Parcheesi Strategy

Start

• One has no control over what number one rolls on the dice but one does have control over what he does with the roll. To start Parcheesi all players must put their pieces in their colored starting area. Each player then takes a turn throwing dice onto the playing board. The player must roll a five or combination of five to get his players out of his start area and start his trek around the board toward his home base. If he does not roll a five and he does not already have a piece on the board, he forfeits his roll and the play moves on to the next player.

Making Moves

• Once the game gets rolling and the players have pieces on the board, they can manipulate the rolls to their advantage. If a piece lands on a spot that is not a safe spot, then another player can also land there and send that piece home. Of course, he is now vulnerable to another player doing the same thing to him. If one lands on a safe spot (these are marked on the board), an opponent may not send your piece home. If a player can get two pieces to land together on one spot, he forms a blockade and no other pieces may pass this blockade until he breaks it. If possible, form the blockade with two pieces and leave it up until your other two pieces get to your home base. Then work on getting the last two pieces home to win the game.

Using the Dice

• You may move two pieces on one move. For example, if you roll a six and a one you can move one piece seven spaces, or you can move two pieces six spaces and one space, respectively. Use this to your advantage by looking at the board to see which move is more advantageous. If you roll dice with the same number on each (called doubles), you get to roll again. However, if you roll three doubles in a row you must send one piece home and you lose your turn. Pick the piece that just started out to send home. Using these strategies will help make your game of Parcheesi more fun, but remember the most important strategy is to have fun playing the game.