players say a token cannot enter its home column until you have captured at least one rival.
• Roll a 1 or a 6 to start. Some families let a 1 bring a token out as well as a 6.
• Blocks. Whether a pair only protects itself or also blocks rivals from passing.
• Extra rolls. Whether captures and reaching home give a bonus roll, or only a 6.

None of these is wrong. The important thing is to agree before the first roll.

Ludo strategy tips

1. Get more than one token out. With several tokens on the board you can choose the best move for each roll instead of being forced into a bad one.
2. Do not rush one token. A single runner far ahead of the others is easy to chase and capture.
3. Count the danger zone. A rival token one to six squares behind you can hit you with one roll. Step out of that range or onto a safe square.
4. Take captures near your rival's home. Sending back a token that has nearly finished its lap costs your rival far more than capturing one that just came out.
5. Keep a token near your base. A token sitting a few squares from a rival's starting square is a threat to every token they bring out.

How to play Ludo online with friends for free

Ludo Party is free classic Ludo in your web browser. Create a room, send the code to your friends in any chat app, such as WhatsApp, and everyone joins from their own phone or computer. It uses these rules:

• Roll a 6 to bring a token out.
• Land on a lone rival token to send it home. A pair of tokens of one colour cannot be captured.
• Star and start squares are safe.
• A 6, a capture or reaching home gives you another roll, but three 6s in a row pass the turn.
• You need an exact roll to reach home.

You can also play against one or three bots on Easy or Smart, or pass one phone around with two to four friends. Online rooms take two or four players. Classic mode uses four tokens each, and Quick mode uses two for a shorter game. There is nothing to download. The Ludo Party guide covers the controls.

Ludo rules FAQ

Do you need a 6 to start in Ludo?

In the standard rules, yes. A token leaves the base only on a 6. Some house rules also allow a 1.

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

In most versions your turn ends and the third roll does not count, so the next player rolls.

Can you capture a token on a safe square?

No. Tokens on star squares and starting squares are safe.

Do you need an exact number to finish?

Yes, in the standard rules. If the roll is larger than the number of squares left, that token cannot move.

How do you play Ludo with 2 players?

Use the same rules, with each player on one colour. Sit on opposite corners so neither player starts right behind the other.

Can you earn money playing Ludo on ZUQ Play?

No. ZUQ Play has no betting, gambling, entry fees or cash prizes. Ludo here is played for fun.