What is Ludo?
Ludo is a game that is typically played with 4 players. Each player has 4 pieces that they move around the board. The game aims to move all of your pieces to the home square. Ludo game is often played with friends and family.
Whether you play Ludo online or offline, the game’s objective is to move the player’s tokens clockwise around the board, up the home column, and into the Home. However, depending upon the gameplay and rules, the player needs to strategize their move.
For instance, when you play the classic Ludo board game, you must roll a six to move a token out of the base and onto the start position. This rule changes when it comes to playing Ludo online. Ludo games like Ludo Supreme, where all the tokens are in the open position, and you do not need to roll a six to start the game.
So, if you are playing the classic Ludo board game, your strategy might be to first get your token out of the base whenever you roll a six. On the other hand, if you are playing Ludo Supreme, your strategy might be moving the token nearest to the home column whenever you roll a six.
History of Ludo Game – Who invented Ludo?
Ludo is a game that is believed to have originated in India. It finds its origin in the Indian game, Pachisi, which was played around the 6th century. Ludo has evolved from Pachisi, and Ludo’s first recorded game was in 1896. The earliest evidence of this game’s evolution in India is the depiction of boards on the caves of Ellora.
The original version is also described in the Indian epic Mahabharata and is known as Charūparṇī. Shakuni uses cursed dice to beat the Pandavas, and after losing everything, including their wife, Draupadi, Yudhisthira plays the game for their freedom.
Ludo was also played by the Mughals, and there is evidence of this game being played by the British in the late 1800s. The game was brought to England in the late 19th century. The game was popularized in the United States in the early 20th century.
Steps of Playing Ludo
- Four squares on the Ludo board are usually yellow, green, red, and blue. Depending on their color, each player is assigned four pieces of their color.
- Each player throws a single die to play, and the player with the highest number (6) starts. In subsequent turns, the player with the highest number throws the dice and moves their pieces accordingly.
- Players then take turns moving their pieces. On your turn, you must move one of your pieces that are open forward based on the number displayed on the dice.
- If a player lands on a square occupied by an opponent’s piece, the opponent’s piece is captured and moved back into the color zone. The opponent must begin with this piece again by waiting to open it.
- If a player lands on their own piece, then that piece is advanced to the next square.
- The winner is the first player to move all 4 pieces in the center area.
