Ludo rules: the end of the game and how to win
The first player to get all four pawns into their home column wins the game. To get there, you need the exact roll and a good order for bringing your pawns in. The game is often won or lost in these last few turns.
How to win
The goal of Ludo fits in one sentence: get all your pawns home. As soon as your fourth pawn gets into the home column, the game is over and you win.
Around a table, you can also keep playing to rank everyone (2nd, 3rd and 4th place). It is a common family variant, to be agreed on before you start.
The exact roll, the rule that slows everything down
To get into the home column, the number on the die must exactly match the number of squares left. If the die shows more, the pawn does not move.
At the end of the game, when you only have one or two pawns left, this rule can keep you waiting for several turns while your opponents keep moving. Two tips to limit the damage:
- keep several pawns moving if you can: a roll that is useless for one pawn can be used by another;
- get close to the entrance: the fewer squares are left, the smaller the number you need, and you only depend on one result of the die.
Lining up your pawns in the home column
The home column has several positions and you can't jump over a pawn that is already there. The order in which you fill it therefore matters:
- send your first pawns all the way to the end: they leave all the room for the next ones;
- avoid parking a pawn just at the entrance: it reduces the numbers that will let your next pawns in, and can block you for several turns.
Example: one pawn is on the 3rd position and another is waiting at the entrance. Only a small number lets it in, because it can't go past the first one. If the first pawn had been placed at the end, the second one would have had much better chances.
Stay careful until the very end
As long as a pawn is not in the home column, it can still be captured. Having a pawn sent back to its base a few squares from home is the worst thing that can happen at the end of a game.
- Watch the opponents' pawns behind your most advanced pawns: at 6 squares or fewer, they are in a position to capture you.
- If an opponent is about to win, check whether one of your pawns can capture theirs: that is often the moment to go on the attack.
- Adapt your plan to the score: when ahead, play it safe; when behind, take risks. The observation and adaptation strategies explain this way of playing.
Summary of the end of the game
| Key point | What to remember |
|---|---|
| Victory | First to get all 4 pawns into the home column |
| Getting in | An exact roll is required |
| Die too high | The pawn stays where it is |
| Order of arrival | First pawns at the end of the column |
| Danger | A pawn outside the home column can still be captured |
Want to test your endgame? Play Ludo online, for free. To review the complete rules, also read the rules during the game.
Frequently asked questions
Who wins a game of Ludo?
The first player to get all four pawns into their home column wins the game.
What if the die is too high to get into the home column?
The pawn cannot get in and stays where it is. You can use the roll to move another pawn; otherwise, you wait for your next turn.
In what order should you bring your pawns home?
Put your first pawns as deep as possible. Since you can't move past a pawn already in the home column, a pawn left near the entrance reduces the room for the next ones and the numbers that let them in.