What are roles in Tag?

Section 4: Players & Officials

Minimum: 3 players (1 IT and at least 2 runners). While 2 players can technically play, the game is far more dynamic with 3 or more.
Ideal group size: 5 to 15 players for classic tag
Large groups: 15 to 40+ players can play team-based variants such as Blob Tag, Zombie Tag, or British Bulldog
There is no upper limit on player count, though larger groups benefit from larger play areas and team-based variants

Before the game begins, one player must be designated as IT. Common selection methods include:

Volunteer: A player volunteers to be IT first
Counting rhyme: Players stand in a circle while one person points to each player in turn while reciting a rhyme (e.g., "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe"); the last player pointed to is IT (or is eliminated, with the final remaining player becoming IT)
Last one to a spot: All players race to touch a designated object; the last player to arrive is IT
Random selection: Drawing straws, flipping a coin, or using a random number
Previous game: The last person tagged in the previous round starts as IT
Nose goes: When someone calls "nose goes," the last player to touch their nose is IT

IT (Chaser): The player whose goal is to tag another player. IT actively pursues runners. In some variants, there may be multiple ITs.
Runners (Evaders): All other players. Their goal is to avoid being tagged by IT while staying within the boundaries.
Freed players (variant-specific): In Freeze Tag, Tunnel Tag, and similar variants, runners who have been tagged take on a temporary "frozen" state until freed by another runner.

Tag is a self-governed game. There are no referees, umpires, or officials in any standard form of tag.

Players are expected to honestly acknowledge when they have been tagged
Disputes are resolved by group consensus, re-doing the play, or "do-over" rules
An adult supervisor may serve as a neutral arbiter for younger children but does not formally officiate
In organized recreational or camp settings, a counselor or teacher may set the rules and settle disputes

Tag naturally accommodates mixed ages and abilities
For groups with significant speed differences, consider handicaps such as requiring faster players to skip or hop
Smaller children can be given a head start or a closer base
Wheelchair users can participate with adapted boundaries and tagging rules (touching the chair counts as a tag)

Minimum: 3 players (1 IT and at least 2 runners). While 2 players can technically play, the game is far more dynamic with 3 or more.
Ideal group size: 5 to 15 players for classic tag
Large groups: 15 to 40+ players can play team-based variants such as Blob Tag, Zombie Tag, or British Bulldog
There is no upper limit on player count, though larger groups benefit from larger play areas and team-based variants

Before the game begins, one player must be designated as IT. Common selection methods include:

Volunteer: A player volunteers to be IT first
Counting rhyme: Players stand in a circle while one person points to each player in turn while reciting a rhyme (e.g., "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe"); the last player pointed to is IT (or is eliminated, with the final remaining player becoming IT)
Last one to a spot: All players race to touch a designated object; the last player to arrive is IT
Random selection: Drawing straws, flipping a coin, or using a random number
Previous game: The last person tagged in the previous round starts as IT
Nose goes: When someone calls "nose goes," the last player to touch their nose is IT

IT (Chaser): The player whose goal is to tag another player. IT actively pursues runners. In some variants, there may be multiple ITs.
Runners (Evaders): All other players. Their goal is to avoid being tagged by IT while staying within the boundaries.
Freed players (variant-specific): In Freeze Tag, Tunnel Tag, and similar variants, runners who have been tagged take on a temporary "frozen" state until freed by another runner.

Tag is a self-governed game. There are no referees, umpires, or officials in any standard form of tag.

Players are expected to honestly acknowledge when they have been tagged
Disputes are resolved by group consensus, re-doing the play, or "do-over" rules
An adult supervisor may serve as a neutral arbiter for younger children but does not formally officiate
In organized recreational or camp settings, a counselor or teacher may set the rules and settle disputes

Tag naturally accommodates mixed ages and abilities
For groups with significant speed differences, consider handicaps such as requiring faster players to skip or hop
Smaller children can be given a head start or a closer base
Wheelchair users can participate with adapted boundaries and tagging rules (touching the chair counts as a tag)