Chain breaking

Breaking chains , breaking chains or The Kaiser sends his soldiers out is an old children's game in which two playgroups compete against each other in order to break the human cordon chain of the others in individual actions, thereby taking prisoners and in this way gradually dissolving the other party. It is known under different names and variations in different countries and is distributed worldwide under an almost identical set of rules.

Chain Breaking, England 2010

history

Pedagogy students at "Hana Ichi Monme", the Japanese "breaking chains", Japan 2007

In Great Britain , Canada , Australia and the USA the game under the name "Red Rover" or "British Bulldogs" has a tradition since the 19th century. In Russia and other countries of the former USSR it has also been known for many generations under the names "Ali Baba" ("Али-баба"), "Chained" ("Разрывные цепи") or "Boyars" (или "Бояре") . In Japan the name "Hana Ichi Monme" (花一匁) is used for a similar but less violent game. In the German-speaking countries, the game names "Breaking chains" or "The emperor sends his soldiers out" have been handed down under identical rules since the imperial era of the 19th century. The original meanings of the words, as far as they do not explain themselves, can no longer be etymologically determined.

Game thought

The simple idea of the game initially only involves two parties facing each other in two lines, forming two chains by means of a hand grip and trying to break through the other chain at one point through individual players. Only the stake underlying symbolism proves whether it is generically a pure motion or a war game is.

If the historical background is not recognized or ignored, the game can be handled under the same rules as a sporty party game in which running and fighting are in the foreground. It then counts as a genre to the movement games and in the sub-category to the running games .

If the playing parties symbolically form a "fortress" according to another line of tradition, which is protected by a human wall, the defensive chain of which is to prevent an intruder from breaking through and entering the castle, then it is a symbolic war game. This is also expressed in the vocabulary used and the corresponding game name: Under the title “The emperor sends his soldiers out”, a warlord orders his troops. There are prisoners made, which should weaken strengthen its own defense force or the opponent until one of the lines of defense for lack of soldiers has collapsed or the "Emperor" has lost his "army".

regulate

Game flow

The game needs a free area in a hall or in the open air and at least eight, better still more, players. These are divided into two parties of equal size and each determine one player to be the “emperor”, “king”, “chief” or “game leader”. At a distance of about ten meters, both parties then each form a chain by holding hands. A neutral game leader lets the party starting the game draw lots and monitors the rules of the game . The leader of this party starts the run on the opposing chain with the sentence: “The emperor / king / chief / captain sends out his soldiers / knights / warriors / fighters. This time he sends out the XY ”. In Russia the starting sentence is: "We have forged chains and we won't let them break."

The called player then runs at full speed against the opposing human chain and tries to break it at one point. If he succeeds, he may lead one of the two opponents away from the break as a prisoner. It is incorporated into its own chain. If the breakthrough fails, he himself becomes a prisoner of the other playgroup. Then the game repeats itself with the call of the leader of the opposite side. It ends when one of the players in the game has lost its leader or when the leader can no longer form a chain after losing all of his comrades-in-arms. The leader can send himself out at any time. As the most important person for this, he has two lives. If he fails for the second time on the opposing chain, his game and that of his party are lost. For the formation of chains, the rule applies that no body wall may be formed. Because of the risk of injury, only a bare hand grip is usually allowed instead of the more stable mutual grab handle on the forearms. For tactical reasons, the leader surrounds himself with the strongest players in his squad, because a breakthrough would mean the game's premature end.

variants

The game can also end after a previously agreed time. The party that still has the most players at the time wins. This variant is particularly suitable when there is a specified time limit, for example during a break or in physical education .
The rules of the game can also provide for the elimination of a player involved in the break, which shortens the game time and keeps the parties consistent.

Game evaluation

As part of a scientific study on the game genre of war games , game scientists Siegbert A. Warwitz and Anita Rudolf examined the acceptance of games based on their game names and their vocabulary: the data collected by students and trainee teachers at game parties of parents and teachers show a significant change in attitudes towards games such as “breaking the chain” or the “ dodgeball ” when their warlike background becomes known or when the game name “The emperor sends his soldiers out” and terms such as “taking prisoners” or “storming the enemy fortress” are used with the The idea of "war" can be associated. In many older people you encounter sensitivities and spontaneous rejection. In contrast to the parents and educators, the name of the game is largely insignificant for the playing interest of the children and young people who were also surveyed. It does not evoke any defense. It is inconsistent that the group of adults in the popular sport of football generally accepts or does not question the usual bellicose expressions such as “shoot”, “bomb”, “attack”, “defense”. Warwitz / Rudolf conclude from this that these have already lost their reference to war in the subconscious and have established themselves as metaphors . According to the study, war games are obviously only tolerated by some educators as long as their symbolic background is not recognized or is disguised by non-warlike labeling. For this reason, the alternative game title “Breaking Chain” is usually preferred in the educational field for this traditional game.

The body-hugging movement game "breaking chains" can become very rough if the prescribed distance between the body in the chains is not observed. The game master decides on this. Particularly sensitive children should not be pressured to participate. It is seen as an educational and psychological advantage of the basic set of rules that, apart from one of the two leaders, every player ultimately finds himself in the winning team.

literature

Harald Lange: Running games between children's needs and training criteria . In. Ders .: running, catching and training. 110 games for schools and clubs , Limpert Verlag, Wiebelsheim 2003, ISBN 3-7853-1674-7 , pp. 7-27.
Siegbert A. Warwitz (ed.): Games of other times and peoples - discovered and experienced with children , Karlsruhe 1998.
Siegbert A. Warwitz, Anita Rudolf: The emperor sends his soldiers out or breaking chains , In: Dies .: From the sense of playing. Reflections and game ideas . 4th edition, Schneider, Baltmannsweiler 2016, ISBN 978-3-8340-1664-5 , pp. 254-255.

Web links

Individual evidence

^ Siegbert A. Warwitz (ed.): Games of other times and peoples - discovered and experienced with children , Karlsruhe 1998
↑ Harald Lange: Running games between children's needs and training criteria . In. Ders .: running, catching and training. 110 games for schools and clubs , Limpert Verlag, Wiebelsheim 2003, pp. 7–27
^ Siegbert A. Warwitz, Anita Rudolf: The emperor sends his soldiers out or breaking chains , In: Dies .: From the sense of playing. Reflections and game ideas . 4th edition, Schneider, Baltmannsweiler 2016, pp. 254–255
^ "Breaking chains" with children on video, Russia 2010
↑ "Chain Breaking", Russia 2013
^ Siegbert A. Warwitz, Anita Rudolf: The emperor sends his soldiers out or breaking chains , In: Dies .: From the sense of playing. Reflections and game ideas . 4th edition, Schneider, Baltmannsweiler 2016, pp. 254–255
^ Siegbert A. Warwitz, Anita Rudolf: The assessment of the war game , In: Dies .: From the sense of playing. Reflections and game ideas . 4th edition, Schneider, Baltmannsweiler 2016, pp. 231–136