📋 Contents
1 Overview
Sorry! is a classic family racing game where luck and a little cruelty determine the winner. Players draw cards to move their colored pawns around the board from Start to Home, bumping opponents back whenever possible. The first player to get all four pawns safely into their Home zone wins.
2 What You Need
- 1 game board
- 4 sets of 4 pawns (one color per player)
- 1 deck of Sorry! cards (no standard numbers, special card deck)
3 Setup
- Each player places all 4 pawns in their colored Start zone.
- Shuffle the Sorry! card deck and place face-down in the center.
- Youngest player goes first.
4 How to Play
- On your turn, draw the top card and follow its instructions.
- Key cards:
- 1 or 2: Move a pawn out of Start, or move 1/2 spaces forward.
- 3, 5, 8, 12: Move forward that many spaces.
- 4: Move backward 4 spaces.
- 7: Move 7 spaces total, split between two pawns if desired.
- 10: Move forward 10, OR move backward 1 space.
- 11: Move forward 11, OR switch places with any opponent pawn.
- Sorry!: Take a pawn from Start and place it on any space occupied by an opponent, sending them back to their Start.
If you land on a space occupied by an opponent, send them back to their Start. You cannot bump your own pawns. If you cannot move, your turn ends.
Slides: If you land on the start of a colored slide that isn't your color, slide to the end and bump anyone in the way (including your own pawns).
Safety Zone: The 5 spaces before Home are your Safety Zone, opponents cannot enter it. Move pawns in here only when safe.
5 Winning
The first player to move all 4 pawns into their Home space wins. An exact count is required to enter Home (you can't overshoot).
6 Strategy Tips
- Prioritize getting pawns out of Start. Pawns stuck in Start can't score. Play 1s and 2s aggressively to get all four pawns in play.
- Use 7 wisely. Split it between your fastest pawn and one stuck in a vulnerable position.
- The Sorry! card is devastating. Target the opponent pawn closest to Home, sending back a nearly-winning pawn is maximum damage.
- Use 11 (swap) offensively. Swap with the opponent pawn that's closest to their Home and you're nearest to yours.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you use the Sorry card?
When you draw a Sorry card, choose one of your pawns still in Start and move it to any space occupied by an opponent's pawn. That opponent's pawn is sent back to their Start. If you have no pawns in Start, or all opponents' squares are empty, the Sorry card has no effect.
How many pawns does each player have in Sorry?
Each player has 4 pawns of their color. All pawns start in their colored Start area. The goal is to move all 4 pawns around the board and into your Home.
What happens when you land on another player's pawn?
If you land on a square occupied by an opponent's pawn (not in a Safety Zone), you send their pawn back to their Start. You cannot land on your own pawn.
What are the Safety Zone and Slides in Sorry?
The Safety Zone is the colored path of 5 spaces just before your Home, no other player can enter your Safety Zone. Slides are colored sections on the board where landing at the start lets you slide all the way to the end, bumping anyone in between back to Start.
Do you need an exact count to enter Home in Sorry?
Yes. To move a pawn into Home, you must draw or count the exact number needed. You cannot overshoot Home.
7 Complete Card Deck (45 Cards)
| Card | Count | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Move a pawn from Start OR move 1 space forward |
| 2 | 4 | Move a pawn from Start OR move 2 spaces forward; draw again |
| 3 | 4 | Move 3 spaces forward |
| 4 | 4 | Move 4 spaces BACKWARD |
| 5 | 4 | Move 5 spaces forward |
| 7 | 4 | Move 7 spaces total, split between two pawns (any combination adding to 7) |
| 8 | 4 | Move 8 spaces forward |
| 10 | 4 | Move 10 spaces forward OR move 1 space backward |
| 11 | 4 | Move 11 spaces forward OR swap places with any opponent's pawn |
| 12 | 4 | Move 12 spaces forward |
| Sorry! | 4 | Take pawn from Start, place on any space with an opponent's pawn, sending them to Start |
| Total | 45 cards (no 6 or 9 cards exist) | |
Note: There are no 6 or 9 cards in Sorry! The deck uses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, and Sorry cards only.
