How to play Sorry!

The objective

Your goal is simple: move all four pawns from Start to Home before the other players. This guide uses the most common beginner-friendly rules. Families and groups may agree on variations before starting.

What you need

A Sorry board, cards, and four pawns per player.

How to set up

1. Choose colors and place pawns in Start.
2. Shuffle the deck and choose the first player.

How to play: step by step

1. Draw one card and follow its movement instruction.
2. Use a 1 or 2 card to leave Start.
3. Bump opposing pawns back to Start by landing on them.
4. Move every pawn exactly into Home to win.

Beginner strategies

• Move more than one pawn into play.
• Use backward movement to approach the safety zone when helpful.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Forgetting special card instructions.
• Trying to enter Home without the exact count.

Frequently asked questions