You’ve just pulled out the Sorry! box, the kids are excited, and someone inevitably asks: “Wait, how does the Sorry card work again?” If you’ve ever fumbled through the rulebook mid-game or argued about whether you can bump your own pawn, you’re not alone. Sorry! is one of those classic family games that looks simple but hides just enough rules to cause confusion at the table.
This complete guide covers everything you need to know — from setup and card actions to slides, safety zones, and winning strategy. By the end, you’ll be playing with confidence and maybe even a few sneaky moves your opponents won’t see coming.
Quick Answer: How Do You Win Sorry!?
The goal of Sorry! is to be the first player to move all three of your colored pawns from your Start area, around the board, and into your Home. You do this by drawing cards from a deck and following their instructions each turn. The first player to get all three pawns safely Home wins.
What’s in the Sorry! Box?
- 1 game board
- 12 pawns (3 per color — red, blue, yellow, green)
- 45 Sorry! playing cards
The board features a track that loops around the outside, four color-coded Start areas, four Home spaces, Slides, and Safety Zones near each player’s Home. Sorry! is designed for 2–4 players, ages 6 and up, and a typical game lasts 30–60 minutes depending on luck and how aggressively everyone plays.
Setting Up the Game
- Each player picks a color and places all three pawns in their matching Start area.
- Shuffle the deck of Sorry! cards and place it face down in the center of the board.
- The youngest player goes first. Play continues clockwise.
That’s it — setup is refreshingly simple. The board itself tells you where everything goes with color-coded spaces.
How a Turn Works
On your turn, draw one card from the top of the deck. Read it, follow its instruction, and place it on the discard pile. If the deck runs out, shuffle the discard pile and keep playing.
Important rule: If you can make a legal move, you must make it — even if it helps your opponent. You can only skip your turn if no legal move is possible.
Getting Pawns Out of Start
Pawns don’t start on the board — they begin in your Start area. To get a pawn onto the board, you must draw a card that allows forward movement. Any forward-moving card (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, or Sorry!) can be used to move a pawn from Start to the entry space.
Once on the board, pawns move clockwise around the outer track unless a card says otherwise.
The Sorry! Cards Explained
There are 45 cards in the deck. Here’s what each one does:
| Card | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Move forward 1 space. Can be used to leave Start. |
| 2 | Move forward 2 spaces. Can leave Start. Draw again after playing this card. |
| 3 | Move forward 3 spaces. |
| 4 | Move backward 4 spaces. (Can’t leave Start.) |
| 5 | Move forward 5 spaces. |
| 7 | Move forward 7 spaces — or split the 7 between two of your pawns (e.g., 3 + 4). The full 7 must be used. Cannot be used to leave Start. |
| 8 | Move forward 8 spaces. |
| 10 | Move forward 10 spaces — or move backward 1 space. If you can’t move forward 10 and don’t want to, you must move backward 1. |
| 11 | Move forward 11 spaces — or swap positions with any opponent’s pawn on the outer track. You cannot swap with a pawn in a Safety Zone or at Start/Home. |
| 12 | Move forward 12 spaces. |
| Sorry! | Take a pawn from your Start and place it on any space occupied by an opponent, sending their pawn back to their Start. Can only be played if you have a pawn in Start AND an opponent’s pawn is on the outer track. |
The Powerful 7 Card
The 7 card is one of the most tactically interesting in the game. You can split the movement between two of your pawns in any combination that totals 7 — for example, move one pawn 5 spaces and another 2. You can even use a split 7 to get two pawns into Home at once, as long as the total movement adds up to exactly 7. The 7 cannot be used to start a pawn from Start.
Bumping, Jumping, and Slides
Bumping Opponents
If your pawn lands on a space occupied by an opponent’s pawn, their pawn gets sent back to their Start. This is called bumping. It’s one of the most satisfying moves in the game — and one of the most frustrating to be on the receiving end of.
However, you cannot land on a space where one of your own pawns is sitting. If your only legal move would put you on your own pawn, you forfeit your turn.
Jumping Over Pawns
You may jump over any pawns — yours or opponents’ — when counting spaces. Jumping doesn’t affect the pawn you pass over; it only matters where you land.
Slides
Slides are the most dramatic mechanic in Sorry! and cause more arguments than any other rule. Here’s how they work:
- Each color has two slides on the board, marked by a triangle at the start and a circle at the end.
- If you land by exact count on the triangle at the start of a slide that matches your color, you automatically slide to the end of that slide.
- Any pawns in your path — including your own — get sent back to their Start.
- If you land on a slide that does not match your color, nothing happens — you just stay on that space.
In my experience, slides are what give Sorry! its chaotic energy. One well-timed slide can wipe out an opponent who just spent three turns getting close to Home.
Safety Zones and Home
Entering the Safety Zone
Each player has a Safety Zone — a colored path of spaces just before Home. Only your pawns may enter your Safety Zone. Opponents cannot enter your zone, which means your pawns are protected once they’re inside.
