Section 6: Scoring
Classic Tag — No Scoring
In traditional tag, there is no formal scoring system. The game is continuous and does not have a defined winner or loser. The objective is simply the experience of chasing and evading. Play continues until the group collectively decides to stop or switch games.
Elimination-Based Variants
Several tag variants have a natural "last one standing" win condition:
- Zombie Tag: The last Survivor wins
- Blob Tag: The last player not absorbed into the Blob wins
- Sharks and Minnows: The last Minnow standing wins
- Freeze Tag: If IT freezes all runners, IT wins; if time expires with runners still free, the runners win
Timed Scoring
For groups that want a competitive element, timed scoring can be applied to classic tag:
- IT duration: Track how long each player spends as IT during a set time period. The player with the least time as IT wins.
- Tag count: Track how many tags each IT makes before being replaced. The player with the most tags in a round wins.
- Survival time: In one-IT games, track how long each runner avoids being tagged. The player who survives the longest wins.
Team Scoring
In team-based variants, scoring is typically round-based:
- Cops and Robbers: Time how long it takes Cops to jail all Robbers. Teams swap roles. The team that jails all opponents faster wins.
- Sharks and Minnows: Count how many Minnows survive each crossing. The team with more survivors across rounds wins.
- Capture the Flag Tag: Points are awarded per flag capture. First team to an agreed number of captures wins.
Point Systems (Optional)
For organized play or physical education classes, a point system can formalize the game:
- 1 point for each successful tag (as IT)
- 1 point for each successful evasion lasting more than 30 seconds
- 2 points for freeing a frozen teammate (Freeze Tag, Tunnel Tag)
- 3 points for being the last player standing in elimination variants
- Points are tallied across multiple rounds; the player or team with the most points at the end of the session wins