Petits chevauxFrench ludo

Goal of the game

Bring your four horses home to the central stable, at the top of the final staircase.

You first have to get them out one by one, take them all the way round the board, then bring them in with the exact count.

Setting up

• From 2 to 4 players, four horses each, all in the stable at the start.
• The track has 52 squares; each player has their own starting square and their own final staircase of 6 squares.
• A single die.

Leaving the stable

• Only a 6 lets a horse out, onto your starting square.
• A 6 also gives you the right to roll again: you can bring a horse out and then move.
• Three 6s in a row: the turn is lost. That rule stops endless streaks.
• As long as no horse is out, a roll without a 6 simply passes the turn.

Moving and capturing

• A horse moves forward by the number on the die, in the direction of the track.
• If it ends on a square taken by an opposing horse, that horse is captured: it goes back to the stable and will need a 6 to come out again.
• Two horses of the same colour cannot share a square: the move is then refused.
• Capturing often pays more than moving forward: sending an opponent back seven squares from the finish costs them a whole lap.

The final staircase

• After a full lap, the horse leaves the track and enters its staircase, where it is safe: nobody can capture it any more.
• You need the exact count to land on a square of the staircase. A roll that is too high cannot be played.
• That is where endgames drag on: a horse one square from home can wait a long time for the 1 that frees it.
• You win when all four of your horses are home.

Playing well

• Get several horses out early. With only one horse on the track, half your rolls are useless.
• But not all of them. Four spread-out horses are four targets; two well-placed horses are better.
• Count before you move. A horse that lands six squares or less in front of an opponent is in immediate danger.
• Prefer capturing to progressing. Capturing an opposing horse that is three quarters of the way round is worth far more than gaining five squares.
• Keep one horse behind when you are leading: it gives you a move to play when your other horses are stuck waiting for an exact count.

Controls

Keyboard and mouse

• Click the die to roll, then the horse to move.
• Only playable horses can be selected; forbidden moves are refused.
• The game reports captures and lost turns in the log.

Touch screen

• Tap the die, then the horse you choose.
• If only one move is possible, it is played automatically.
• With several players on the same device, the screen shows whose turn it is.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a 6 to get a horse out?

Yes, it is the central rule of the game. A 6 brings a horse out and also lets you roll again.

What happens with three 6s in a row?

The turn is lost. That limit stops a player from going on forever.

Can you capture a horse of your own colour?

No. Two horses of the same player cannot share a square; the move is simply not allowed.

Do you need the exact count to get home?

Yes, in the final staircase. A roll higher than the number of squares left cannot be played with that horse.

Is it the same game as Ludo?

It is the French version of the same family. The rules for getting out, capturing and the final staircase are very close; the variants mostly concern safe squares and the number of dice.

More classics, free as well

• Piaf — flap your wings, clear the pipes, start again
• Connect 4 — seven columns, six rows, four discs in a line
• Solitaire — classic Klondike, draw one or draw three