Section 1: Introduction
Marco Polo is a swimming-pool version of tag played by listening. One player, called “Marco” or “It,” keeps their eyes closed and tries to tag another player. Whenever Marco calls “Marco!”, the other players answer “Polo!”, giving away their positions through sound.
The fun comes from quiet movement, changing direction, and following voices. Players avoiding Marco keep their eyes open. Once someone is tagged, that player becomes the new Marco and the game continues.
This is a custom recreational rulebook describing the familiar game with explicit house rules for consistent play. Marco Polo has no single governing body or universally standardized rulebook. The setup count, boundaries, safety restrictions, and dispute procedures below are rules for this version, not official competition standards.
- Objective for Marco: Make a gentle, legal tag while locating players by sound.
- Objective for everyone else: Avoid the tag while staying within the playing area and answering every call.
- Style of play: Continuous role changes, usually without points, elimination, or an overall winner.
Section 2: Equipment
Required: A pool and swimwear suitable for swimming. For this rulebook, use a shallow, designated part of the pool where every participant can stand comfortably with their mouth and nose above water. The playable space must also meet the conditions in the Playing Area section.
No ball, goals, scoring equipment, or special costume is needed. There are no standardized pool dimensions or swimwear specifications for Marco Polo. Follow the facility’s clothing and pool-use requirements.
- Goggles: Optional. Wearing them does not allow Marco to look during active play.
- Blindfolds: Do not use them in this version. Marco closes their eyes and must be able to open them immediately when play stops.
- Loose equipment: Remove toys, floating obstacles, and loose items from the playing area.
- Personal items: Remove jewelry or accessories that could scratch, snag, or interfere with movement.
A flotation aid does not make an otherwise unsuitable participant or playing area suitable for this eyes-closed game. Choose an activity with eyes open if a player cannot move and regain a stable standing position independently in the selected area.
Section 3: Playing Area
Agree on the boundaries before choosing Marco. Use a clear, uncrowded part of a pool with an even floor and a depth suitable for the shortest participant. There is no regulation length, width, or depth: choose the area according to the actual players and conditions.
Keep the playing area away from steps, ladders, diving areas, slides, lane ropes, and changes in depth. Leave enough space for players to move without collisions, but keep the area small enough that everyone can hear and answer a normal call.
- Explain all boundaries to every player, including Marco before they close their eyes.
- Keep uninvolved swimmers outside the game area. Pause if someone enters it.
- Do not use ropes, pool fittings, or other obstacles as hiding places.
- No poolside running, jumping into the game, or climbing out to escape a tag.
- There is no safe base. Holding the pool edge does not grant immunity, although anyone may stop playing to rest.
Because Marco cannot see the boundaries, the other players and supervising adult must call “Stop!” before Marco reaches an obstacle or leaves the agreed space. Reset in a clear position instead of continuing a chase near a hazard.
Section 4: Players & Officials
At least two players are needed: one Marco and one player to chase. Three or more usually provide more opportunities to follow different voices. There is no fixed maximum, but reduce the group if players cannot maintain space or hear each other clearly.
Choose the first Marco by volunteering, drawing lots, or another agreed fair method. Only one player is Marco at a time in the base game. All other players act independently; there are no teams.
- Marco: Keeps eyes closed during active play, calls “Marco!”, listens, and attempts gentle tags.
- Other players: Keep eyes open, answer “Polo!”, avoid tags, and watch for hazards.
- Supervising adult: For children’s games, a designated adult outside the game watches continuously and stops unsafe play.
- Optional organizer: May explain boundaries, settle disputes, and arrange fair turns. A formal referee is unnecessary.
Every participant must be comfortable with the selected water depth and able to move safely. Let players decline the Marco role or leave the game without pressure. Adjust the group or choose another game when differences in size, confidence, or mobility make play unsafe.
Section 5: Rules of Play
Starting a turn
- Confirm the boundaries, stop signal, and any variations before play.
- Place Marco in a clear starting position. Marco closes their eyes; nobody spins or disorients them.
- Marco counts aloud to ten while the other players spread out within the water. This ten-count is the setup convention used in this rulebook.
- After the count, Marco calls “Marco!” to begin the chase.
Calling and moving
Every active player other than Marco must answer each “Marco!” with an audible “Polo!” promptly enough to be useful. Answer from your actual position; do not have someone else answer for you. Marco may call repeatedly, allowing enough time to hear each response.
Marco moves carefully toward voices and other natural sounds. The other players may change position before or after answering. In this version, everyone keeps their face above the surface and moves at a controlled pace. Deliberate underwater hiding, breath-holding contests, and loud splashing to drown out replies are not allowed.
