How to play · 7 min read · Updated
How to Play Ludo: A Complete Beginner's Guide
Ludo is a race: four tokens each, one die, and the first player to bring all four tokens home wins. This guide walks you through the board, every rule and a full turn, exactly as the game works on Ludo Cash Arena. Read it once, play a free practice game, and you will have it.
What you need to know first
Ludo is played by 2, 3 or 4 players. Each player has a colour (red, green, yellow or blue) and four tokens of that colour, also called pawns. All tokens start in their yard, the big coloured corner of the board. The goal is simple: move all four of your tokens once around the board and into your home in the centre before anyone else does.
Many of us learnt Ludo on a wooden or cardboard board at home, at school or at the stage while waiting for customers. The online game follows the same idea, but the rules are applied the same way for everyone, the dice are rolled by the server, and nobody can argue about whose turn it was.
The board, square by square
- The yards: four coloured corners where each player's tokens wait at the start, and where captured tokens go back to.
- The track: a loop of 52 squares running around the board. Every token travels clockwise along it.
- Start squares: each colour has a start square just outside its yard. A token that leaves the yard lands here.
- Star squares: four squares marked with a star, one eight squares after each start square.
- The home column: a short coloured lane of five squares that leads from the track into the centre. Only tokens of that colour may enter it.
- Home: the centre triangle of your colour. A token that reaches it is finished and safe for good.
From its start square a token travels the full 51 squares of the track, turns into its own home column and then needs the exact roll to reach home. That is 57 steps in total, which is why a game usually takes a good number of turns.
Rolling a six to leave the yard
You can only bring a token out of the yard with a six. When you roll a six you may place one token on your start square, or move a token that is already on the board six squares. If none of your tokens is on the board and you do not roll a six, your turn simply passes.
- A six gives you another roll after you move.
- Three sixes in a row ends your turn: the third six is not played and the turn goes to the next player.
- If no move is possible with your roll, the turn passes on its own.
Moving and capturing
Each turn you roll once and move one token forward by the number shown. You choose which token to move, as long as the move is legal. On the app, the tokens you can move light up and you tap one.
If your token lands exactly on a square holding an opponent's token, you capture it. The captured token goes back to its yard and its owner needs another six to bring it out again. A capture also gives you an extra roll, which is why capturing at the right moment can swing a whole game.
Two tokens of the same colour on one square do not form a block in our rules. Any token can pass over any square, so you cannot build a wall to trap a rival. This keeps games moving and stops one player from freezing the board.
Safe squares
There are eight safe squares: the four start squares and the four star squares. No token can be captured while it sits on a safe square, so tokens of different colours can share them. When a rival token is close behind you, moving onto a star or a start square is often the smartest choice.
The home column and the exact finish
After one full lap your token turns into your coloured home column. Opponents cannot follow you in there, so a token in the home column can no longer be captured. To finish, you need the exact number to land on home. A roll that would take a token past home cannot be used for that token, so you will need to move a different one or, if there is no legal move, wait for the next turn.
Every time one of your tokens reaches home you get another roll. The first player with all four tokens home wins the match. In a 2-player match you also win if your opponent resigns or forfeits.
A full turn, step by step
- Wait for your turn: your seat glows and your turn timer starts.
- Tap the die to roll. The roll is made on the server, not on your phone.
- Look at the highlighted tokens: these are your legal moves.
- Tap the token you want to move. If you capture, reach home or rolled a six, roll again.
- If you have no legal move, the turn passes to the next player.
Each turn has a timer shown on screen. If it runs out, the server rolls for you if you have not rolled, then moves your most advanced legal token. Three timeouts in a row forfeit the game, so keep the app open while you play. If your network drops, you get a short window shown in the rules to come back before the game counts as forfeited. Reopen the app and you jump straight back into the match.
Playing with 2, 3 or 4 players
- 2 players: a fast head-to-head game. The board feels open and every capture matters.
- 3 players: one colour is empty, so there are quiet stretches of track and more room to run.
- 4 players: the classic family game. The board is crowded, captures are frequent and safe squares become precious.
The rules do not change with the number of players: the same sixes, captures, safe squares and exact finish apply. Only the feel of the game changes. In money games with more than two players, the first player to bring all four tokens home takes the prize shown before the game.
Where to start on Ludo Cash Arena
- Open ludocasharena.com in your phone browser or install the free Android app.
- Create an account with your phone number, email and a password. One code confirms it.
- Pick Practice vs Bots in the lobby. It is free, uses no money and the bots are always labelled BOT.
- When you feel ready, try Quick Match for free tokens against a real player, or open a room and invite friends.
Practice is the best way to learn because you can make mistakes without losing anything. Try to notice which squares are within six of a rival token, when a star square can save you, and how often you need an exact roll at the end. Those three habits are most of what separates a beginner from a good player.
Questions and answers
Do I need a six to start in Ludo?
Yes. On Ludo Cash Arena a token can only leave the yard with a six. If you have no token on the board and do not roll a six, your turn passes.
What happens if I roll three sixes?
Three sixes in a row ends your turn. The third six is not played and the turn goes to the next player.
Can my token be captured on a star?
No. The four star squares and the four start squares are safe. No token can be captured there, so different colours can share them.
Do I need an exact roll to finish?
Yes. A token needs the exact number to land on home. A roll that would go past home cannot be used for that token.
Can two of my tokens block the path?
No. In our rules two tokens of the same colour on one square do not form a block, and every token can pass over any square.
Where can I practise for free?
Choose Practice vs Bots in the lobby. It is free, uses no money, and every bot is clearly labelled BOT.
Try it free against the bots
Practice games cost nothing and the bots are always labelled. When you are ready, Quick Match finds you a real player.
Keep reading
Play near you: Ludo Kampala, Ludo Entebbe, Ludo Wakiso, Ludo Nansana, Ludo Kira, Ludo Makindye-Ssabagabo, Ludo Mukono, Ludo Lugazi, Ludo Njeru, Ludo Mpigi and every district.