Rescue

Rescue is a variant on hide and seek that makes the game a great deal more interesting. To play you need at least five people, you can play with less but it isn't really fun, a suitable central base that has a commanding view of the surrounding area. This could be outside in a garden or park or an inside hall that has a lot of different entrances. The base must also not be completely surrounded by open grass as it will be necessary to escape from the base and this is impossible without cover.

To begin with a searcher (itter, tagger, he etc.) must be selected, this can be done simply through volunteering or through more complex methods such as rhyming games or a huge wrestling match. With a large number of people it may be necessary to have more than one searcher, you will get a feel for the area you are playing in and quickly be able to decide whether this is appropriate.

The searcher now counts to 50, or whatever number you deem appropriate, and everyone else hides. It is often a good idea to set a limit on the hiding area before the game begins, for example if you are playing outside no one can hide in the house, or vice versa. When he has finished counting the searcher begins to look for those who have hidden, a la hide and seek. However when they are found they must return to the central base. Anyone who remains unfound and hidden can then free them by waving at them. Trust is very important, which is why this game must be played in a good spirit, not for winning, as if players chose to they can obviously run away without waves making it almost impossible for the searcher. Once you have been waved at you are allowed to leave the base and attempt to hide again. This means you must sneak away from the base and then find a new place to hide. If the searcher manages to capture all players at any one point he has succeeded and the round it over. I commonly play that the first person caught is the next searcher but that is obviously open to variation.

The key with this game when hiding is to try and find somewhere that offers both good cover but also the facility of a line of sight to the base so that you can rescue those caught. Other tactics are available including not hiding at all but merely running from the searcher as he moves around and waving to the base as you go. This tactic is perhaps the only viable one when the game is played inside.

The good thing about this game is that there is no real limit on the number of players, it is fairly quick to learn and can be played for as long a time as you wish. Also it is suitable for both adults and children and I was introduced to it when my family visited another family whose father was friends with mine. We played the game in their garden and it was very enjoyable for all involved. As I said before trust is very important and, as with any game, one person cheating can ruin the it. However the it is very easy to cheat in Rescue but generally people realise that it is just more fun if you don't.

Res"cue (r?s"k?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Rescued (-k?d);p. pr. & vb. n. Rescuing.] [OE. rescopuen, OF. rescourre, rescurre, rescorre; L. pref. re- re- + excutere to shake or drive out; ex out + quatere to shake. See Qtash to crush, Rercussion.]

To free or deliver from any confinement, violence, danger, or evil; to liberate from actual restraint; to remove or withdraw from a state of exposure to evil; as, to rescue a prisoner from the enemy; to rescue seamen from destruction.

Had I been seized by a hungry lion, I would have been a breakfast to the best, Rather than have false Proteus rescue me. Shak.

Syn. -- To retake; recapture; free; deliver; liberate; release; save.

© Webster 1913.

Res"cue (r?s"k?), n. [From Rescue, v.; cf. Rescous.]

1.

The act of rescuing; deliverance from restraint, violence, or danger; liberation.

Spur to the rescue of the noble Talbot. Shak.

2. Law (a)

The forcible retaking, or taking away, against law, of things lawfully distrained.

The forcible liberation of a person from an arrest or imprisonment.

The retaking by a party captured of a prize made by the enemy.

Bouvier.

The rescue of a prisoner from the court is punished with perpetual imprisonment and forfeiture of goods. Blackstone.

Rescue grass. [Etymol. uncertain.] Bot. A tall grass (Ceratochloa unioloides) somewhat resembling chess, cultivated for hay and forage in the Southern States.

© Webster 1913.