How to play Pahrcheesi

Learn the rules to the board game Parcheesi (also called Pahrcheesi) quickly and concisely - This video has no distractions, just the rules.

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RULES:

The object of the game is to be the first player to get all four of your pawns into your home space. Layout the board and each player selects a color and puts the 4 pawns of that color in their matching large circle. Each player rolls the dice and the player with the highest total goes first, then play proceeds clockwise.

On your turn, roll both the dice. In order to move a pawn from your circle to your start space, you must roll a 5 OR the total of the 2 dice must add up to 5. If you roll 2 fives, then you can move 2 pawns to the start space, unless there are already pawns on your start space. Then you would only move pawns until there are 2 on the start space. No more than 2 pawns of the same color can share any space.

Instead of moving pawns to your start space, you may move any of your pawns that are already on the board clockwise around the board, following the arrows. You may move 1 pawn the total rolled or 1 pawn the number on 1 die and another pawn the number on the other die. Any time you roll doubles you get to move and roll again, even if you have already rolled doubles this turn.

If your pawn lands on or passes the space of an opponent’s pawn, then that pawn is sent back to its large circle, unless that pawn is on a space that has a small gray circle, then that pawn is safe and is not moved back to its circle. Also, a player cannot land on or pass a space that has 2 pawns of the same color on it because they are blocking it, this includes your own. You can keep a block as long as you can continue to legally move other pawns on your turn. But you may not “give up” your turn in order to keep a block. If you have a legal move you must move; but if you have no legal moves, then your turn ends and the next player goes.

When a pawn makes it around the board it continues up its colored spaces towards its home space. When a pawn is on one of the 5 color spaces leading to its home, it cannot be sent back to its circle. Pawns may never enter a home path of a different color and a pawn must reach their home space by an exact count in order to move to it. The first player to move all their pawns to their home space is the winner.

[lou]

These aren't the rules of parcheesi that I am familiar with. I see people mentioning Ludo in the comments and I think they are correct. In Parcheesi, your starting position is on a safe point. Also, you can only capture pawns by landing on them (not passing), etc..

[LeotheTiger]

I play this a lot on my computer. In that version, you get a bonus 20 moves when you bump an opponent's piece back to START, and a bonus 10 for getting a piece home by exact count.

[massfamadventures]

“CAPTURING:

10. If a player's pawn comes to rest, BY EXACT COUNT, on a space occupied by an opponent's pawn, the player has captured the opponent's pawn.”

If it’s not exact, I understand you just pass the opponent’s pawn without capturing it.

[Lucius_Chiaraviglio]

Looks like Ludo, but with different dice rolling rules and more clearly marked paths on the board. Although judging from some other posters' comments here, maybe the better marking makes this board inauthentic.

The Wikipedia article on this lists some additional rules, including being able to break a blockade with a roll of double 1. (And, the board looks different.)

[brandonriley]

Outstanding. Super well done video. Quick and covers the whole game- thanks so much!

[rosaines]

I just watched your Ludo(I've hadn't heard of it before) video and now watching this I realize that my family has been playing Parchisi and India with a mix of rules that belong to both Parshisi AND Ludo 🤣🤣 can't wait to see what I find in the video for India 🤣

[godzillaearth]

Some misconceptions:

1. Rolling a 6 on a dice is a 12, rolling two 6s is a 24.

2. By capturing, you don’t pass the pawns, you have to land on that same exact place that they’re in.

3. If you capture any pawn, that’s a bonus 20 with any pawn but the one that did the capturing.

4. Getting your pawns in home is a resulting +10 of movement.

[jannyrcobs]

This is neither Parcheesi nor Ludo, and it's being played on an unconventionally marked Ludo board.

These are the standard (Selchow & Righter) rules of Parcheesi that have been in use since the late 19th century:

The game may be played by two, three or four persons. Each player plays with four pieces, which may be called men; the men of each player being of a different colour, so that they may be quickly distinguished while playing. Moves are determined by the throw of two dice.

Each player will place his four men on the square and within the circle at his right hand marked ‘A’ in diagram.

All the players throw for the lead, the one having the lowest number opens the game by another throw for entering. The play is from left to right (i.e. counterclockwise).

The players throw in succession until a throw of 5 or a combination making 5 is thrown: the player throwing that number enters one man on the space marked with a small circle at his right hand (see ‘a’); which is called the ‘Entering Space’ of the player.

Entries may be made for fives as follows: first, if 5 is thrown by combination of 2 and 3, or 4 and 1, enter one man; second, if a 5 is thrown with a 1, 2, 3, 4 or 6, enter for the 5, and move forward as many spaces as the number indicates; third, if double 5, enter two men, or if only one man remains to be entered, enter it, and move forward as many spaces as the doublet entitles you to, less 5, the number used to enter.

The players throw in succession whether they enter or not.

All numbers thrown not including 5 or a combination making 5 (when playing to enter the first man) are not counted.

A player is obliged to enter a man for every throw of 5 or its equivalent, unless a blockade of his opponent rests on his Entering Space. Should the blockade be his own, the player should move forward one of his men and enter a man on a throw of 5.

After a player has one man entered, all his throws count for his entries and moves accordingly—his moves being made in the counterclockwise direction, until he brings his men around the course to the red space opposite him, which is called the ‘home path’, and up the home path into the centre of the board, which is called ‘home’.

The player who first gets his four men home ‘make parcheesi’, and wins the game.

When counting, the spaces between the lines, and not the lines, are counted. The space on which a man rests is not counted as players move forward.

While a man rests on a space in which there is a small circle, it cannot be captured. These spaces are called ‘safety points’.

If a player throws a number that would count to a space not having a circle (plain space) and on which there is a man of an opponent, he may capture the opponent’s man, leaving his own in the place of it.

