Ludo Game Evolution: the Great History of the Game

Ludo is a board game involving throwing dice and moving small disk-like objects known as tokens to the finish line. It is a board game derived from an ancient Indian game known as Pachisi. The earliest evolution of the game is traced to sixth-century India, when a Pandava man named Yudhisthira played a game with a Kuru man named Shakuni. Shakuni was said to have used an enchanted dice to win all the Pandavas’ belongings, including Yudhisthira’s wife. However, Yudhistira gets his wife and property back after Gandhari intervenes.

Today, that game has been revolutionized and is known as the modern-day Ludo. The game usually involves three to four players. In 1896, Pachisi was reformed to utilize cubic dice and individualized as “Ludo.” It was later converted to Uckers by the Royal Navy. Some of the names by which Ludo is called include Chaupar, Akbar, and Uckers.

What Are the Different Types of Ludo?

Ludo has different variants across the world, and some of them include:

• Chinese Aeroplane Chess

This is a kind of game that involves crosses and circles. Usually, airplanes are used as tokens. The Chinese Aeroplane chess has added characteristics such as colored cubicles, shortcuts, and jumps.

• The Canadian Tock

Rather than dice, playing cards and marbles are used for this game. The players’ primary objective in this game is to be the first to move all their marbles home.

Major Differences With the Way Ludo Game Is Played

A few differences can be noted in the playing of the games worldwide. For example:

• In the Indian Subcontinent, Ludo uses safe squares in every quadrant. Usually, the safe square is the fourth one in the upper rightmost column. The safe square is generally marked with a star.
• In Pakistan, the values of the two dice can be used to move one or both dice backward, forward, or both. In other words, when a person throws a 5-1, he could use one token to go five steps on and then one more step ahead. The player could also decide to go six steps backward with one ticket, use one token five steps forward, and the other one step forward.
• In Denmark and some other countries, the Ludo board has eight spaces, usually distinguished by the use of a globe. The eighth space is traditionally highlighted with a star. Usually, the world works as a safe house where a piece cannot be captured. However, the exception to this rule is that a player who has not used up all his details and throws a six can move into a globe.
• The Ludo game is called “Cò cá ngụra” in Vietnam. In this case, the game is built like a horse race, and tokens look like horseheads. A 1 in this variant has equal status with a six, and once a player reaches the home column, the token can only move a step further by having an exact roll.

Notable Ludo Rules Players Must Be Familiar With

Whether it is online ludo betting or in-person gaming you are engaging in, it is important that you are guided by certain rules and some of them include:

• A doubled block not only blocks others but also blocks the player who created it unless he can roll the exact number that will help him fall on the block. Also, a doubled block cannot go further until the block on it is moved.
• Two partners sitting opposite each other can change numbers. The Ludo board has four safety squares where a player can move forward, backward, or begin a turn before the other player is done.
• A piece that lands on an opponent’s piece will send that piece to the starting area, and the piece that landed to the home square. Unless a player successfully captures an opponent’s piece, he cannot move his piece to the home square.
• Each captured piece attracts a bonus roll.

What Are Other Rules of Ludo to Note?

• Up to four players can play without a partnership.
• Every player’s token must be in their yard and out of play at the beginning of the game.
• A player must throw a six to move to the starting square.
• The person with the highest roll begins the game.
• After throwing the qualifying roll, the players place their tokens in turns on the starting square and then race them clockwise down the game track.
• When getting to the square below the home column, players go on by moving up the column to the final square.
• The rolling of one dice controls how fast the token will be, and a player has to get an accurate roll to enter the finishing square.
• A player can only move the token according to the value of the rolled dice. Where an opponent’s token is blocking the path, the player’s token can only land on it to capture it. The token cannot move past the one blocking it.
• An opponent’s token is sent back to its yard if the advance token lands in a square it has occupied. The returned token can only be re-entered if the owner can throw a six.
• The home squares of a player are safe, and no opponent may enter them.
• The first person to enter all tokens to the finish is declared the winner.

Conclusion

Ludo can be played by anybody from the age of three and above. It is a way of bonding with family and friends and can be played online with virtual opponents or offline with real-time opponents. One significant benefit of playing Ludo apart from developing precision is the ability to develop tact.