Games are a crucial part of human life. As the saying goes, “All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy.” Thus, games provide a good respite for humans to break from the monotony of their lives and introduce space for some recreation.
Board games offer various benefits. It enables one to have fun and provides multiple educational and teaching advantages. One such board game is Ludo. Ludo has a unique appeal for people of all age groups. It is a good source of recreation that enables people to have fun, build social relations, and reduce stress.
Online Ludo
Ludo has been entrenched in the cultural history of various countries. And as the world has entered the age of digitization, Ludo is now being adapted in the digital form. With an online Ludo game download, you can play it on your smartphone. The digital format obtains a favorable response from players due to the ease and convenience the online app provides them.
Ludo app allows you to send invites to your friends and family to join you in the online game, and you can have a fun round with them. It also gives you a chance to earn while you play. As you secure your win, you can see your profits doubling.
History of Ludo
Ludo is played worldwide, with slight variations to the game structure. It has become an integral part of various cultures. In India, Ludo was played in the epic Mahabharata in the form of Chaupar with cowries. The game is known to have originated in the 6th century in India and is was then known as Pachisi. Unlike the modern version, this ancient had slightly complex rules and structures.
The game’s exact origins are not specific; however, its earliest proof comes from the historic Ellora Caves in Maharashtra. There is a depiction of the game on the walls of the cave. The first description of Ludo was written around the 16th century.
During this era, Chaupar was a common gambling sport in the court of the Mughal Emperor, Akbar. He laid out a vast “board within his courtyard at Fatehpur Sikri over the flagstones.” The courtiers played the game over it, using the slaves as the playing pieces. Thus, he used a life-sized board to play the game.
How Pachisi became popular as Ludo?
Taking inspiration from the traditional board game Pachisi, popular in the Indian subcontinent, the game was reinvented to take its modern form. On August 29, 1891, Alfred Collier applied for a patent to the modern game in England. He named the game Royal Ludo, ascribing the known rules and structures to it. The rules largely remained the same.
However, specific changes were introduced. Instead of rectangular dice, cubic ones came into use. Instead of throwing the die with hand, introducing a die cup made it more convenient. It also eliminated the possibility of cheating during the game. The reduction of die size also implied that it will not disturb the Ludo tokens distributed across the board when it is thrown.
Variations of Ludo
The variations of Ludo are played across several countries. And it is known by various names. Alfred Collier patented the game in the late 19th-century. Other variations emerged in the 20th-century, like Mensch ärgere Dich Nicht, Sorry!, Uckers, Aeroplane Chess, and many more. Some of the popularly known names include:
- Fia in Sweden
- Eile mit Weile (Haste makes Pace) in Switzerland
- Non t’arrabiare in Italy
- Parchís in Spain
- Mens Erger Je Niet in Netherlands
- Petits Chevaux in France, and
- Cờ cá ngựa in Vietnam.
These games are popular worldwide with slight variations to their rules and structures. It may use a single dice or two dice based on the rules.
Basic rules of Ludo
- Ludo is played between two to four players.
- The players begin by throwing the die.
- A six is needed on the die to bring the Ludo token out of the base.
- Obtaining a six allows you to roll the die again.
- Rolling a six the third time in a single turn results in the immediate cancellation of the player’s turn.
- If a player’s token enters the home triangle, they get an extra chance to roll the die.
- If a player lands their tokens on the opponents on the cross-shaped path, the piece landed upon goes into the base.
- If a player captures the opponent’s token, they can roll again.
- Star-marked squares are safe zones. Opponents cannot attack you in these squares.
- The goal for each player is to get each token into the home triangle. The player is the first player who can bring their four tokens into ‘home’. The other players compete for the remaining positions.
To Conclude:
The article provides you with a basic overview of the origins of Ludo and how it has entered into its modern form. Online Ludo has made the board game more accessible, contributing to its rising popularity. Also know about the Escape Room Evolution and many more articles on Viral Sant.