Key Safety Zone rules:
- Pawns cannot enter the Safety Zone by moving backward.
- If a card would move your pawn backward out of the Safety Zone, you must do it.
- You cannot pass your Safety Zone entry point while moving forward on the outer track.
Getting Home
To win, you must move each pawn into Home by exact count. If a card would move your pawn past Home, you cannot use it for that pawn (you’d need to choose another pawn or forfeit). Once a pawn is Home, it stays there for the rest of the game.
Strategy Tips for Sorry!
Sorry! is largely a game of luck, but smart play makes a real difference. Here are the strategies that actually help:
- Don’t rush to get all pawns out at once. Having multiple pawns on the board means more vulnerability to bumps. Sometimes advancing one pawn steadily is better than spreading all three across the track.
- Target the leader, not the easiest opponent. The player closest to Home is your biggest threat. Focus bumps and Sorry! cards on them rather than retaliating emotionally.
- Use your color slides aggressively. Plan your movement so you land on your own slide triangles. A single slide can send two opponents back to Start simultaneously.
- Don’t waste the Sorry! card on weak positions. The Sorry! card is strongest when it sends a pawn that’s nearly in the Safety Zone all the way back to Start. Timing is everything.
- Think about the 4 card strategically. Moving backward 4 can sometimes position you perfectly for a slide or set up a better forward count into Home.
- In the endgame, prioritize exact counts. When a pawn is in the Safety Zone, every card matters. Try to keep at least one pawn on the outer track so the 7 card can be split if needed.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Forgetting you must move if you can. Many players skip turns thinking a bad move is optional — it’s not. If any legal move exists, you must make it.
- Using the Sorry! card when you don’t have a pawn in Start. The Sorry! card can only be played if you have a pawn in Start. Check before getting excited.
- Sliding on the wrong color. You only slide on your own color’s slides. Landing on another color’s triangle does nothing special.
- Forgetting the 2 card draws again. The 2 card is the only card that lets you draw again — don’t skip this bonus turn.
- Trying to split the 7 unevenly. The full 7 must be used when splitting. You can’t move 3 spaces total and call it a split — it must be exactly 7 across however many pawns.
- Moving backward into the Safety Zone. Pawns cannot enter the Safety Zone on a backward move. This one trips up even experienced players.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you have multiple pawns on the same space?
No — except in Start and Home. On the outer track and Safety Zone, each space can only hold one of your pawns at a time. You cannot land on a space occupied by your own pawn.
Can you use the 11 card to swap with a pawn in the Safety Zone?
No. The 11 card swap only works with pawns on the open outer track. Pawns in Safety Zones, Start, or Home cannot be swapped.
What happens if the deck runs out?
Shuffle the discard pile to form a new draw pile and continue playing.
Can a 4 card be used to leave Start?
No. The 4 card moves backward, and you cannot leave Start by moving backward. Only forward-moving cards can bring a pawn out of Start.
Does a slide bump your own pawns too?
Yes. If one of your own pawns is on a slide you trigger, it gets sent back to your Start. Be careful when you’re tempted to use a slide aggressively.
Can you forfeit your turn?
Only if no legal move exists. You cannot voluntarily choose not to move if a legal move is available.
Variations and House Rules
Many families play Sorry! with house rules that have been passed down through generations. While these aren’t official, they’re popular and worth knowing:
- Safe Start: Some groups rule that pawns on their Start space cannot be bumped by a Sorry! card. This makes the game slightly less brutal for beginners.
- Team Play: In a 4-player game, partners sit across from each other and share a Home. The first pair to get all six pawns Home wins.
- Speed Game: Each player only uses two pawns instead of three, making the game shorter and faster.
Is Sorry! Worth Playing Today?
Sorry! has been a family favorite since it was first published in the UK in the 1920s and introduced to North America in the 1930s. Despite its age, it remains one of the enduring classic board games for a reason: it’s easy enough for young kids but delivers genuine tension and moments of drama that keep adults engaged too.
The game doesn’t require reading or complex strategy, which makes it excellent for mixed-age groups. At the same time, there’s enough tactical decision-making — when to use the Sorry! card, how to split the 7, when to risk a slide — that experienced players will find meaningful choices every turn.
If you enjoy Sorry! and want to explore other classics with similar energy, Checkers offers a deeper strategic challenge for players ready to step up. For something with more complexity and a longer playtime, Chess is the ultimate family classic to learn.
Conclusion
Sorry! rewards players who understand the rules deeply enough to use cards at the right moment, time their slides perfectly, and keep an eye on where everyone is on the board. The luck of the draw keeps every game fresh, but knowing exactly how every card works — especially the 7, the 10, and the Sorry! card — gives you a real edge over players who are just improvising.
Set up the board, shuffle the deck, and remember: in Sorry!, no lead is ever truly safe.
