Core Five: The Game!

Scoring & Player Cards 

Scoring

• A solo Resolver or Challenger victory = +4 points. for the winner

• A solo Resolver or Challenger loss =  No point change for either player

• A scenario that goes unchallenged = +2 point for the Resolver

• A debate that goes unchallenged = +3 points for the Resolver

• A Resolver or Challenger victory with support = +2 for the Resolver & +1 for the Supporter(s)

• A Resolver or Challenger loss with support = -1 from all losing parties (including Support)

• A concession = +2 or 3 or 4 (depending on Scenario or Debate, with or without Support) for the winner & +1 for the withdrawer/person conceding

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Challenge Rules:

1. After the Resolver responds to the prompting card, the Arbiter will ask the remaining players if anyone would like to challenge the Resolver’s statement/position.

2. In order to issue a challenge, a player must place the card in the playing area (or holding it in the air) and say “Challenge!” audibly enough for the Arbiter to hear them. They will then be recognized as the challenger by the Arbiter.

   • If there is more than one challenge issued at a time, the Arbiter will choose the person who, in their best discretion, issued the challenge first.

3. After the challenge has been issued and confirmed, the Challenger has a total of 2 minutes to argue their position.

4. From there, if no Support cards are played and accepted, the Resolver and the Challenger each have an additional 90 seconds to rebut the other.

   • Resolver Response & Challenger Response (2 minutes each)

   • Resolver Rebuttal & Challenger Rebuttal (90 seconds)

5. A player can only challenge 2 times per series (or as proportionate to the amount of players) unless no other challengers are present or unless all players have had a chance to challenge.

 

Support Rules:

1. After the Challenger responds to the Resolver’s statement, the Arbiter will ask the remaining players if anyone would like to support either party’s (Resolver or Challenger) statement/position. This must be done before the Resolver makes their rebuttal.

   • There may be only one Supporter per position.

2. The Supporters must respond by placing their Support card in the playing area (or holding it in the air) and announcing their interest in supporting a position, as well as naming the party they would like to support.

3. If multiple players motion to support the Resolver or Challenger, the Resolver or Challenger may choose which one of the players’ support they would like.

4. A Resolver or Challenger is not required to accept any offered support. Therefore, once a player has offered to play their Support card, it is still up to the Resolver or the Challenger to accept it.

5. Once accepted, selected Supporters may ask one clarifying question of the Challenger or Resolver before officially committing to and arguing their support in order to verify their allegiance (e.g., “to be clear, by privilege you mean male privilege, yes?” or “Were you saying they should only be able to participate if they’re already 18 or about to turn 18?”). If no clarifying question is asked, then it is assumed that the Supporter has committed to the Challenger’s or Resolver’s position as heard. If the supporting party decides that they no longer want to support the Resolver or Challenger’s position after having their clarifying question answered, they may recuse themselves and another Supporter that was not chosen may be offered or request the opportunity to support the argument at the approval of the Resolver or Challenger.

   • Resolvers and Challengers do not get to hear the Supporter’s arguments before choosing to accept their support. They may only hear a Supporter’s arguments after accepting their support, thus, making their statements official for the Arbiter’s records.

6. The supporting players will then state their arguments in support of the challenger or Resolver. If both the Resolver and the Challenger have Supporters, then the Resolver’s supporter goes first.

7. The supporters each have 90 seconds to share their arguments

   • Resolver’s and Challenger’s Response (2 minutes)

   • Resolver’s Support & Challenger’s Support (90 seconds each)

8. *All arguments lost with the help of a Supporter result in the deduction of 1 point from both, the losing Resolver or Challenger and their supporter.*  (See “Scoring” above)

 

Concession Rules:

1. In Where’s the Line?, concessions do not count as a loss. The Concession card allows for either the Resolver or the Challenger to remove themselves from the argument as a final move in order to avoid a loss.

2. Concessions are not always bad. In fact, in real life arguments, “bowing out” or conceding to another’s argument can be seen as a sign of deference, establishing a sense of validation for your opponent as an intellectual equal and setting a respectful tone for future exchanges of opinion.

3. A player can only use their Concession card if they are the Challenger or the Resolver. Concession cards do not apply to Supporters.

4. After all parties have argued and heard their initial positions and rebuttals (including those of the Supporters, if apropos), and before the Arbiter’s decision, the Challenger or Resolver can choose to play their Concession card. A Challenger or Resolver might choose this option because they think that their opponent’s points are stronger than theirs and would prefer to withdraw from the argument rather than risk the loss. Before the Arbiter leaves the play area to deliberate, they should remind the Resolver and Challenger that they may use the recess (when the arbiter is deliberating to make their decision) to decide whether they would prefer to concede their arguments.

5. Should a party choose to concede, they will place their concession card in the play area and state “I concede” aloud.

6. A concession is not without its perks and consequences, though. If a player chooses to concede, they are rewarded 1 point for their willingness to do so (this benefits the supporter, as well, if one assists). Conversely, a concession also means that the conceding player vacates their Challenge card in the next series (this does not apply to the Supporter).

   • Note that if you use your Concession card as a Resolver or a Challenger in the current match, you can still issue a challenge during that same series, however, you cannot use your concession again in that series and you vacate your Challenge card for the following series.

   • Although “Player A” may have vacated their Concession card for the current series, they may still benefit from “Player B’s” concession if “Player A” is serving as a Supporter.