Looking for a simple, fast-paced drinking game to liven up your next college party? Higher or Lower is a perfect choice! It’s easy to learn, requires minimal setup, and keeps everyone engaged. All you need is a deck of cards, some drinks, and a group of friends ready to have fun. Here’s everything you need to know to play Higher or Lower, along with some fun variations and strategies to keep the excitement flowing.
What Is Higher or Lower?
Higher or Lower is a guessing game that combines luck and risk-taking with a bit of drinking. The premise is simple: one player guesses if the next card in the deck will be higher or lower in value than the current card. Guess wrong, and you take a drink! It’s an excellent game for breaking the ice and keeping the party energy up.
What You'll Need
- Deck of Cards: A standard 52-card deck. Remove jokers to keep things simple.
- Drinks: Beer, cocktails, or any beverage of your choice.
- Flat Surface: A table or floor to lay out the cards.
Setup The Game
- Shuffle the Deck: Make sure the deck is thoroughly shuffled before starting.
- Designate a Dealer: One person will deal the cards for the group. This role can rotate throughout the game.
- Gather Players: Sit in a circle or around a table for easy access to the cards.
- Decide Starting Player: Choose who will go first (rock-paper-scissors works great).
How to Play Higher or Lower
- Dealer Flips the First Card: The dealer places one card face-up in the center for everyone to see.
- Make a Guess: The player whose turn it is guesses if the next card will be higher or lower in value. (Ace is low; King is high.)
- Reveal the Card: The dealer flips the next card.
- If the player guesses correctly, they’re safe, and the next person takes their turn.
- If the player guesses incorrectly, they must take a drink.
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Drink or Celebrate:
- If the guess is correct, the player passes the turn to the next person.
- If the guess is wrong, the player drinks.
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Special Rules for Aces:
- Ace High: Typically, Aces are the highest value.
- House Choice: Decide before starting if Aces are high, low, or wild cards.
- Continue: The game moves clockwise, and the process repeats until the deck runs out or the group decides to stop.
Game-Specific Rules
- Tie Rule: If the next card is the same value as the previous one (e.g., two 8s), the player automatically drinks.
- Speed Rounds: For larger groups, introduce a timer for each guess to keep the pace lively.
- Dealer’s Choice: The dealer can add challenges like double drinks for face cards or extra penalties for wrong guesses.
Variations & Custom Rules
- Reverse the Flow: If the player guesses incorrectly, reverse the turn order instead of continuing clockwise.
- Add Suits: Players must guess both higher/lower and the suit (hearts, spades, clubs, or diamonds). A wrong guess on the suit means double drinks!
- Double Down: Allow players to “double down” on their guess. If they’re correct, they assign two drinks to someone else. If they’re wrong, they drink twice.
- The Joker Rule: Include the jokers in the deck, and if one is drawn, the entire table drinks.
- High Stakes: For each wrong guess, add a cumulative penalty (e.g., one drink for the first wrong guess, two for the second, etc.).
- Double Trouble: If a player guesses incorrectly twice in a row, they must finish their drink.
- Suit Call: Before flipping, the player can guess the suit for bonus points. A correct guess lets them choose someone else to drink.
- Progressive Drinks: Start with sips and increase the number of drinks with each wrong guess (e.g., 1 drink for the first, 2 for the second).
Strategies for Winning
- Play the Odds: Remember the deck’s composition. If lots of high cards are out, guessing “lower” becomes safer.
- Stay Sharp: Don’t get too carried away with the drinking—focus on the game to avoid unnecessary penalties.
- Bluff with Confidence: If your group allows mind games, act like you’re certain of your choice to psych out the others.
- Keep the Energy Up: Rotate dealers and keep the rules fresh to maintain excitement.
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Card Counting (Casually): Keep track of which cards have been played to increase your chances of an educated guess.
