About
Beer Pong is one of the most iconic and widely recognized drinking games, popular in college parties, tailgates, and social gatherings. Combining elements of skill, strategy, and camaraderie, the objective is simple: throw a ping pong ball into your opponent’s cups filled with beer and make them drink.
Brief History
Beer Pong originated in the United States, allegedly inspired by Dartmouth College students in the 1950s, who initially played a version of the game on ping pong tables. Over time, the paddles were dropped in favor of throwing the ball directly into the cups, leading to the version we know today. Beer Pong has since evolved into a staple party game with various regional rule variations and even formal tournaments.
What’s Needed to Play
To set up a proper game of Beer Pong, you’ll need:
- A flat surface: A ping pong table is ideal, but any sturdy table will work.
- Plastic cups: 10 cups per team (typically 16-ounce red solo cups).
- Ping pong balls: At least 2 for convenience.
- Beer or a beverage of choice: Enough to fill each cup partially.
- Water cups: For cleaning the ping pong balls between throws.
Optional:
- Tape to mark starting positions.
- Towels for cleaning spills.
- Extra ping pong balls (they tend to roll under places).
Set Up
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Prepare the Table: Place your table in a space large enough for players to stand at either end. Make sure there’s enough room for everyone to move around and make their shots.
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Arrange the Cups: Set up 10 cups on each side of the table in a triangular formation (a pyramid shape). The most common arrangement is a 6-4-3-2-1 pattern, with 6 cups on the back row, 4 cups in the second row, and so on. The front row should be at the edge of the table.
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Fill the Cups: Fill each cup with your chosen beverage. Typically, beer is used, but you can use other drinks if preferred. Be sure to fill them about a quarter or a third of the way, depending on how much you want to drink during the game.
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Rinse the Balls: Have a cup of water nearby to rinse off the ping pong balls between shots to ensure cleanliness.
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Choose Teams: Beer pong is usually played in teams of two, but you can also play individually. Players should decide who goes first, typically by a coin flip.
How to Play
- Start the game:
- Use the “eye-to-eye” rule: One player from each team throws a ball while maintaining eye contact. The first to sink it starts the game.
- Taking turns:
- Players throw the ping pong ball toward the opposing team’s cups, aiming to land the ball inside.
- Each team gets one or two throws per turn, depending on the agreed rules.
- Cup removal:
- If a ball lands in a cup, the defending team removes the cup, drinks its contents, and sets it aside.
- Defense and interference:
- Players can blow or flick balls out of cups only if the ball is spinning on the rim.
- Hands or other forms of interference are not allowed unless “swatting” is a house rule.
- Game progression:
- Teams alternate turns until all of one team’s cups are cleared.
- Re-racks:
- Each team may request a reconfiguration of cups once or twice during the game to make targeting easier (e.g., into a diamond or line).
- Here are some common variations. Shout out to Dimensions.com for the amazing visual.
- Winning the game:
- The first team to clear all of their opponent’s cups wins.
- The losing team may be given a “redemption” round to sink remaining cups in one turn; failure ends the game.
Custom Rules
Beer Pong’s charm lies in its flexibility and the house rules that keep games dynamic and fun. Here are some common custom rules:
Scoring Rules
- Island Rule: If a cup is isolated (not touching other cups), a player may call “island.” Hitting the island cup removes two cups.
- Bounce Shots: A ball that bounces before landing counts as two cups removed but can be swatted mid-air by the defending team.
- Death Cup: If a cup still contains beer and a ball lands in it again, the game ends instantly.
Turn Rules
- NBA Rule: If the ball bounces off a cup and lands back on the table, players can attempt a rebound shot.
- Behind-the-Back Rule: If a ball rolls back to the throwing player without touching the ground, they may shoot it behind their back for an extra chance.
- Rollbacks: If both players on a team sink their shots, they get another turn.
Defense Rules
- Swatting: Defenders can swat bounce shots mid-air but cannot interfere with straight throws.
- Blowing/Fingering: If a ball is spinning on the rim of a cup, defenders may blow or flick it out before it fully lands inside.
Special Challenges
- Explosion Rule: If both players on a team sink their shots into the same cup during one turn, that team removes three cups instead of two.
- Rebuttal Shots: After the final cup is sunk, the losing team gets a chance to shoot until they miss; hitting all remaining cups leads to overtime.
Fun Additions
- No Elbows: Players must keep their elbows behind the edge of the table while shooting.
- Penalty Cup: If a team spills their own cup or accidentally knocks it over, it counts as a sunk cup.
- Celebrity Shot: Teams may call in an outside person for one critical shot per game.
Extreme Variations
- Moving Cups: During defense, players can slightly rotate or wiggle their cup formation (within reason).
- Obstacle Pong: Add small objects like coasters or bottle caps to the table to make the game more challenging.
- Spin Pong: Before shooting, the player must spin in place three times.
