Indian Games
Introduction:
Ludo is a highly simplistic version of Pachisi, a game that originated in the 6th century in India. This game is played by younger children all over the country. In this board game, 2 to 4 players race their tokens from start to finish according to the dice rolls. Various variations are seen in the way people play Ludo.
How to Play:
A Ludo board is in the shape of a cross, each arm being divided into three adjacent columns of six squares. The middle squares form the home column for each color and cannot be landed upon by other colors. The middle of the cross forms a large square which is the 'home' area and which is divided into 4 home triangles, one of each color. At each corner are colored areas where the pieces are placed to begin. The typical colors seen in Ludo boards are bright yellow, green, red, and blue.
Each player is assigned a colour and has four tokens of matching colour. The players put their tokens in the starting circle. The movement of the tokens is determined by the dice. During game play the token moves clockwise from the starting square around the perimeter of the board, and up the player's home column to the finishing square. Players are not allowed to move a token out of the starting area unless they roll a 6 on the dice. In this game, players have to carefully play their token or they run the risk of sending it back to the starting point to start all over again. When Player 1’s token lands on a square that is already occupied by Player 2’s token of different color, Player 2’s token is returned to its starting point. A player who brings all their tokens to the finish wins the game.
Conclusion:
The game of Ludo provides a platform for people of varied age groups to interact with each other. The young ones learn to count as they move their tokens in their turns. Children learn to strategize and make decisions to win the game.
