How to play · 8 min read · Updated
Ludo Winning Strategies: 12 Tactics That Work
Ludo has a lot of luck in it, and no strategy can promise a win. But over many games, good decisions about which token to move make a real difference. These twelve tactics are built on the exact rules used on Ludo Cash Arena, so you can practise them for free against bots before you try them on real players.
First, understand where the luck ends
You cannot control the die. Every roll on Ludo Cash Arena comes from the server, and with provably fair dice the roll is fixed before the match even starts. What you control is the choice: which token to move with the number you got. In a typical game you make dozens of these choices. A strong player makes slightly better ones each time, and over many games that adds up. Over one game, anyone can win.
Know your danger distances
Tokens only move forward, so a rival token can only capture you from behind. The most important number in Ludo is the distance between your token and the nearest rival token behind it.
- 1 to 6 squares behind you: very dangerous. One roll can hit you, and a six followed by a smaller roll can too.
- 7 to 12 squares behind you: much safer. The rival needs a six and then the exact remainder.
- More than 12 behind: low risk for now, but it changes every turn.
- Ahead of you: no danger at all from that token, because it cannot move backwards.
The 12 tactics
1. Get two tokens out early
One token on the board means you have no choice when you roll: you must move it, even into danger. With two or more tokens out you can pick the safer move. Use your early sixes to release tokens rather than running one token far ahead alone.
2. Do not empty the yard too fast either
Releasing every token as soon as you can puts four targets on the board. A good balance for most games is two or three tokens in play, with the others kept in the yard until you need options.
3. Use star squares as rest stops
The four stars and the four start squares are safe. When a rival is within six behind you, look for a roll that puts you on a star. Each star sits eight squares after a start square, so your first star is eight squares after your own start square, and the next safe square after it is the following colour's start square, five squares further on. Learn these distances on your colour's lap; after a few games you will count them without thinking.
4. Respect rival start squares
Start squares are safe for everyone, but the squares just after a rival's start square are dangerous whenever that rival still has tokens in the yard. A freshly released token sits right behind you and can hit you on the next roll. Move through those stretches quickly, or wait on the safe start square itself.
5. Capture when it costs your rival the most
Every capture sends a token back to the yard, but some captures hurt more than others. Hitting a token that is about to enter its home column wipes out almost a full lap of progress. Hitting a token that just left its yard costs your rival very little. When you have a choice, take the capture that sends back the most squares.
6. Remember that a capture gives you another roll
In our rules a capture earns an extra roll. That means a capture is often worth more than it looks: you hit a rival and then get a chance to move a threatened token to safety. Plan the second move before you take the first.
7. Do not chase a rival you cannot reach safely
Sitting one to six squares behind a rival token feels aggressive, but if that puts you within range of a third token behind you, you may be the one who gets hit. Check behind before you chase ahead.
8. Use the no-blocks rule
On Ludo Cash Arena two tokens on one square do not form a block, and every token can pass any square. Stacking two tokens together gives you no protection: a rival can land there and capture. Spread out instead, so one unlucky roll cannot cost you two tokens in a row.
9. Get tokens into the home column
Once a token turns into your coloured home column, nobody can capture it. A token close to the column entrance is your most valuable and most exposed piece. When you can move it into the column, that is usually the best use of a roll.
10. Plan the exact finish early
You need the exact number to reach home, and a roll that goes past home cannot be used for that token. If you have only one token left near home, many rolls will be wasted. Keep another token moving on the track so that a roll that does not fit the finish can still be used.
11. Count your sixes
A six gives you an extra roll, but three sixes in a row ends your turn and the third six is lost. If you already rolled two sixes, think about your next move as if it may be your last for this turn: put your most exposed token somewhere safe.
12. Play the board, not the score
In 3 and 4-player games, watch who is leading. Sometimes the best move is to hit the leader's token, even if another capture looks bigger, because only one player wins. In 2-player games, every square of your rival's progress counts the same, so keep it simple and maximise the damage.
Habits outside the board
- Keep an eye on the turn timer. If it runs out, the server moves your most advanced legal token for you, which may not be the move you wanted. Three timeouts in a row forfeit the game.
- Play on a stable connection. If your data bundle is running low, top it up before a game rather than in the middle of one. If you drop, reopen the app quickly to get back in.
- Practise new ideas against bots first. Practice vs Bots is free, uses no money and has easy, normal and hard bots.
- Review your losses calmly. Was it the dice, or did you leave a token within six of a rival for three turns?
Questions and answers
Is Ludo a game of skill or luck?
Both. The dice are random and cannot be controlled, but you choose which token to move. Good choices help over many games, while any single game can go either way.
How many tokens should I have on the board?
Usually two or three. One token gives you no choice when you roll, while four on the board gives rivals many targets.
Which squares are safe?
The four start squares and the four star squares. No token can be captured there.
Can I build a block to stop my rival?
No. On Ludo Cash Arena there are no blocks: two tokens on one square give no protection and every token can pass.
Is there a trick to always win?
No. The dice are fair and random, and nobody can guarantee a win. Strategy only improves your odds of making good moves.
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.