Ludo Rules Questions: Three Sixes, Who Starts, Blocks and Kills

Every Ludo group has its own version of the rules, and most arguments start the moment two versions meet. Does a third six cancel your turn? Can you pass your own block? Do you get another roll for a kill?

Here are the questions that come up most, with the standard answer first and the common house rules after it. If you need the basics first, there is a step by step guide to Ludo rules as well.

Do you need a six to get a token out?

In the standard rules, yes. A token can only leave its yard on a six, and the six also gives you another roll, which you can use to move the new token or any other.

Two house rules change this. Some groups let a one release a token as well as a six. Others let any number release a token, which makes the game much faster.

Who goes first in Ludo?

Everyone rolls the die once, and the highest number goes first. If two players tie for the highest, they roll again. Play then moves clockwise, so the player on the starter's left goes next.

Which colour starts first in Ludo?

No colour starts first by rule. In the standard game the roll decides who starts, whatever colour they are playing.

Some groups skip the roll and always start with the same colour to save time. That is fine if everyone agrees, and over many games it makes little difference. Online, the game sets the turn order, so there is nothing to argue about.

What happens if you roll three sixes in a row?

Your turn ends straight away, and you do not move with the third six. The rule stops one lucky player from rolling forever.

Moves you made with the first two sixes normally stand. Some groups play a harsher version, where the third six also cancels those moves, or even sends the token you just moved back to its yard. If your group plays that way, say so before the game.

Do you get another roll after a six?

Yes. Every six earns another roll, up to the three-sixes limit. That is why a six is worth more than its number: it can bring a token out and still leave you a move.

Do you get an extra roll for killing a token?

Not in the strictest rules, but it is one of the most widely played house rules, and many online versions use it. When you land on a lone opponent token and send it back to its yard, you roll again.

Do you have to kill a token if you can?

No. In the standard rules a kill is never compulsory. You can always move a different token instead, and sometimes that is the better move, for example when the kill would leave your token alone just in front of two opponents.

Can you kill a token on a safe square?

No. On the starred squares and on each colour's starting square, nobody can be killed. An opponent can land there, and both tokens simply share the square.

The common exception is the starting square. Some house rules let you kill an opponent sitting on your starting square when you bring a new token out. The guide to Ludo safe squares covers this in more detail.

What is a block in Ludo?

Two of your tokens on the same square make a block. In the standard rules, an opponent cannot land on a block or move past it, and a block cannot be killed.

A block stays in place until you move one of its tokens. Tokens move one at a time, so as soon as you move one, the block is broken and the other token is on its own again.

Can your own tokens pass your block?

That depends on the rules you play. Some groups let your own tokens pass freely, because a block is only there to stop opponents. Others treat a block as a wall for everyone, its owner included. Settle it before the game, because it decides whether a block helps you or traps you.

What if none of your tokens can move?

Your turn passes. That happens when every move would cross an opponent's block, or when the roll is too big for the tokens in your home column. If any token has a legal move, though, you must make one.

Do you need to kill before you can go home?

Not in the standard rules. But a popular house rule says a player must kill at least one opponent token before any of their own tokens can enter the home column. It makes the game longer and more aggressive.

Do you need an exact roll to finish?

Yes. A token has to reach the centre with the exact number. Inside the home column you can move a token up with a smaller roll, but a roll bigger than the squares left cannot be used on that token. Use it on another token, and if nothing can move, the turn passes.

Can a token be killed in the home column?

No. Only your own tokens can enter your home column, so nothing there can be killed. Once a token turns into its home column, it is safe for the rest of the game.

Do you get an extra roll for getting a token home?

In some groups, yes. Like the extra roll for a kill, it is a common house rule rather than part of the strict rules, so agree on it first.

When does a game of Ludo end?

When one player has all four tokens home, that player wins. Some groups stop there; others play on to decide second and third place.

House rules to agree before the first roll

Most Ludo arguments disappear if you settle these five things before you start.

• Does a one release a token, or only a six?
• Is there an extra roll for a kill, and for getting a token home?
• What happens on three sixes: just the turn lost, or the moves as well?
• Can your own tokens pass your block?
• Do you need a kill before going home?

Play by one set of rules online

Online Ludo applies the rules for you, so nobody can miscount, forget a capture or argue about whose turn it is. Ludo Jim has classic Ludo rules and a faster quick-play mode, with private rooms so your group plays together, and it runs in your browser with no download.

Frequently asked questions

How many tokens does each player have in Ludo?

Four. Each player has four tokens of one colour, and all four have to reach home to win.

How many players can play Ludo?

Two to four. With two players, sit on opposite corners. Ludo Jim supports two to four players online, in a private room or on one device.

Is Ludo a game of luck or skill?

Both. The dice decide the numbers, but you decide which token to move, and over a whole game that choice decides most results.