Making a tag
A tag is a light touch with an open hand to another player’s arm, shoulder, back, or torso. Do not tag the head or neck, grab clothing, hold a person, push, or pull. Marco must have their eyes closed at the moment of the tag for it to count.
On a clear tag, announce “Tag!” and stop movement. The tagged player becomes Marco. Everyone resets and the new Marco begins a fresh ten-count, preventing immediate tag-backs. If it is unclear who was touched first, pause and agree on one new Marco before restarting.
Pauses and common variations
Anyone may call “Stop!” for danger, discomfort, a needed rest, or a dispute. All players stop the chase, and Marco opens their eyes. No tag counts during a pause. Resume only after everyone is ready.
- Walking-only: Everyone moves by walking carefully through shallow water. This can make the game easier to control.
- Rotating turns: Give each willing player a turn as Marco in an agreed order, ending each turn after a tag or an agreed interval.
- Call-and-response alternatives: Agree on another clearly recognizable pair of words before starting.
- Fish out of water: A familiar house rule lets Marco call “Fish out of water!” to catch someone who has left the pool. Groups differ on what counts as being out and what happens after a false call. This version excludes deck escape and does not use that rule.
Section 6: Scoring
Traditional casual play does not require a score. A successful tag changes who is Marco; the tagged player stays in the game. There are no lives, elimination rounds, or standard winning totals.
A turn begins when Marco finishes the setup count and ends at a valid tag or an agreed rotation. A session lasts until the group decides to finish, needs a rest, or must leave the pool. Stop earlier if supervision or conditions become unsuitable.
- Default result: Enjoy the chase and rotate roles; no overall winner is declared.
- Optional challenge: Give everyone the same number of turns and the same agreed time allowance per turn. Award one point for a valid tag, with at most one point per turn.
- Ties in the optional challenge: Share the result. No extra round is necessary.
- Interrupted turns: Restart a turn interrupted by a safety stop or outside interference, without a scoring penalty.
Agree on any scoring variation before starting. Never award points for staying underwater, ignoring calls, remaining in an unsafe position, or continuing while tired.
Section 7: Violations & Penalties
Resolve mistakes with a brief pause and a clear explanation. The procedures below are house rules for fair recreational play. They are not formal disciplinary rules from a governing organization.
- Peeking: A tag made while Marco is looking does not count. Reset with the same Marco. Opening eyes after a stop signal or to avoid danger is always allowed.
- Not answering: Pause and remind the player to respond. For a repeated deliberate refusal, have that player take the next Marco turn if willing; otherwise, they sit out. Difficulty hearing or speaking calls for an adjustment, not punishment.
- Leaving the boundary: Stop and bring everyone back into the agreed area. Repeated deliberate escape ends that player’s current participation until they agree to remain in bounds.
- Unsafe contact: Grabbing, dunking, pushing, tackling, and blocking someone’s breathing stop play immediately. Check the affected player before considering a restart.
- Misleading interference: Spectators must not imitate replies or direct Marco. Players must not answer on another player’s behalf or deliberately prevent others from hearing.
- Disputed tag: If no clear agreement is possible, cancel the tag and reset with the same Marco. Keep the decision brief and friendly.
Repeated rough behavior means leaving the game. Never use underwater tasks, forced exercise, holding someone in place, or unwanted physical contact as a penalty. A genuine request for help or rest carries no penalty.
Section 8: Safety Considerations
Eyes-closed movement adds collision and water-safety risks. Play only where the facility permits the game, with a clear area and participants suited to the conditions. Facility rules and lifeguard instructions take priority over these recreational rules.
Children need continuous attention from a designated supervising adult who is not playing or distracted. A lifeguard’s presence does not replace that supervision. If the group cannot provide suitable supervision, choose another activity.
- Stay in suitable water: Use the agreed shallow area. Do not transfer this version to lakes, rivers, surf, or other open water.
- Protect breathing: No dunking, underwater restraint, breath-holding challenges, or swimming beneath other players.
- Move gently: Keep hands relaxed and avoid lunges, forceful strokes, and kicks near others.
- Watch Marco’s path: Call “Stop!” before a collision with a wall, person, or pool fitting becomes likely.
- Keep exits available: Never block someone reaching the edge or leaving the pool. Stop the game when someone needs assistance.
- Take breaks: End a turn immediately for fatigue, distress, cold, or loss of confidence. Do not pressure someone to continue.
- Respond to trouble: Stop play and alert the lifeguard or supervising adult immediately when anyone appears to need help.
Before the first turn, practice the stop signal once: everyone stops chasing, Marco opens their eyes, and the group checks that everyone is safe. If safe eyes-closed play is not practical, use an eyes-open version of gentle pool tag instead.
