How to Play Ludo
Ludo is a race game for 2 to 4 players: get all four of your tokens from your base, round the board and into home in the centre.
Setup
Each player has four tokens of one colour in their corner base. With two players, sit opposite.
Moving
- Roll the die on your turn. A 6 brings a token out onto your start square.
- Move one token clockwise by the number rolled. After a lap it turns up your colour's home column to the centre.
- A 6 rolls again; three 6s in a row end your turn.
Capturing, safe squares and blocks
- Land on another player's token to send it back to base, and roll again.
- Start squares and star squares are safe: tokens there can't be captured.
- Two or more tokens of one colour on a square make a block: nobody else can land there.
Home
You need the exact roll to reach home. Getting a token home earns another roll. First to bring all four home wins.
Chinese aeroplane chess (飞行棋)
kawu also plays the Chinese version (choose it in the settings):
- Every square is coloured. Landing on your own colour jumps four squares ahead.
- Your flight square (marked by a dashed line) flies across the board.
- No safe squares or blocks; any landing spot (including after a jump or flight) captures.
- An overshoot at home bounces back.
On kawu
Press Roll, then tap a highlighted token. Play computers (2–4 players), everyone on one device, or open an online table for friends. Tips in Ludo strategy.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a 6 to start in Ludo?
Yes: a token leaves its base only on a 6, onto its start square. A 6 also lets you roll again; three 6s in a row end your turn.
What are the star squares in Ludo?
Safe squares. A token standing on a star or on a start square can't be captured.
Do you need an exact roll to finish?
Yes. In Ludo a token that would overshoot home can't move. In Chinese aeroplane chess it bounces back by the extra steps.
Last updated 2026-10-19