NCTest | Python Fiddle

import pygame
import random

# Define some colors
black = (0, 0, 0) # defines all colours to be used throughout the program
white = (255, 255, 255)
red = (255, 0, 0)
light_red = (255, 100, 100)
green = (0, 255, 0)
light_green = (100, 255, 100)
blue = (0, 0, 255)
light_blue = (100, 100, 255)
yellow = (255, 255, 0)
light_yellow = (255, 255, 100)

# This sets the WIDTH and HEIGHT of each grid location
WIDTH = 50
HEIGHT = 50
MARGIN = 5
# Create a 2 dimensional array. A two dimensional
# array is simply a list of lists.
grid = []

for row in range(9):
    # Add an empty array that will hold each cell
    # in this row
    grid.append([])
    for column in range(7):
        grid[row].append(0)  # Append a cell
 
# Set row 1, cell 5 to one. (Remember rows and
# column numbers start at zero.)
grid[0][0] = 20
grid[0][1] = 20
grid[0][5] = 10
grid[0][6] = 10
grid[8][0] = 11
grid[8][1] = 11
grid[8][5] = 21
grid[8][6] = 21
# Initialize pygame
pygame.init()

# Set the HEIGHT and WIDTH of the screen
WINDOW_SIZE = [1020, 576]
screen = pygame.display.set_mode(WINDOW_SIZE)
 
# Set title of screen
pygame.display.set_caption("Array Backed Grid")

# Used to manage how fast the screen updates
clock = pygame.time.Clock()

dice_1_img = pygame.image.load("Dice_roll_1.png")
dice_2_img = pygame.image.load("Dice_roll_2.png")
dice_3_img = pygame.image.load("Dice_roll_3.png")
dice_4_img = pygame.image.load("Dice_roll_4.png")
arrow_left_img = pygame.image.load("arrow_left.png")
arrow_left_green_img = pygame.image.load("arrow_left_green.png")
arrow_up_img = pygame.image.load("arrow_up.png")
arrow_up_green_img = pygame.image.load("arrow_up_green.png")
arrow_right_img = pygame.image.load("arrow_right.png")
arrow_right_green_img = pygame.image.load("arrow_right_green.png")

p1_c1_rowpos = 8
    p1_c1_colpos = 0 
    p1_c2_rowpos = 8
    p1_c2_colpos = 1
    p2_c1_rowpos = 8
    p2_c1_colpos = 5 
    p2_c2_rowpos = 8
    p2_c2_colpos = 6
                    
def left(counter_row, counter_col, taken, blot, start, home, dice_value):
                        if counter_col - dice_value >= 0:
                            if grid[counter_row][counter_col - dice_value] == 0 or grid[counter_row][counter_col - dice_value] == blot or grid[counter_row][counter_col - dice_value] == home:
                                grid[counter_row][counter_col - dice_value] = taken
                                grid[counter_row][counter_col] = 0
                                counter_col = counter_col - dice_value
                                dir_chosen = True
                                dice_rolled = False
                                
                            else:
                                print("illegal move")
                        elif counter_col - dice_value < 0 and counter_col != 0:
                            if grid[counter_row][0] == 0 or grid[counter_row][0] == blot or grid[counter_row][0] == home:
                                grid[counter_row][0] = taken
                                grid[counter_row][counter_col] = 0
                                counter_col = 0
                                dir_chosen = True
                                dice_rolled = False
                            else:
                                print("illegal move")
                        else:
                            print("illegal move")
                        ####TRYING TO TAKE counter_col FROM HERE AND CALL IT AFTER THIS FUNCTION HAS RAN TO CHANGE THE STARTING POSITION OF COUNTER
def right(counter_row, counter_col, taken, blot, start, home, dice_value):
                        if counter_col + dice_value <= 6:
                            if grid[counter_row][counter_col + dice_value] == 0 or grid[counter_row][counter_col + dice_value] == blot or grid[counter_row][counter_col - dice_value] == home:
                                grid[counter_row][counter_col + dice_value] = taken
                                grid[counter_row][counter_col] = 0
                                counter_col = counter_col + dice_value
                                dir_chosen = True
                                dice_rolled = False
                            else:
                                print("illegal move")
                        elif counter_col + dice_value > 6 and counter_col != 6:
                            if grid[counter_row][6] == 0 or grid[counter_row][6] == blot or grid[counter_row][6] == home:
                                grid[counter_row][6] = taken
                                grid[counter_row][counter_col] = 0
                                counter_col = 6
                                dir_chosen = True
                                dice_rolled = False
                            else:
                                print("illegal move")
                        else:
                            print("illegal move")          
                        ####TRYING TO TAKE counter_col FROM HERE AND CALL IT AFTER THIS FUNCTION HAS RAN TO CHANGE THE STARTING POSITION OF COUNTER
def up(counter_row, counter_col, taken, blot, start, home, dice_value):
                        if counter_row - dice_value >= 0:
                            if grid[counter_row - dice_value][counter_col] == 0 or grid[counter_row - dice_value][counter_col] == blot or grid[counter_row - dice_value][counter_col] == home:
                                grid[counter_row - dice_value][counter_col] = taken
                                grid[counter_row][counter_col] = 0
                                counter_row = counter_row - dice_value
                                dir_chosen = True
                                dice_rolled = False
                            else:
                                print("illegal move")
                        elif counter_row - dice_value < 0 and counter_row != 0:
                            if grid[0][counter_col] == 0 or grid[0][counter_col] == blot or grid[0][counter_col] == home:
                                grid[0][counter_col] = taken
                                grid[counter_row][counter_col] = 0
                                counter_row = 0
                                dir_chosen = True
                                dice_rolled = False
                            else:
                                print("illegal move")
                        else:
                            print("illegal move")
                        ####TRYING TO TAKE counter_row FROM HERE AND CALL IT AFTER THIS FUNCTION HAS RAN TO CHANGE THE STARTING POSITION OF COUNTER
    # -------- Main Program Loop -----------
def game_play():
    running = True
    dice_rolled = False
    dir_chosen = False
    
