The objective in the Sorry game is to move all four game pieces from the START to the HOME space to win. A move in Sorry can be one of two directions, either backwards or forward, but that will depend on which card the player picked from the pile.
Can you move backwards 4 from the start in Sorry? That will depend on whether the player piece is at the START space while the player is making the first move or not. If it’s the player’s first move, then they cannot move their piece backward 4 spaces because the only cards that one can use to start the Sorry game are cards 1 and 2.
However, if it’s not the first move and the piece has already exited the start, then the pawn can move four spaces backwards from the START space if the player draws a 4 card.
It’s advantageous to the player because, in their subsequent turn, they may move in their SAFETY or HOME space without moving around the board.
Moving backwards is not always a bad thing, as many Sorry Fanatics look at it, but that will depend on where the piece is located by the time the move is happening.
A backward move is only beneficial to a player if any of their pawns are around the START space. Otherwise, if the player’s pawns are scattered across the board, it is not a move to wish for.
Answered below are frequently asked questions about moving backwards 4 spaces from the start in Sorry. Depending on the next card the player picks, a backward move can guarantee a player a direct ticket to HOME or SAFETY space without necessarily going around the board.
Can you move backwards in Sorry?
Yes, when a player draws 4-card, they must move four spaces backward from their initial space. For 10-card, the player has the option to move one space backward or 10 spaces forward.
However, that cannot be the first move because the only two cards that can start a Sorry game is card 1 and 2.
The rules of backwards still apply the same way as forward. That means the pawn moved backwards displaces the opponent piece back to its respective START SPACE, and if they fall under space occupied by another player’s pawn, the move cancels out, and the player has to forfeit their turn.
As stated earlier, a backward move with at least two spaces beyond a Pawn START space can move a player’s pawn to the HOME or SAFETY space directly without moving around the Sorry board.
One cannot move backwards into their safety zone, but they can leave the space by a backward move. If that happens, that pawn is allowed to reenter the zone on the player’s subsequent turn.
What cards get you out of the start in Sorry?
According to official Sorry rules, a player can only make their first move from the START space after drawing either a 1 or 2-card in Sorry.
Card 1 allows the player to move their piece one space forward; for card 2, the player still moves one spaces forward, but also gets to draw again.
However, if the piece is on the START space and the player has already taken the first move, playable cards can move the player piece in a backward or forward direction.
How do you move in Sorry?
On the player’s turn, the player has to draw a card from the draw pile and do as the card instructs. A move can be forward or backward. For backward moves, cards 10 and 4 are used.
However, players can only move their pawn out of the START space for the first move if they draw card 1 or 2. If it’s 1, move the pawn one space forward, and for 2, the player still only moves one space, but they get to draw again.
As the pawn moves, it can jump over other pieces, either their own or opponents’.
If the player’s pawn lands on a triangle space of different colors, it slides over to the other end, knocking off any piece along the path, including their own, back to their respective START space.
A pawn cannot move to an unoccupied space without replacing the existing pawn if it belongs to the opponent. If the existing pawn belongs to the same player, the move is not allowed.
Moving Backwards in Sorry: Conclusion
A backward move is not something a player can control because it depends on whether the player draws card 4 or 10, which is a large part chance. As long as it’s not the first move, drawing the above cards will force the player to make the backward move whether they like it or not!
A backward move is not always a wrong move, especially when the player’s pawn is at the START space, because if the next turn things work well for the player, they get a chance to go direct to HOME or SAFETY space without going around the board.
Things go south when none of the player’s pawns are around the START space, and a backward move is initiated. That’s because the progress of those players’ pieces towards the HOME space is prohibited.
Remember, the objective is to reach all pawns to the SAFETY as fast as possible before the opponent does. Use a combination of backwards and forwards movement to get your pieces around the board first.