8 Slides and Safety Zone Details
Slides
The board has colored slide zones. Each slide has a "launch" square and an "end" square. If you land exactly on a launch square that is NOT your color, you slide to the end, bumping every pawn in between (including your own!) back to their Start.
- Slides come in two lengths: short (slide 3) and long (slide 4).
- You only slide on opponent-colored slides. Landing on your own color does nothing special.
- If you slide through a square occupied by a pawn, that pawn is bumped to Start.
Safety Zone
Each player has a 5-square Safety Zone directly before their Home. Only your own pawns may enter your Safety Zone. You cannot bump opponents in the Safety Zone, and they cannot bump you there. You cannot pass through an opponent's Safety Zone.
To enter Home from the Safety Zone, you need the exact count. You cannot overshoot Home. If you overshoot, count backward the extra spaces.
Two-Player Variant
With 2 players, each player controls two colors (8 pawns total, split into two teams). Each player must get all 8 pawns home. Players can bump each other's opponent pawns but not their own across both colors. This variant extends game length.
9 Wrong House Rules
- "The 2 card doesn't let you draw again" (WRONG): Drawing a 2 lets you move out of Start OR move 2 spaces, AND then draw another card. This is the official rule, the extra draw is part of the card.
- "You can slide on your own color" (WRONG): You only slide on slides that are NOT your color. Your own color slides are treated as normal squares.
- "Sorry! card must target the pawn closest to home" (WRONG): You can place the Sorry! pawn on ANY opponent square of your choosing. Targeting the closest pawn to their home is strategy, not a rule.
- "The 7 must go to one pawn" (WRONG): The 7 card's movement can be split between any two of your pawns in any combination adding to 7 (e.g., 3+4, 1+6, 2+5, etc.).
- "You can't enter the Safety Zone backwards" (RULE CHECK): Some editions allow entering the Safety Zone with the backward-4 card if positioned correctly. Check your edition's rules.
10 History of Sorry!
Sorry! originated in England, patented by William Henry Storey in 1929 and published by Waddingtons. The game is based on the ancient Indian game of Pachisi (also the ancestor of Parcheesi and Ludo). Parker Brothers acquired the American rights and published Sorry! in the United States in 1934.
The game's name comes from its core mechanic of sending opponents back to Start, the "sorry!" you're (supposed to) say while doing it. The combination of simple movement rules and the gleefully aggressive Sorry! card made it a family hit that balanced strategy with chaos.
Over the decades, Hasbro (which merged with Parker Brothers) has released numerous versions: Sorry! Sliders (a dexterity variant), Sorry! Express (a speed version), and Sorry! Revenge. The classic version remains in print and is one of the top-selling family board games in history.
11 More Sorry! FAQ
Can you split the 7 card any way you want?
Yes. The 7 card's total movement can be split between any two of your pawns in any combination that adds up to 7: such as 1+6, 2+5, 3+4. You cannot split it three ways or give all 7 to one pawn if you wish to split. If splitting, both moves must be possible.
What happens if you can't move?
If the card drawn cannot be legally played (e.g., you have no pawns in Start and can't use a 1 or 2, or all pawns are blocked), your turn simply passes with no move. You cannot force a move if none is possible.
Can you move backward into your Safety Zone?
In most editions, no, you can only enter the Safety Zone going forward past the entry square. However, some editions and house rules allow backward movement into it from outside. Check your specific edition's rulebook.
Can you use the 11 card to swap with a pawn in the Safety Zone?
No. You cannot swap with any pawn in a Safety Zone (yours or an opponent's). The 11-swap can only target pawns on the main track.
How many cards are in the Sorry deck?
45 cards total. There are 5 ones, 4 twos, 4 threes, 4 fours, 4 fives, 4 sevens, 4 eights, 4 tens, 4 elevens, 4 twelves, and 4 Sorry cards. No 6 or 9 cards exist.
🎲 House Rules
Play Sorry! your way?
Save your house rules and share a link or QR code — friends can pull them up at the table.