What is Parcheesi?

Pachisi reached the United States in the 1860s, and the name Parcheesi was trademarked in 1874, making it one of the oldest board game trademarks in America. It became a fixture of American family game nights and has stayed in print ever since. Its parent game is still playable too - see Pachisi for the original.

1. Two dice per throw. You may split the two numbers between two pawns or spend both on one. Doubles earn another throw, and with all four pawns out, doubles move the tops and bottoms of the dice - 14 squares in total. But a third consecutive doubles sends your lead pawn back to the nest.
2. Enter on a five. Pawns leave the nest on a five - a five showing on one die, or both dice adding up to five - and an entering pawn captures an enemy even on the start square.
3. Blockades. Two of your own pawns on the same square form a blockade. No pawn - yours or anyone's - may land on that square or pass over it.
4. Capture and homing bonuses. Sending an enemy pawn back to its nest earns a 20-square bonus move, and bringing a pawn home earns a 10-square bonus move, each for any one pawn at the end of the turn.

There is no three-sixes rule in Parcheesi - the doubles penalty plays that role instead.

The blockade is what makes Parcheesi feel different. Park two tokens on a square your opponent must pass and their whole side of the board jams up - they may have no legal move at all. But a blockade freezes two of your own tokens too, so the skill is knowing when to break it and run. It is a stronger version of the simple token-sharing allowed in Ludo.

Next to Classic Ludo, Parcheesi starts faster - with two dice, a five on one die or a pair adding up to five brings a pawn out - and it is far more tactical in the middle game. For a full rule-by-rule breakdown, see Ludo vs Parcheesi.