How to Play Sorry! Board Game: Rules and Strategy
How to Play Sorry! Board Game: Rules and Strategy
Contents
Sorry! is a classic family board game for 2-4 players ages 6+ where players race to move all four pawns from start to home by drawing and playing movement cards. The first to get all pawns home wins by strategically using special cards to bump opponents backward.
What You Need
- Game Board with colored start/home spaces and track
- 16 Pawns (4 each in red, blue, green, yellow)
- Deck of 45 Cards (numbers 1-12 + Sorry! cards)
- 2+ Players (up to 4; partnerships allowed in variants)
How to Play
- Setup: Each player places 4 pawns on their matching start space. Shuffle cards face-down as a draw pile. Youngest player goes first; turns proceed clockwise.
- Taking Turns: Draw one card per turn and follow its instructions exactly (see card list below). Discard used cards face-up. Reshuffle the discard pile if the draw pile runs out.
- Moving Out: Only a 1, 2, or Sorry! card lets you move a pawn from start to the entry circle below it. If an opponent’s pawn is on your entry circle, bump it back to their start.
- Movement Rules:
- Move pawns clockwise around the outer track.
- Jump over any pawns (count as one space).
- Landing on an opponent’s space sends their pawn back to start.
- Cannot land on your own pawn; forfeit the move if no legal targets exist.
- Slides: Landing exactly on a triangle of a slide not your color moves you to the end, bumping all pawns in the slide (including yours) back to start.
- Safety Zones: Only your pawns can enter your colored safety zone. Must enter via forward moves; cannot move backward into the zone.
- Home: Must move into home by exact count. Pawns in home cannot be moved or targeted.
How to Win
Be the first player to move all four pawns into your home space using exact card counts.
Strategy Tips
- Prioritize moving multiple pawns to increase chances of landing on opponents.
- Use Sorry! cards aggressively to send back opponents near home.
- Save split-move cards (7, 11) to maneuver pawns into safety zones or home.
- Avoid clustering pawns to minimize losses from slides.
- Time backward moves (4, 10) to reposition pawns for safety zone entry.
Card Guide
| Card | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Start a pawn OR move one forward 1 |
| 2 | Start a pawn OR move one forward 2 (draw another card after) |
| 3 | Move forward 3 |
| 4 | Move backward 4 |
| 5 | Move forward 5 |
| 7 | Split move between 2 pawns (must use full 7) |
| 8 | Move forward 8 |
| 10 | Move forward 10 OR backward 1 |
| 11 | Move forward 11 OR swap places with an opponent’s pawn |
| 12 | Move forward 12 |
| Sorry! | Move a pawn from start to bump an opponent to their start (if no pawn in start, move forward 4) |
FAQ
Q: Can I move backward into home?
A: No—home requires exact forward moves (e.g., need a 1 to enter from safety zone’s last space).
Q: What if I draw a card I can’t use?
A: Discard it; your turn ends (e.g., no pawns out to move with a 3, or no legal targets for Sorry!).
Q: Do slides affect pawns in safety zones?
A: No—safety zones are slide-free.
Q: Can I swap pawns in safety zones with an 11?
A: No—swaps only work on the outer track (no start, home, or safety zones).
Q: Is there a faster variant?
A: Yes—use 3 pawns per player (original rules suggest this for quicker games).
Conflict Note: Sources disagree on whether a Sorry! card without a start pawn moves forward 4 (Source 1) or forfeits the turn (Sources 2–3). The 2024 rules (Source 3) specify forfeiting.
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## Sources
- [How to Play Sorry: Set Up & Game Rules Explained](https://www.wikihow.com/Play-Sorry)
- [Sorry! - How To Play](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM2BEkSJWWU)