Ludo Tips and Strategy to Win More Games

Ludo is one of those games everyone seems to know. Many of us played it on a cardboard board during summer holidays, with cousins arguing loudly over every capture. It is easy to think Ludo is pure luck, because everything depends on the dice. But watch experienced players and you will notice they win more often. That is because every roll gives you a choice, and good choices add up.

This guide covers the rules we use in our free online game and the strategies that help you win more.

Quick rules recap

Rules of Ludo vary between families and apps. These are the rules used in the TNChatZone Ludo game, where you play against 1 or 3 computer players:

Each player has four tokens that start in their home base.
You need to roll a 6 to bring a token out onto your start square.
Rolling a 6 gives you an extra roll.
Rolling three 6s in a row forfeits your turn.
Landing on an opponent's token on a non-safe square captures it: their token goes back to its base, and you get an extra roll.
Start squares and star squares are safe. Tokens there cannot be captured.
You need an exact roll to reach the home (finish) space. Reaching home also gives you an extra roll.
There are no blockades: two tokens of the same colour on one square do not block anyone.
The first player to bring all four tokens home wins.

Strategy 1: Get tokens out early

Since you need a 6 to bring a token out, sixes are precious. In the early game, using a 6 to open a new token is usually a good idea. Having more than one token on the board gives you choices on every roll, and choices are what let you play strategically. With only one token out, you are forced to move it wherever the dice say, even into danger.

Later in the game, the decision is less simple. If one of your tokens can make a capture or reach safety with that 6, that may be the better use.

Strategy 2: Love the safe squares

Start squares and star squares are your best friends. A token sitting on a safe square cannot be captured, so it is a good place to wait while you move other tokens.

When you have a choice, move a token onto a safe square rather than leaving it in the open.
If an opponent's token is close behind you, moving to safety is often better than moving forward.
Remember that opponents can sit on safe squares too, so do not plan to capture a token parked there.

Strategy 3: Count the danger zone

A die shows 1 to 6, so a token is mostly in danger from opponents who are 1 to 6 squares behind it on a non-safe square. Before each move, quickly look behind the square you are landing on. If several opponent tokens are within six squares, that square is risky. If none are, you are probably safe for now.

Keep in mind that a 6 gives an extra roll, so a token further back can sometimes still reach you with a 6 followed by another roll. It is less likely, but it happens.

Strategy 4: Capture when it matters

Capturing feels great, and it gives you an extra roll. But not every capture is equal.

Capturing a token that is far along is very valuable, because your opponent loses a lot of progress.
Capturing a token just out of base costs them less, but the extra roll is still useful.
Before capturing, check whether your token will then be sitting right in front of other opponents. Sometimes a capture leaves you exposed.

Strategy 5: Spread your risk

Do not race one token all the way while the others sit in base. If that one token gets captured, you lose almost everything. It is usually better to have two or three tokens moving, so a single capture does not ruin your game.

At the same time, do not leave a token sitting in a dangerous spot for many turns. If a token is exposed and you can move it to safety, do it.

Strategy 6: Plan the finish

Because you need an exact roll to get home, tokens near the end can get stuck waiting for the right number. A few ideas help here:

Bring tokens into the home column at different distances, so more dice numbers are useful to you.
Remember that reaching home gives an extra roll. Getting a token home can set up your next move.
Once a token is in your home column, it is out of reach of opponents, so you can afford to use other rolls on tokens still in danger.

Strategy 7: Handle the sixes wisely

Rolling a 6 is exciting, but three in a row forfeits your turn. After two 6s, think about which move from the first two rolls is most important, because you might not get to use the third. Use your first 6 on the move that matters most, such as opening a token or making a key capture.

Strategy 8: Watch every player

In a four-player game, it is easy to focus only on the player right behind you. Keep an eye on all opponents, especially the one who is closest to winning. Sometimes the smartest capture is not the easiest one, but the one that slows down the leader.

Common beginner mistakes

Moving the token that is furthest ahead every time without thinking.
Leaving tokens on squares just in front of opponents.
Ignoring safe squares.
Keeping three tokens in base for too long.
Forgetting the exact roll needed to finish.

Practise and play

The best way to get better is to play often and pay attention to why you won or lost. Try our free Ludo game against 1 or 3 computer players and test these strategies. If you enjoy traditional race games, read about Thaayam and other traditional Tamil games, or try a game of pure strategy with Connect 4.

And if you want to swap Ludo stories, including the time a cousin captured your last token one square from home, the TNChatZone app has plenty of friendly people who have been there too.

Ludo Tips and Strategy: How to Win More Games