The player making this capture may then continue his same man, completing his count, for instance: a player throwing a 3 and 2 may capture an opponent’s man on ‘b’ with the 3 and move forward to ‘c’ with the 2, or may use another man to complete the throw.

When an opponent’s man is captured, it is sent back to the starting point (‘the nest’) and must be re-entered on the next throw of 5 or its equivalent, in the usual manner. The player having made the capture is given a bonus of 20 spaces which must be taken by any one of his four men; but may not be divided among them. It is entirely at the discretion of the captor whether he takes the bonus before or after the complete throw of the dice, but he must take it before his turn at play is completed.

A player is not obliged to capture an opponent’s man.

An opponent’s man cannot be captured on a safety point except when it rests on the entering space of another player. In this case, if the latter has the opportunity to cover or re-enter a man he may do so, capturing the opponent’s man, and thereby scoring 20 spaces. A man resting on a safety point may be passed by any other man.

Only two men, and they must be of the same colour, may rest on the same plain or safety space. This is called a ‘blockade’ and may not be passed by any player, even though made up of his own men, while it remains unbroken. If a player cannot move without passing his own blockade, then he must break it.

Two men, a blockade, may not be moved any number of spaces together. In breaking the blockade, the men must move forward singly, resting on different spaces at the end of the play.

Should a blockade occupy the entering space of a player, it would prevent the player from entering.

While there is no rule to govern the breaking of a blockade, it is not in the best interest of the game to hold one too long.

On any throw of the dice (except doublets) the count may be used by one or two men according to the eyes on the dice. Should a player be unable to use the full throw, the count of one of the dice may be used and the other ignored.

Doublets thrown by a player, previous to his men being all entered, count only the number of eyes (pips) uppermost on the dice. After all his men are entered, or re-entered, the number of eyes on top and underneath are both counted, as in Russian Backgammon.

When doublets are thrown, the whole count of 14 may be taken by one man or by two or more men. If the count is split among several men, each man must take his count from the eyes on top and underneath the dice or a combination thereof. For example, if a player throws double 6, he may move as follows:

With four 6, 1 and 1)
With three 6 and 2) (12, 1 and 1) (7, 6 and 1)
With two and 7) (12 and 2) (13 and 1) (8 and 6)
With one

If any throw of doublets, the entire count of 14 must always be taken or the throw is forfeited.

Doublets entitle the player to another throw. If the second throw be doublets, the player again takes his count of 14 and is entitled to a third throw. If, however, the third throw be doublets, he must take off the man nearest home and enter it again in the usual manner. The last play is lost and he is not entitled to another throw.

When a man is on the Home Path, it cannot be counted ‘home’ until a number is thrown which will count Home as a space. For instance: if a man be on ‘f’, a 3 or 2 and 1 must be thrown before it may be counted ‘home’, or, if on ‘g’, a 1 must be thrown.

Doublets cannot be used to put a man Home unless the entire count of 14 can be made. If two men rest on the last space of the Home Path, it will be necessary to throw 1 in combination twice, before they can be sent Home.

A man cannot be captured on the Home Path.

Each man moved around the course to Home counts 10 spaces for the player. This number must not be divided, but may be taken by any man, as soon as one makes ‘home’.

The chief aim of the players is to capture as often as possible, in order to delay the opponents.

The side or player who moves all his men home first, ‘makes Parcheesi’ and wins the game.

[jannyrcobs]

Yet another set of rules for playing Parcheesi/Pachisi/Ludo. It seems every company that has manufactured a board since the late 19th century has also devised its own rules. Aggravation, Sorry, and Pop-O-Matic games like Trouble and Headache are also variants.

[jasonleetaiwan]

Is there a relationship with the ancient Chinese game Liubo? That was a race game that used sticks as an element of chance.

[ericlang]

I never knew that you could also knock your opponents’ pieces back to start if you happen to pass them

[thevideogamer]

*Doubles 3 times*

If you roll doubles 3 times in a row in the old version, then you have to send one of your pawns back to your beginning spot and must end your turn immediately

[alexanderdavenport]

This is just Sorry!/Ludo but with a different layout .... Here i am 25 years old just learning this information.

[matthewbernard]

Can you do a tutorial on how to play Aggravation?

[jinglesstudiofilmsdocument]

Hello excellent video! I just bought a divine 3D PARCHEESI on Amazon!!!! Do you know them? 🤩🤩🤩

[sportsvarietychannel]

Ok, I'm now honestly confused, I have got the same kind of board that is in the video and according to the booklet it is Pahrcheesi but from what I've read online this is not actually correct, with so many variations on essentially the same game, I made a little list of all the ones I stumbled upon when doing my research:
Ludo
Mensch Ärgere dich nicht/Aggravation (What I played as I'm german)

Eile mit weile
Frustration/Trouble
Sorry
Pachisi
Parcheesi
pollyanna
Flying Chess
Tock
Marralinha

Now can't figure out which game it actually is that I have, since from what I read Pahrcheesi should have 17 spaces per arm and 8 home spaces (including the center) while this only has 14 spaces per arm and 6 home spaces (including center), also parcheesi doesn't have a starting space as it should use the safe space between the starting circle and the home spaces instead.

[PatrickBarlow-ve]

Well it's like ludo & trouble & aggravation the goal is the same try to get all your pieces on the home space.

[Dizzy]

what happens if you're down to your last piece because the other 3 are home, you roll both dice and you get a number that makes that last piece land one space away from home. Do I move the piece one space from home and lock myself out of the game? Or do I skip my turn and wait to go again? Or is there something else that should be done?

[financialmind]

Do you need an exact roll to land on the home space?

[ExplorHits]

Buffy, how about a nice game of Pahrcheesi?