Drinking Game Rules — Complete Guide

Setup

1. Place a large cup (the Kings Cup) in the center of the table.
2. Spread a full deck of cards face-down in a circle around the cup.
3. Each player needs their own drink.
4. Sit in a circle around the table.

Card Rules

Setup

1. Set up 10 cups in a triangle formation (4-3-2-1) on each end of the table.
2. Fill each cup with about 1/3 beer (or use water cups and drink separately).
3. Each team stands behind their triangle.
4. Determine who goes first with a behind-the-back shoot-off (eye contact, no looking at cups).

Rules

1. Teams alternate throwing one ball each per turn.
2. If a ball lands in a cup, the opposing team drinks that cup and removes it.
3. Both teammates make a cup on the same turn? That is 'Balls Back' — shoot again.
4. Bounces count as 2 cups, but opponents can swat bounced shots.
5. Blowing/fingering: If the ball is spinning inside a cup, some house rules allow you to blow or finger it out before it settles.
6. Re-racks: Each team gets 2 re-racks per game (rearrange remaining cups into a tighter formation).
7. The team that eliminates all opposing cups wins.
8. Redemption: The losing team gets one last turn to try to force overtime. If they clear all remaining cups, the game goes to overtime with 3 cups each.

Setup

1. Divide into two equal teams.
2. Line up on opposite sides of a table, facing your opponent.
3. Each player has a cup filled with an equal amount of drink.

Rules

1. On 'Go', the first players on each team chug their drink.
2. After finishing, place the cup right-side-up on the table edge with part of it hanging over.
3. Flick the bottom of the cup to flip it upside-down (it must land cleanly).
4. Once your cup is flipped, the next teammate in line goes.
5. Continue relay-style until all teammates have chugged and flipped.
6. First team to have all members complete wins the round.
7. Play best of 3, 5, or 7 rounds for a full game.

Setup

1. One person is the dealer.
2. All other players sit in a circle.
3. Each player will receive 4 cards over 4 rounds.

Rules

1. Round 1 — Red or Black: Guess the color of your face-down card. Wrong? Drink 1.
2. Round 2 — Higher or Lower: Guess if your next card is higher or lower than your first. Wrong? Drink 2.
3. Round 3 — In Between or Outside: Guess if your third card falls between or outside your first two. Wrong? Drink 3.
4. Round 4 — Guess the Suit: Guess the suit of your fourth card. Wrong? Drink 4.
5. After all rounds, a pyramid is built with cards face-down (5-4-3-2-1). Cards are flipped one at a time.
6. If a flipped card matches any in your hand, you can place it and assign drinks to someone else (bottom row = 1 drink, top row = 5).
7. The player with the most cards remaining at the end rides the bus.
8. Riding the Bus: Lay out 10 cards face-down in a row. Flip them one at a time. If you flip a face card (J, Q, K, A), you drink that many sips and start over. You escape when you clear all 10 without a face card.

Setup

1. Place a shot glass in the center of the table.
2. Each player sits around the table with their drink.
3. One coin (traditionally a US quarter) is shared.

Rules

1. Players take turns attempting to bounce the coin off the table into the glass.
2. Make it? Choose someone to drink.
3. Miss? Turn passes to the next player.
4. Make 3 in a row? Create a rule for the rest of the game.
5. If you knock over the glass, finish your drink.
6. Variation: If you make it, you shoot again until you miss.

Setup

1. Each player needs a shot glass and plenty of beer.
2. Use a Power Hour playlist (songs change every 60 seconds) or set a repeating timer.
3. Have water and snacks accessible.

Rules

1. Every 60 seconds (or every time the song changes), everyone takes a shot of beer.
2. 60 shots in 60 minutes. A standard shot glass of beer per minute adds up to about 6 beers.
3. Anyone who misses a shot, spills, or quits faces a penalty.
4. Century Club variation: 100 shots in 100 minutes for the truly bold.
5. Survivors celebrate. Quitters get roasted.