Put a Ludo board next to a Parchís board and you could take them for twins. Both are cross-shaped, both have four colours and four pieces per player, and both are played with one die. Parchís is the Spanish member of the family, and it is just different enough to be worth knowing. If you enjoy the Ludo game, here is how its Spanish cousin plays.
Where does Parchís come from?
Parchís is a Spanish adaptation of Pachisi, the Indian race game that Ludo also descends from. It is very popular in Spain, and it is also played in other parts of Europe and in northern Morocco. The standard board has 68 spaces. Boards for six players have 102, and for eight players 136.
Which number frees a piece?
In Ludo a six lets a piece out of base. In Parchís it is a five. The pieces wait in the nest, and a five brings one out. That small change shifts the opening: a five and a six are equally likely, so the wait is the same length, but it feels quite different when the number you need is not the one that gives a bonus.
What does a six do instead?
A six in Parchís still gives an extra turn, as in Ludo. There is a twist: if all four of your pawns are already out, a six lets you move seven squares instead of six. It rewards a player who has fully launched their army.
What happens on a capture?
In Ludo, a capture sends the enemy piece back to base and earns you another throw. In Parchís, the captured pawn returns to the nest and the capturing pawn advances twenty squares. A capture is a jump forward, not a repeat throw. A pawn that reaches the finish gives another of your pawns ten squares.
These bonuses make Parchís a game of big swings. The numbers are larger than in Ludo, and a good capture can change the leader.
How are blockades different?
In Parchís, two pawns of the same colour on a square form a blockade that opponents cannot jump over. In Ludo, a pair is protected from capture but does not stop anyone passing. A blockade in Parchís can jam the whole board, and a player who throws a six must open one. It adds a layer of tactics.
What about three sixes?
Both games punish a third six. In Ludo I run, the turn is lost and the third throw is not played. In Parchís, the last moved piece is sent back to the nest. The Spanish rule is harsher.
Which is better for a first game?
I would not rank them. Ludo is simpler: seven short rules, extra throws and safe squares. Parchís has more numbers to remember. A group that loves strategy might prefer it, and a family with young children will find the Ludo game gentler.
Can you play online?
It is a ludo online table for two to four players, so you can play ludo with friends in a browser with no download. The ludo rules are the ones listed above, enforced by the table. I do not offer Parchís, so a family that prefers it will need its own board.
A weekend idea
Try both games on different evenings with the same people. Notice which opening you prefer, and whether you enjoy the big jumps of Parchís or the steady grind of Ludo. The comparison alone makes for a good conversation.
The limit of this comparison
I rely on one encyclopedia page for Parchís. Spanish families may play with local rules, and the source does not cover every variation. Treat the list as a guide to the main differences.
Ahmed Moaz builds Boardit, a free browser game site.
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