How to Play Ludo Game - Ludo Rules, Gameplay, and Strategy

Ludo is an all-time favourite strategy board game for two to four players. You can play it individually or in a partnership. The viral Ludo board game originated in India and can now be played online and offline. The game's simplicity makes it accessible to all ages. The colourful board and straightforward ludo rules make learning Ludo easy yet challenging to master. Once you learn how to play Ludo, you must develop strong strategies to ace the game.

Learn how to play ludo along with essential ludo rules, gameplay, and strategy to play ludo online.

Basic Ludo Rules

While playing ludo on a physical board game, there are a set of rules players follow. These rules are also applicable to online ludo games. However, many online ludo games may include twists in rules to make the game fast-paced and more challenging. So, what are the rules of ludo? Learn all essential ludo rules here:

Rule for the number of players: Ludo is played between a minimum of two and a maximum of four players.

Rule for token movement: Players must roll a die and move their tokens as per the number rolled on the die. For instance, if a player rolls a 4 on the die, they can move their token-in-play 4 steps ahead.

Rule to release the tokens: To release the tokens from the home base to the starting point, a player must roll a 6 or 1 on the die.

Rule to eliminate opponents’ tokens: To eliminate or capture an opponent's token, a player's token must land in the square pre-occupied by an opponent's token.

Rule to lead the tokens home and win the game: Every token must complete the entire track from the starting point to the respective home end zone to win the game. The first player to get all four tokens to the end point before other players, wins the game.

How To Play Ludo Games?

Now, let's understand how to play Ludo online and offline, as the ludo rules usually remain the same. Once you grasp the simple ludo game rules and learn the Ludo gameplay, you must also develop the best strategies to play Ludo to win.

Equipment Needed for Ludo

Understand the setup and ludo board game instructions before playing Ludo online with friends.

Ludo has a square board with four different-coloured bases in each corner. The first coloured space outside the square (base) is the starting point.

Each coloured quadrant has a clockwise path belonging to the same colour up to the home column. These paths lead to the centre of the home triangle.

There are four pieces/tokens per color.

The die in the ludo game decides the movement of the pieces.

Ludo Game Board

The Ludo board consists of a square with a cross-shaped path divided into four coloured zones, usually red, green, blue, and yellow. Each zone has a starting area, a home column, and a centre square, which is the end goal. Players move their tokens clockwise around the board. On the Ludo board, you will also come across safe zones marked with stars or any other shape where tokens cannot be captured.

Ludo Tokens

Each player has four same coloured pieces. Before starting the game, the tokens are placed in their respective home space. Most Ludo boards will have open spaces, one for each token. The colours might not necessarily be red, yellow, blue, or green but match the home squares.

Ludo Dice Rules

The Ludo board game uses a regular die. It has six sides and numbers from 1 to 6. Ludo is typically played with a single die, although some versions use two dice. The die decides the token movements.

Ludo Rules: Primary Objective

The objective of the game is for all players to take all their tokens to the endpoint. As per the ludo rules, the first player to achieve this objective wins the game.

Ludo Gameplay

Let's explore the Ludo gameplay and how to play ludo games in depth. Here are the rules of ludo game you must know to learn how to play Ludo online with friends.

Place All Your Tokens In The Starting Position

To begin Ludo, players select a colour and place their four pawns in the matching arm. You must roll a six or a one on the die to unlock the pawns and start the game. Once unlocked, pawns are placed in rows according to their arm's colour. The game accommodates two to four players, with a minimum of two necessary to play. Having all four players is not mandatory, but each player must have their pawns in place to start. This is the first step in how to play Ludo game.

Decide Who Starts The Game

In Ludo, players decide who starts the game through mutual agreement. Once a player is chosen, they begin the game and continue to start each subsequent round. The game proceeds clockwise, with turns passing in the same direction. This ensures fairness and consistency throughout the match. This rotation maintains a balanced playing field and creates an enjoyable gaming experience for all participants.

Rolling The Die

When it comes to how to play Ludo game, pawns are unlocked when a player rolls a six or one. So, to move a piece, aim for a one or six. Once all pawns are unlocked, players move them based on the number rolled on the dice. Each number corresponds to the number of squares a pawn can move. For instance, rolling a one moves a pawn one square forward.

What Happens During The Game 

Players take turns rolling dice to move their pawns clockwise. They can block opponents' progress by capturing their pawns, forcing them back to the starting area. According to the rules of ludo game, a player must land on opponents' pawns at least once and reach the centre to win. Ludo strategy is crucial here.

Winning in Ludo

Once a player has all four pawns around the board and has captured an opponent's pawn, they can enter their home. Winning in Ludo means getting all four pawns safely into the home. The first player to do this wins the game.

How To Play Ludo Game on MPL?

Here's a simple guide on the Ludo game how to play on MPL.

The first step is to download ludo apk MPL app and create an account. Existing users can log in using their phone numbers.

Once logged in, navigate to the Ludo section and choose your preferred variant - Ludo Win, Ludo Dice, or Ludo Dice2.

If you are new to Ludo or want to refresh your memory, watch the tutorial provided within the app to understand the game's rules and mechanics.

MPL also offers instructional videos on how to play Ludo effectively.

Beginners can start with free Ludo games to practice and learn the Ludo gameplay for the different variants available.

MPL offers various lobbies with different entry fees and prize pools. Choose one that matches your preferences and skill level.

Once you have selected a lobby, join a game by tapping on it and confirming your entry.

Once the game starts, follow the rules of ludo game to play.

The player with the higher score at the end wins the game.

MPL also hosts Ludo tournaments and leaderboards for Ludo players. Look for these events to compete against others and win bigger prizes.

Ludo Variants on MPL

Let's take a look at different Ludo Variants on the MPL app, which take excitement to a whole new level. Choose the game variant you prefer and review the rules for playing ludo!

Ludo Rules for Ludo Win

Ludo Win offers an entertaining experience where the players must strategize their moves wisely to defeat the opponents.

There are limited moves to play and win the game.

Each player gets four tokens.

There's no die in the Ludo Win game. Instead, there are numbers at the bottom of the screen, so each player knows the upcoming number and can strategize their moves accordingly.

Players score points with every move. Extra points are rewarded upon capturing the opponent's token and reaching the endpoint.

The player with the higher score at the end of the game wins.

If a player misses three turns, the game ends for that player.

Ludo Win offers free practice games and ludo real cash games to win real cash prizes.

Ludo Rules for Ludo Dice

Ludo Dice is an exciting twist on the classic Ludo game and offers more challenge and strategy:

Ludo Dice is played with four tokens. 

There is a time limit to the game, which is four minutes. 

The aim is to outscore opponents before the time ends.

The goal is to score higher than opponents.

Players score points with every move.

If a player misses three turns, the game ends for that player.

Rolling a six in the game grants you an extra chance.

Capturing opponent tokens fetches you more points.

Reaching home with tokens increases the points.

Ludo Rules for Ludo Dice 2

Another exciting Ludo variant on MPL is Ludo Dice 2. Here are the ludo rules to play Ludo Dice 2:

This game is played between two to four players and has a time limit of 6 minutes.

There are two dice used in the game.

Each time you roll the dice, you receive two moves instead of one. 

You can use the two moves on a single token or split between two tokens. 

To make a move, you select the token you want to move and tap on it.

There are no extra moves awarded for rolling a 6.

Like the other two variants, the players score points with every move.

Tokens reaching the home column score higher points.

Extra points are rewarded for capturing opponents' tokens.

Players get an extra turn for capturing tokens and reaching the endpoint.

The game ends at the end of the timer, and the player with the higher score wins.