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Tag

Players	2 or more
Age range	3 and up
Setup time	1 minute or less
Playing time	no limit
Random chance	Low
Skills required	Running, Hiding, Observation

Tag (also known as it, tips, tig, touch, tiggy, tick, dobby, chasing, chasemaster, chasey, Cops and Robbers, and other names) is an informal playground game that involves one or more players attempting to "tag" other players by touching them with an object, usually their hands.

Contents 1 General rules 2 Playground tag 2.1 Cops and Robbers 2.2 Stuck in the mud 3 Variants requiring equipment 3.1 Alligator Tag 3.2 Ball Tag 3.3 Flashlight tag 3.4 Go to Court 3.5 Rebels 3.6 Follow the arrow 3.7 Kick the Can 3.8 Laser tag 3.9 Johnny Rhinoceros 3.10 Manhunt 3.11 Paintball 3.12 Phone tag 3.13 Pickle 3.14 Smear the Queer 3.15 Spud 3.16 Army Dodgeball 3.17 Hospital 3.18 SCUBA Tag 3.19 Line Tag 4 Team tag sports 5 References

[edit] General rules

Played throughout the world,^[1] tag is inherently simple — most forms require neither teams, nor scores, nor sports equipment such as balls — but it may be made more complex with various rule modifications. Both these aspects make tag a popular game among children, and it is often played in informal areas such as playgrounds or backyards.

Many forms of tag include additional rules regarding whether another player is eligible as a target. Thus a "no tag-backs" rule prevents a player from tagging the person who has just tagged him. Other things that render a player to be ineligible as a target is when the player is on or in a pre-determined safe zone (glue) "off the ground", "touching a particular structure", etc.

[edit] Playground tag

A group of players (two or more) decide who is going to be 'it'. "It" then chases the others to get close enough to "tag" them — a touch with the hand — while the others try to escape. A "tag" makes the tagged player "it". The game continues until the players are tired or lose interest. A cry of 'time-out' may be a signal to stop temporarily, and 'time-in' to resume the game. Calling "no tag-backs" or "no returns" after being tagged means that the person tagged must tag another person other than the previous 'it'. For a continuous game of Playground tag, "no tag-backs" cannot be called on the internet, as 'it' would not be in plausible reach of other players.

There are many variants which modify the rules for team play, or place restrictions on tagged players behaviour.

[edit] Cops and Robbers

Cops and Robbers, sometimes called "team tag" or "Chase", has players split into two teams: cops (the "it" team; the team in pursuit) and robbers (the team being chased). The cops arrest the robbers by tagging, and put them in "jail". One of the robbers can stage a jailbreak by tagging one of the prisoners without getting tagged himself.^[2] Unlike ordinary tag, there is a possible conclusion when all the robbers are in jail.

In major cities of northeastern North America, such as New York and Boston, a variant of the Cops and Robbers known as "Ringolevio", "Relievio", or "Ringolario" is played. The distinction between Ringolevio and Cops and Robbers is that in Cops and Robbers, the game is generally confined to an open field, with all players out in the open, while in Ringolevio, players on the "robbers" team are permitted a limited time to "hide".

[edit] Stuck in the mud

Also known as "freeze tag", players who are tagged are "frozen" and must stand in place until they are "unfrozen". To become "unfrozen", a player must have a non-frozen player perform some action, such as tag them again, or crawl between their legs, or other specific actions, to unfreeze them.

[edit] Variants requiring equipment

Some variants of tag use special equipment such as balls, guns, or even flashlights to replace tagging by hand.

[edit] Alligator Tag

A game of tag that takes place on a Jungle Gym or other large piece of playground equipment that is easily traversed. The basic rule is that the person that is "it" cannot get on the equipment, trying to tag the person while on the ground. It is so named apparently because the person who's "it" is an alligator, and cannot climb on such equipment.

[edit] Ball Tag

Ball Tag is a variation of tag and Dodgeball. It is generally played with a tennis ball, but in supervised versions a dodgeball is often used. The game is played with standard tag rules, except the person who is "it" uses a ball to tag other players. The ball may not be picked up off the ground by anyone other than the "it." If a person who is not "it" intentionally picks up the ball, they are "it" for two turns, unless they tag the person who was originally "it."

Sometimes, Dodgeball rules are incorporated. One such rule is that if a person catches the ball thrown at them, the person who threw the ball is still "it". The catcher can then throw the ball anywhere on the course, making the "it's" job more difficult. Another Dodgeball rule is that if a ball that is bounced off a tagged person is caught by another player without the ball touching another object, the person who was tagged is it.

