What is the three sixes rule?
Every six in Ludo earns an extra roll, so what stops a lucky player from rolling forever? One small rule: the third six in a row kills the turn.
How the rule works
- You roll a six. You move, and you get an extra roll.
- You roll a second six. You move again, and you roll again.
- You roll a third six in a row. Your turn ends right there.
The counter resets every turn, so two sixes today never haunt you tomorrow.
Why the rule exists
Without a cap, extra rolls could chain without end, and one lucky player could lap the board in a single turn. The three sixes rule keeps the extra-roll reward exciting but bounded. Think of it as a speed limit on luck.
Which variants use the rule
| Variant | Three sixes rule? |
|---|---|
| Classic Ludo | Yes |
| Quick Ludo | Yes |
| Team Ludo | Yes |
| Pachisi | No (throws cowrie shells, not dice) |
| Parcheesi | No (a third consecutive doubles is punished instead) |
| Uckers | No |
| Mensch ärgere Dich nicht | No |
| Fia | No |
In Parcheesi, Uckers, Mensch ärgere Dich nicht and Fia, a run of sixes never ends your turn - though Parcheesi has its own brake on luck: a third consecutive doubles sends your lead pawn back to the nest.
Playing with the rule in mind
- After two sixes, make the move you want most, because the next roll may end your turn.
- Use the first six of a turn to enter a token when you have few on the track. See what happens when you roll a six.
- Do not build plans around chained sixes. Treat a double six as a bonus, not a strategy.
Related questions
What happens when you roll a six?
A six is the best roll in Classic Ludo. It lets you move a token out of your yard, and it always earns you an extra roll. But be careful: three sixes in a row ends your turn.
Do you need a six to start in Ludo?
In Classic Ludo, yes. A token can only leave your yard when you roll a six. Other variants differ: Quick Ludo lets any roll enter, Parcheesi uses a five, and Fia enters on a one or a six.
What is Mensch ärgere Dich nicht?
Mensch ärgere Dich nicht - 'Man, don't get annoyed' - is Germany's most famous board game, created by Josef Friedrich Schmidt around 1908 and published in 1914. It plays like Ludo with no safe squares, no stacking, and a rule that you must move whenever you legally can.