Why is it called Ludo?
Ludo is one of the few games whose name is a tiny sentence. Say it in ancient Rome and you would simply be stating a fact: I play.
Ludo means 'I play' in Latin
The name could not be more direct. In Latin, ludo means "I play". It comes from the verb ludere, to play, the same root behind the English word ludicrous. When the game was patented in England in 1896, Latin names made parlor games sound classy, so a short Latin word won out.
A new name for a very old game
The game itself was not new in 1896. It was a simplified version of Pachisi, a race game from India whose name comes from the Hindi word for twenty-five, the best throw with cowrie shells. The English patent kept the racing heart of Pachisi but used a standard die and shorter rules. The full story is in where does Ludo come from.
The same game wears many names
- Parcheesi is the American name, also borrowed from Pachisi.
- Mensch ärgere Dich nicht, the German version, means "Man, do not get annoyed".
- Fia med knuff, the Swedish version, means "Fia with a push".
- Uckers is the name used in the British Royal Navy.
You can try the whole family for free, from Parcheesi to Mensch ärgere Dich nicht.
Related questions
Where does Ludo come from?
Ludo comes from Pachisi, a cross-and-circle race game from ancient India. A simplified version was patented in England in 1896 under the name Ludo. The name is Latin and means 'I play'.
What is Pachisi?
Pachisi is the centuries-old Indian game that Ludo grew from, traditionally played on a cross-shaped cloth board with cowrie shells for dice. On this site, Pachisi is played the traditional way: you throw six cowrie shells, grace throws of 6, 10 or 25 bring new pieces in and repeat your turn, 12 castle squares are safe, and every capture earns another throw.
What is the difference between Ludo and Parcheesi?
Ludo and Parcheesi are cousins that both descend from the Indian game Pachisi. The biggest differences: Ludo throws one die and enters tokens on a six with no blockades, while Parcheesi throws two dice, enters on a five, lets two of your pawns form an impassable blockade, and rewards every capture with a 20-square bonus move.