Darebase facts for kids

Darebase is an exciting tag game played by two or more teams. It's also known as prisoners' base or Chevy Chace. This game needs an open field and is all about being fast and agile.

Darebase is a bit like capture the flag. Both games involve chasing, capturing, and trying to take over. But Darebase is different because it has a large "no-man's land" in the middle. Each team has a base at opposite ends of the field.

The game field can be as big as a basketball court or even half a football or soccer field. Each team's base is on their side. If the bases are too far apart, the game might not be as fun.

You can play Darebase with as few as ten players. It can even work with a hundred or more! Just make sure the field and bases are big enough for everyone.

Darebase is popular in many places, especially in the United States. It's a favorite game during recess and at summer camps. People love it because it's simple, flexible, and can include players of all ages and skill levels. It's also very fast-paced and exciting!

How to Win in Darebase

Darebase is a game where teams try to outsmart each other. There are a few ways to win:

• Capture all opponents: You win if your team captures every player from the other team.
• Occupy the enemy base: If the other team's base is empty, you can win by having a player from your team touch or stand in their base.
• Most captured players: If you set a time limit for the game, the team that has captured more of the opposing players wins when time runs out.
• Ultimate dare: In some versions, a player can win by running all the way around the opposing team's base and getting back to their own base without being tagged. This is a big risk!

Understanding "Fresher"

To capture an opponent, you need to be "fresher" than them. This means you entered the middle playing area after the player you want to tag.

• You can become "fresher" by going back to your own team's base line.
• You can also become "fresher" by touching the opposing team's base line. This makes you safe from capture for a short time.

In Hawaii, this idea of being "fresher" is called "mana," which means power. Your mana goes down over time, and you recharge it by returning to your base. Some versions even let players share mana, but this can get confusing with many players.

Dares and Waves of Action

Games often start with players making "dares." A dare is when a player goes close to the enemy base. They are trying to get an opponent to chase them.

• The player being chased needs to decide how far they can go without being caught. This depends on their speed, the pursuer's speed, and if teammates are ready to help.
• Getting as close as possible to the "point of no return" without crossing it gives you a big advantage. This makes the game exciting!
• If both teams are too careful, the game can become a stalemate, where nothing much happens.

If a dare is accepted, the pursuer might cross their own "point of no return" to try and tag the other player. This usually makes players from the chased team come out to help. When one team crosses their line, the other team often sends out "fresher" players. This creates "waves" of action in the middle of the field.

If a pursuer faces a "fresher" opponent, they have choices:

• They can retreat back to their own line or to a "fresher" teammate.
• They can try to finish the capture.
• They can try to run past the opponent's base line if it's not guarded.

Becoming a Spy

Getting across the opposing team's base line is a huge advantage. A player who does this is sometimes called a "spy."

• A spy can chase opponents from behind, which is very tricky for the other team.
• The other team has to guard a spy closely, which means one or more of their players are busy.
• A spy might stay in place to keep threatening the other team.
• But usually, a spy will use their advantage to try and capture one of the opposing team's fastest players. This is why spies are treated with great caution!

Jail and Rescues

When a player captures an opponent, both players become inactive. The captor must escort the captured player to jail.

• Each team's jail is usually in a corner of the field. It's marked by something like a cone or a piece of clothing.
• The jailed player must touch the jail point to be rescued. They can stretch out to make it easier for rescuers.
• If more players are captured, they must hold hands or touch the player before them, forming a chain. As the chain gets longer, it gets closer to the team's base line, making rescues easier.

To free players from jail, a rescuer must tag a jailed player. There are different ways this can work:

• One at a time: Only the player who has been in jail the longest can be freed. The newest prisoner joins the chain at the jail point, and older prisoners move towards the end of the line. The oldest prisoner must be tagged.
• All at once: If any jailed player is tagged, all players in jail are freed.
• Hybrid method: To free everyone, the rescuer must tag the jail point itself. Or, they can free just the oldest prisoner by tagging them directly at the end of the line.

Once a rescuer frees players, they and the freed players are safe from capture. They can walk back to their team's base without being tagged. This is often called a "free walk."

Roles Players Take On

In Darebase, players naturally find roles without much planning:

• Some players like to be "out front." They try to get the fastest players from the other team to chase them. This often leads to one team capturing the other's fastest players, or gaining the advantage of crossing the enemy line.
• Other players prefer to stay closer to their own base. They play more defensively. They might guard their base line, protect the jail, or keep an eye on enemy spies.