Like British Bulldog, the game is banned in a number of school playgrounds for being overly violent.

In Australia, 'Ball Chasey' is often referred to as 'Brandings' or 'Brandy'. The name originates from the variant where the game is played with a tennis ball that has been soaked in water. These leave a mark (or brand) when hitting clothing.

Like ball tag, 'subdivision tag' is played in a much larger area. (hence subdivision) and instead of running it is played on bicycles

[edit] Flashlight tag

Flashlight tag, also called "Army Tag," "Spotlight" and "German Spotlight" (a name some consider offensive) is played at night. Rather than physically tagging each other, the "it" player can tag the others by shining a flashlight beam on them.

As with most playground games, local variations exist from place to place. In some versions, the "it" player is required to correctly call out the name of the person being tagged while the light shines on them. In others, the "it" player must remain motionless while other players may freely roam the field of play. Some versions are played "tag" style, where a caught player becomes the new "it", while others are played "cops and robbers" style, where a caught player is sent to "jail" and must be rescued to return to the field of play.

[edit] Go to Court

Go to Court is a variation of tag involving "fugitives" and "marshals". The marshals consist of approximately 1/5 of the total group and in either a dark house or neighbourhood, the marshals reach the appropriate count and begin pursuing the fugitives. If a fugitive is spotted a marshal may shout "Go to court!" whereupon the fugitive must go to a designated spot and await physical contact from another fugitive to resume part in the game. The marshals win if they successfully gather all of the fugitives.

[edit] Rebels

"Rebels" is ideally played in a darkened house. Roughly one fifth of the group is assigned to the role of the ruling class, and the rest are revolutionaries. The revolutionaries disperse into the dark house apart from each other, while those representing the ruling class count to an appropriate number. After the ruling class is done counting, the game begins, and the revolutionaries attempt to all group together, and they win the game if they all touch hands at one time. Members of the ruling class have flashlights or illuminated cellphones, and roam the house looking for rebels. If they find a rebel, they must identify him by name, and take him to any spot in the house they wish, where the rebel must count to thirty in his head before leaving and searching for other rebels. The game ends when all the rebels all join together. A time limit for the rebels can be instated so that the ruling class has a chance to win as well.

[edit] Follow the arrow

This extensive variant requires chalk and a large arena (typically an entire housing estate) and, well played, can last all day. The hiders are given a substantial lead (at least two minutes, often more) and head off, leaving hints as to their route in the form of chalk arrows. They will, from time to time, leave double-headed arrows to confuse the chasers. The chasers (usually a pair, since the game can last a while) must decide which arrows are genuine. If they follow the wrong route they will eventually find a 'double-back' arrow and will have to retrace. It can be played as pure 'chase' or with the object of the hiders coming up behind "it" and tagging them.

[edit] Kick the Can

In Kick the can, tagged players must sit in a "jail" until a free player kicks a soda can or some other object near the jail, freeing everyone.

[edit] Laser tag

Laser tag is very similar to flashlight tag in that it uses beams of light for the purposes of tagging. However, laser tag uses special equipment to avoid the inevitable arguments that arise in flashlight tag about whether one was actually tagged. Players carry "guns" instead, which emit beams of light. They also wear electronic equipment that can detect these beams and thus register being "hit". The equipment can be quite sophisticated, often with built-in scoring systems and various penalties for taking hits.

[edit] Johnny Rhinoceros

Johnny Rhinoceros is a variation of tag and is structured in a way that eliminates the stigma in tag of being “it”. In Johnny Rhinoceros, participants choose when and if they want to be the pursuer or the pursued, and if one never chooses to be a rhinoceros it has no negative impact on the game.

[edit] Manhunt

Manhunt is another variant of tag, which is like a mixture of hide n' seek and tag. but this game is played at night. One person is "it", while the other players have to hide. The people who aren't "it" usually have 30 seconds to hide. Then, the person who is it tries to find and tag them. The game is over when all players are out.

In another version of this game, there is a home base in which a player is safe if he can get to it. That version is over when all players who aren't safe are out.

[edit] Paintball

Paintball is a sport in which players use compressed air guns (called "paintball markers") to tag other players with paint-filled pellets. Games are usually played on commercial fields with a strict set of safety and gameplay rules.

[edit] Phone tag

Phone tag is not exactly a game, but more a reference to the game of tag. Phone tag occurs when two senders try to reach each other by telephone but always reach each other's voice mail and leave messages instead. After two or three back and forth messages, it is not uncommon for a person to jokingly say, "Tag, you're it." A more recent derivative of phone tag is IM Tag.

