Ludo glossary: A complete reference of Ludo terminology, from basic terms every beginner should know to advanced vocabulary used by competitive players.

How to Use This Glossary

This glossary covers the most common terms you will encounter when playing or reading about Ludo. Terms are listed alphabetically for quick reference. Understanding the vocabulary will help you follow rules explanations, strategy guides, and game commentary.

A–C

Term Definition
Active token A token that has left the yard and is currently on the main track or home column.
Base Another name for the yard — the colored starting area in each corner of the board.
Block / Blockade Two tokens of the same color on the same square (in variants that allow stacking). Opponents cannot pass or land on a blockade.
Board The square playing surface divided into a cross-shaped track with four colored corners and a central home area.
Bonus roll An extra dice roll awarded after rolling a 6. The player rolls again and takes another turn.
Capture Landing on an opponent’s token on a non-safe square, sending it back to its yard.
Circuit One full loop around the main track. A token must complete a full circuit before entering the home column.
Clockwise The standard direction of token movement around the main track.

D–H

Term Definition
Deploy Bringing a token out of the yard onto the starting square by rolling a 6.
Die / Dice The six-sided cube rolled each turn to determine movement. Standard Ludo uses one die.
Exact roll The requirement that a token must land on the home space by an exact count — no overshooting.
Finish The central area of the board where tokens complete their journey. Also called home.
Home The center of the board where tokens must arrive to be considered finished.
Home column The colored strip of 5–6 squares exclusive to one player that leads from the main track to the home area. Tokens here are safe from capture.
Home stretch Informal term for the home column and the final few squares of the main track before a token turns into the home column.
House rules Unofficial rule variations agreed upon by players before a game, such as allowing stacking or different starting conditions.

I–P

Term Definition
In play A token that is anywhere on the board outside of the yard.
Knock Informal term for capturing an opponent’s token.
Main track The 52-square shared path that loops around the outside of the board. All players share this track.
Move Advancing a token the number of squares shown on the die.
Opening The first phase of the game where players focus on deploying tokens from the yard.
Overshoot Rolling a number higher than the squares remaining to reach home. The token cannot move on that turn.
Pawn Another name for a token or playing piece.
Pip One dot on a die face; also used to refer to a single unit of movement.

Q–S

Term Definition
Race The overall goal of Ludo — racing all four tokens from yard to home before opponents.
Re-enter Bringing a captured token back into play by rolling a 6.
Roll The act of throwing the die to generate a random number from 1 to 6.
Safe space A marked square on the board where tokens cannot be captured. Includes star squares and starting squares.
Six The die result required to deploy a token from the yard. Also triggers a bonus roll.
Square One cell on the board track. Tokens move from square to square.
Stack Placing two or more of your own tokens on the same square (allowed in some variants).
Starting square The specific square on the main track where a token enters play after being deployed from the yard. Usually also a safe space.

T–Z

Term Definition
Token One of the four colored pieces each player controls. Also called a pawn or piece.
Track The path of squares tokens travel along. Includes the main track and the individual home columns.
Triple six Rolling three 6s in a row. In many rule sets, this ends the player’s turn without a move on the third roll.
Turn A player’s opportunity to roll the die and move a token.
Variant A modified version of Ludo with different rules, such as Parcheesi, Uckers, or Sorry!
Vulnerable A token that is on a non-safe square and at risk of being captured by an opponent.
Yard The colored corner area where all four tokens begin. Tokens return here when captured. Also called the base.

Quick Reference — Key Numbers

Number Significance
4 Maximum number of players; also tokens per player
6 Die roll needed to deploy a token; triggers bonus roll
52 Squares on the main track
5–6 Squares in each home column
3 Consecutive 6s that end a turn (common house rule)

Tips for Using This Glossary

  • Bookmark this page and refer to it when reading strategy guides or rule explanations.
  • If you encounter a term not listed here, it may be specific to a regional variant — check our Ludo Variants article for more information.
  • Understanding the vocabulary is the first step toward deeper strategic thinking.

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