Let's talk about the conclusion first: This game looks like a game of luck, but in fact there is a lot of game space hidden in the numerical design. The core change in chess is the board layout, which greatly increases the probability of collision. This makes "safe distance" and "distribution of the number of chess pieces" more important than dice luck.
Let's look at the basic values first. The dice has six sides, the probability of 1-6 is equal, and the single expectation is 3.5. But what Ludo really counts is not a single expectation, but the rhythm of "takeoff" and "pursuit". The classic take-off probability is only 1/6, but if the Western version adds special take-off grids or additional take-off rules, the numerical rhythm will be completely different. According to my actual measurement, the collision-prone areas in this version are concentrated in the middle of the chessboard, which means that the first 20 squares are relatively safe, and the more you go into the second half, the more steps you need to count.
The first principle of optimal strategy: Don't put your eggs in one basket. According to actual measurements, if three chess players advance to the same rank, the probability of being defeated by one chess player is much higher than if the two chess players are separated. The reason is very simple. The collision determination is "overlapping landing points". The denser your chess pieces are on a line, the more points the opponent throws at the exact landing point. Numerically speaking, keeping the distance between two chess pieces at 5-7 squares is the optimal range, because within the coverage range of dice 1-6, the opponent needs at least one specific point to accurately hit you, and 5-7 squares reduces the opponent's effective hit point range to 1-2, forcing the opponent to "bet on points."
The second principle: takeoff timing is more important than speed. Many people threw the dice crazily at the beginning, hoping that all three planes would take off. But numerically speaking, your probability of successfully taking off in the early stages is 1/6, and the probability of the opponent chasing you will be reduced because the collision area of the board is behind you. The optimal solution is actually to "keep one main propulsion aircraft, and wait for the second aircraft to take off." The main propulsion chess should be stuck in a safe square in front of the collision zone, such as the 15th and 22nd squares, far away from the intersection. I have counted the safety squares on this version of the chessboard. The distribution of safety squares is uneven. There are several "dead spots" where the probability of collision is extremely low. Standing on that square is basically equivalent to temporary invincibility.
The third principle: Don't rush to chase if you are hit. Angry pursuit is the biggest psychological trap of flying chess. Calculating the numbers, if you are knocked back to your hometown near the starting point, the opponent will be at least 8-12 blocks ahead of you, and your hit probability in each round of pursuit is actually only about 1/3 of the opponent's avoidance probability. A better option is to let the remaining chess pieces continue to advance, forming a double echelon of "pressure + back complement", forcing the opponent to make a choice when colliding - if he hits your rear chess piece, your front main force will advance one more square; if he hits your front main force, your rear chess pieces will be able to keep up with the fill position. This is essentially a value swap, trading low-expectation pursuit for high-expectation placeholder.
Finally, let me talk about a hidden easter egg: in the Western version, due to the high probability of collision, there will be a "send round" in the later stage. When your two chess pieces enter the final sprint at the same time, many players will blindly pursue the big points, but the best strategy is to "control the points" - use one chess piece to be stuck 6 squares away from the end point, and wait for the other chess piece to catch up to form a double insurance. Because throwing 1-5 on the dice can make at least one chess move forward. Only throwing 6 will force you to move more and hit the border before the end. I have not verified whether there is any penalty for the border grid in this version, but to be on the safe side, a stuck 6 square will always be more stable than a stuck 5 square.
In short, the numerical essence of chess is not in dice luck, but in "position management". Understand the collision probability distribution and the expected difference between chess pieces, and you can stand out from the crowd of players throwing dice. By the way, it is indeed a bit misplaced for this game to publish a guide in the selfie dating section, but anyway, dice is more sincere than selfies, at least it will not lie to you📊🎲