15+ Surprising Ludo Facts You Probably Didn't Know

Ludo is a game that has been played by nearly everybody, at least once in their lifetime. During the summer holidays, family events or online with friends, this colourful board game has brought us so much fun and friendly rivalry. But beyond the familiar roll of the dice lies a fascinating history you probably never knew.

From ancient Indian kings to mobile apps, Ludo has made a long journey. It may seem simple, but it carries stories from the past and secrets that many players are unaware of. Let's explore some of the most surprising and interesting Ludo facts that will change the way you look at the game.

You may have played the Ludo game many times, but here are some jaw-dropping facts that even regular players might not be aware of!

Although Ludo appears to be a contemporary game, it originated almost 1,300 years ago in India. In the beginning, Indian kings and emperors played a game called Pachisi on enormous canvas boards with large pieces. The game taught patience, preparation, and battle tactics in addition to being a source of entertainment. The board was life-sized in some royal courts, and the tokens were actual individuals. As the game evolved, it became easier to play and eventually developed into the modern Ludo, characterized by its cross-shaped board and colourful tokens.

Although Ludo originated in India, it was patented in 1896 by Alfred Collier, a British inventor. He modified the game a little by using a square board, adding basic dice, and naming it "Ludo," which translates to "I play" in Latin. His version made the game more accessible. In England and around Europe, it gained popularity fast before expanding to other countries. Therefore, even though the core of the game is Indian, England's adaptation of Pachisi gave it its current name and international version.

Ludo is a game of strategy & skills involved. The choice of which Ludo token to move, whether to sprint to the finish or add new ones into play, must be made. Competent players are aware of when to attack and when to take no chances. In particular, playing online Ludo requires concentration and preparation because you are competing against actual players from around the globe. Hence,your ability to win the game primarily rests on how well you execute your movements using your skills.

One of the other Ludo facts is that it is a multi-version game that is popular worldwide, not just in India. While "Mensch ärgere Dich nicht" is popular in Germany, a similar game is called Parcheesi in the United States. It is referred to as Parchís in Spain. The fundamental concept remains the same—move all of your pieces from start to home before anybody else does, despite minor variations in names and regulations. The excitement of playing and winning the game remains the same, despite each nation adding its unique touch. This global appeal demonstrates how a straightforward game can unite individuals from different languages and cultures.

"Ludo" is derived from the Latin word "ludere," which suggests "to play." Having fun is the game's main objective; thus, the name is ideal! The name Ludo was granted in the 19th century in England after its patent. Originally known as Pachisi by the Indians, "Ludo" was a more memorable and convenient moniker for Western players. Today, when someone hears the word "Ludo," they instantly see the dice, the colourful board, and the excitement of racing tokens to the end. All around the world, the term is synonymous with amusement and welcoming competition.

The evolution of the dice is one of the mind-blowing facts about ludo game. During the early years of playing Pachisi, cowry shells were used in place of dice. The number of shells that landed on the open side up caused you to have a certain number of spaces to move. Eventually, long wooden dice, also known as stick dice, were added. These days, we have the commonly recognizable six-sided cubes in Ludo, and in online editions, it is a moving digital dice. Behind every roll, a Random Number Generator (RNG) ensures that the outcome is completely fair. The Ludo rule is still the same—players roll the dice to decide their moves, no matter whether playing offline or online.

Here’s a fascinating piece of Ludo trivia: Indian mythology has a very dramatic twist in the history of dice games. In the Mahabharata, Shakuni, a maternal uncle of the Kauravas, defeated the Pandavas in a game of dice by using cursed or rigged dice. This defeat led the Pandavas to go into exile and ultimately resulted in the great Kurukshetra War.

According to archaeological research, Ludo-like games were played as early as the Harappan Civilisation. At places like Lothal and Mohenjo-Daro, dice-like artefacts and gaming boards have been found. These early iterations demonstrate that board games have been a part of Indian culture for thousands of years, even though they weren't exactly Ludo. These results demonstrate the significance of games even in antiquity, not only for entertainment but also potentially for teaching social interaction and strategy. It's possible that Ludo, as we know it, developed from these very ancient Indian origins.

Akbar, the Mughal emperor, was well-known for his fondness for Pachisi. In his palace at Fatehpur Sikri, he made a life-sized board to elevate the game to a new level. Akbar's attendants, clad in vibrant robes, served as human tokens, and red and white stones were used to carve the squares into the floor! It wasn't merely for amusement; Akbar thought the game improved strategic thinking and decision-making. Ludo was once used to amuse the aristocracy, as evident in his version of the game, which became a royal leisure activity and status symbol during the Mughal era.

Most players are usually annoyed when they fail to roll a six at a critical stage or when they get killed during the final stage before reaching the home base. One of the interesting facts about ludo here is that the Ludo dice (whether physical or digital) are intended to be random. In standard dice, each of the dice numbers 1 to 6 has an equal likelihood of appearing. With digital Ludo, the random element is preserved with the algorithms that deliver fair and objective outcomes. Although it can be frustrating to the same extent, the randomness of the dice makes the challenge even more interesting.

One of the most intriguing facts about ludo is that it has found its way into the classroom of most business schools. It is an interactive game in which professors impart knowledge on the concept of risk-taking, strategic planning, probability, and decision-making under pressure. It enables students to master techniques to use aggressive and defensive strategies, cope with uncertainty, and remain open-minded when making long-term plans. Role-playing is an excellent pedagogical tool due to its familiarity and ease of comprehension. By doing this, Ludo stops being a game, but becomes a miniature of real-life decision-making and competition strategy.

Ludo has even inspired Bollywood. In 2020, director Anurag Basu released a movie called Ludo, where the lives of the various characters were interlinked, much like the tokens in a Ludo game. The structure of the game was employed to narrate a story on destiny, choices and fortune in the film. It was not merely a title, but the whole film was developed on the theme of Ludo, wherein each colour had a different story. This is one of the particular narrative styles that demonstrates how Ludo is rooted in our society and vision. It showed that the game is not just fun; it can also be inspiring to art.

This is an interesting fact that most people are unaware of: on a standard six-sided dice, the opposite faces will always sum to 7. This implies that one will be opposite 6, 2 will be opposite 5 and 3 will be opposite 4. This design makes the dice balanced to ensure fairness. It also enables the ease of manufacturing and testing the dice for quality. When you see it, you cannot do without it! The next time you play Ludo and roll the dice, turn it over and count; it is a small thing, but it contributes to the beauty of the quality with which the game is created.

Some people might think that this is not possible, but Ludo experts have figured out that a perfect game only takes 19 moves, provided it is possible to roll what you want each time you have to roll. This involves sixes on the right time and flawless pursuits. This, of course, is an extremely rare occurrence and unheard of in practical games, but this illustrates the mathematical aesthetics of Ludo. It is a fun fact and a surprise to those who love numbers and patterns.

Ludo can now be played without a board, dice, or even a group of people in the same room. Platforms like Zupee allow you to play free skill games right away, and compete against real players! Fast-paced Ludo with distinctive game configurations, and thrilling challenges is available on Zupee gaming app.

It is user-friendly, safe, and preserves the traditional Ludo essence in the digital sphere.