This game is often called "the national game of India". It is a racing game, and each player must throw the dice and walk the equivalent number of spaces. The strategy lies on which of your pieces to move, and because players can significantly affect each others' pieces, getting in the way of your opponent and getting your own pieces to safety are both top priorities. This game, slightly altered, was brought to the West with new names, such as “Ludo” and “Sorry!”.

A game for 2 to 4 players, with an approximate duration of 20 minutes.

History

Pachisi is a traditional Indian game whose origins are speculated to go back as early as the fourth century. It has a twin game, called Chaupar, that was once considered to be a game for the nobility, while Pachisi, with its slightly simpler rules, was thought of as a game for the common people.

Pachisi is cross and circle board race game, and many games adapted from it gained popularity in the West, commercialized with such names as Parcheesi, Sorry! and Ludo. The original name, however, derives from the word 'pachis', which means 'twenty-five' in hindi. The game is traditionally played with a board embroidered on cloth and using cowries instead of dice.