[edit] Pickle

Pickle (or sometimes referred to as Hot Box, particularly when using a baseball, also called Stolen Bases) is a form of tag that is played with a ball (generally something soft like a tennis ball) and two bases (usually trees). One player guards each base while the others run between them. Players are safe while touching a base; however, while running from one base to another, players are vulnerable to being tag by balls thrown by the base guards. If a runner is hit by the ball, he replaces the guard who threw it, and that guard becomes a runner.

[edit] Smear the Queer

Smear the Queer (sometimes called "muckle" or other names) is the reverse of regular tag; instead of "it" having to chase the other players, all of the other players chase after "it", who is also called "the queer". This player is often denoted by carrying a ball (usually a football) or other object. When he is caught, he is tackled (or "smeared"). Determining who is to be the next "queer" is determined by a variety of methods. Sometimes, the last player arriving to tackle the former queer is the next queer; in other variations the queer throws the ball up in the air, where it is caught by another player who becomes the next queer.

[edit] Spud

Spud is a tag variant that is best played in large, open areas. Players begin each round in a central location. "It" then throws a ball high into the air. The other players run but must stop as soon as "it" catches the ball and shouts "Spud!" "It" may then take three large steps toward the player of his choosing before throwing the ball at that player. If the ball hits the target, that player becomes "it", and the game starts over.

One variation of Spud requires numbering the participants. "It" throws the ball in the air and calls out a number. Whichever player's number is called instantly becomes "it", and must catch the ball and shout "Spud" as above. This variation does not require all participants to gather in one location at the beginning, but if one player is far away and his or her number is called, it will take longer for him or her to catch the ball.

[edit] Army Dodgeball

Army Dodgeball consists of two teams, and is normally played in a small to medium-small sized arena (such as a basketball court, or small parking lot). The two teams are picked and a line is made in the center of the playing area. Each team is assigned a side and neither team may cross the center line. One or several balls is/are then distributed to the team(s). Each player then tries to hit the other team's players with the ball, and the spot that is hit is therefore "wounded" and the player must move to the back of the playing area and wait for the "medic" to come heal them. The medic is one player assigned at the beginning of the game by each team. As the two teams throw the ball(s) at each other, if a "wounded" player is hit by a ball before being "healed" they are then removed from the game. The game ends when one player remains unwounded and not out. The game is best played by a medium-sized group (10-30) and lasts for 20 minutes to an hour.

[edit] Hospital

Hospital, also known as Doctor Dodgeball, is a variant of dodgeball and is similar to Army Dodgeball. It contains two teams, each consisting of usually 5 or more players. The play area is a basketball court. A line in the center of the play area separates the two sides and crossing to the other team's side is illegal in almost all circumstances. On the line, many dodgeballs are placed, and when the game begins, the players run towards them to get them. When hit by a dodgeball, you are out, though if you are hit in the head purposefully or if you catch a ball thrown at you, whoever threw the ball is out. One person is the doctor, and only they can heal people. When the doctor is out, a dodgeball must be thrown in the opposite team's basketball hoop before everyone gets out to revive everyone on their team. One or two players are spies. Spies are the only people that can go to the other team's side. When the identity of the spies or doctor is found out, the name is usually told to the other teammates so that they know who to target to make the game easier to win for them. Games last until all players on one side are out.

[edit] SCUBA Tag

Scuba diving enthusiasts around the world are constantly searching for further ways to enhance their diving experiences, from this desire has sprung the challenging game of SCUBA Tag. Played in the water with the assistance of dive gear, SCUBA Tag follows the same flexible rules of basic tag (game). Typically, the game zone is recognized as being within 100ft of one's dive flag. Basic diving skills are required to maintain buoyancy and speed, and it is advised that participants be familiar with the basic diving hazards and precautions. Variations of this game include scuba night tag (see night diving) and scuba grab ass.

[edit] Line Tag

Very similar to the traditional game of tag except that lines are marked on the ground (usually in chalk if outdoors or with masking tape indoors) and players must stay on the lines when moving around. Lines are not in a linear fashion, but instead connecting in random ways to give players options instead of being tagged because a player is stuck behind another player.

[edit] Team tag sports

In South Asia, two sports are variants of tag, played at the team level, sometimes internationally. Kabaddi is the more widespread of the two, and is included in the Asian Games and even has a world championship, being played throughout India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Iran, as well as in Indian communities in Canada, Great Britain, the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands. It was also demonstrated in 1936 Berlin Olympics. The other tag sport is called kho kho.

[edit] References