    
    while running:
        for event in pygame.event.get():  # User did something
            if event.type == pygame.QUIT:  # If user clicked close
                running = False  # Flag that we are done so we exit this loop
            if event.type == pygame.MOUSEBUTTONDOWN:
                mouse = pygame.mouse.get_pos()
                if (140 + 75 > mouse[0] > 140 and 213 + 75 > mouse[1] > 213) and dice_rolled == False:
                    dice_value = random.randrange(1, 5)
                    if dice_value == 1:
                        screen.blit(dice_1_img, [140, 213])
                    if dice_value == 2:
                        screen.blit(dice_2_img, [140, 213])
                    if dice_value == 3:
                        screen.blit(dice_3_img, [140, 213])
                    if dice_value == 4:
                        screen.blit(dice_4_img, [140, 213])
                    pygame.display.update()
                    dice_rolled = True
                    dir_chosen = False
    
                if (65 + 75 > mouse[0] > 65 and 438 + 75 > mouse[1] > 438) and dice_rolled == True and dir_chosen == False:
                    print("left", dice_value)
                    left(p1_c1_rowpos, p1_c1_colpos, 1, 2, 11, 10, dice_value)
                    dir_chosen = True
                    dice_rolled = False
                    ###I WANT p1_c1_colpos TO CHANGE TO WHATEVER counter_col IS AFTER IT'S COME OUT OF THE FUNCTION
                    ###IVE TRIED USING THE RETURN FUNCTION BUT I CANT GET IT TO WORK
                if (215 + 75 > mouse[0] > 215 and 438 + 75 > mouse[1] > 438) and dice_rolled == True and dir_chosen == False:
                    print("right", dice_value)    
                    right(p1_c1_rowpos, p1_c1_colpos, 1, 2, 11, 10, dice_value)
                    dir_chosen = True
                    dice_rolled = False
                    ###I WANT p1_c1_colpos TO CHANGE TO WHATEVER counter_col IS AFTER IT'S COME OUT OF THE FUNCTION
                    ###IVE TRIED USING THE RETURN FUNCTION BUT I CANT GET IT TO WORK
                if (140 + 75 > mouse[0] > 140 and 363 + 75 > mouse[1] > 363) and dice_rolled == True and dir_chosen == False:
                    print("up", dice_value)
                    up(p1_c1_rowpos, p1_c1_colpos, 1, 2, 11, 10, dice_value)
                    dir_chosen = True
                    dice_rolled = False    
                    ###I WANT p1_c1_rowpos TO CHANGE TO WHATEVER counter_row IS AFTER IT'S COME OUT OF THE FUNCTION
                    ###IVE TRIED USING THE RETURN FUNCTION BUT I CANT GET IT TO WORK

screen.blit(arrow_left_img, [65, 438])
        screen.blit(arrow_up_img, [140, 363])
        screen.blit(arrow_right_img, [215, 438])
        
        pygame.display.update()
        # Draw the grid
        for row in range(9):
            for column in range(7):
                reccolor = white
                ellcolor = white
                if grid[row][column] == 10:
                    reccolor = light_red
                    ellcolor = light_red
                if grid[row][column] == 20:
                    reccolor = light_blue
                    ellcolor = light_blue
                if grid[row][column] == 11:
                    reccolor = light_red
                    ellcolor = red
                if grid[row][column] == 21:
                    reccolor = light_blue
                    ellcolor = blue
                if grid[row][column] == 1:
                    reccolor = white
                    ellcolor = red 
                if grid[row][column] == 2:
                    reccolor = white
                    ellcolor = blue
                            
                pygame.draw.rect(screen,
                                 reccolor,
                                 [((MARGIN + WIDTH) * column + MARGIN)+ 317,
                                  ((MARGIN + HEIGHT) * row + MARGIN) + 52,
                                  WIDTH,
                                  HEIGHT])
                pygame.draw.ellipse(screen,
                                 ellcolor,
                                 [((MARGIN + WIDTH) * column + MARGIN)+ 317,
                                  ((MARGIN + HEIGHT) * row + MARGIN) + 52,
                                  WIDTH,
                                  HEIGHT])

# Limit to 60 frames per second
        clock.tick(60)
    
        pygame.display.flip()
game_play()

pygame.quit()

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