My Rules for Beer Pong

2011-04-04T15:43:00.010-05:00

Check out "Beer Pong" music video courtesy of Weird is the New Cool http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Waqa2Dru-S8

"Official Beer Pong Table in Black" (Google Affiliate Ad)

ALL RULES ARE AT YOUR DISCRETION (In no way does this page promote binge drinking)

ITEMS: 22 plastic cups, 2 ping pong balls, a table (preferrably 3-4ft. wide by 8ft. long), and beer (obviously)

SETUP: On both sides of the table, 10 cups (beer) need to be arranged in a triangle formation facing your opponent (like pins at a bowling alley) and 1 cup (water) to the left or right of that, as shown in the picture above. The cup of water is for rinsing off the ball before shooting. As for the beer in the cups, I recommend 1 beer for all 10 of your own cups for each person on your team. Ex: 1 on 1 games, 1 beer divided evenly within your 10 cups and the same for your opponent. 2 on 2 games, 2 beers on each side.

OBJECT OF THE GAME: The object of the game is to get rid of your opponents cups first by shooting the ping pong balls in them (like basketball). All cups that you make are to be drank by the opponent and set off to the side ( and vice versu). The loser of the game has to drink all cups left over on the table.

SINGLE PLAY RULES: The following are rules you can use for a 1 on 1 game

Bounce: Bouncing the ball on the table ONCE and landing in a cup results in the opponent drinking a secondary cup as well as the one that was made. Bouncing incourages the Block rule which will be described later.

Rafter: In a situation where there are rafters above the table, Rafter shots are shooting the ball over a rafter and in a cup resulting in the same as the Bounce rule. This also encourages the Block rule.

Bank: In confined spaces where walls, cabinets, etc... are close enough, you can try to bank it in a cup for the same result as the Bounce rule. This also encourage the Block rule.

Behind the back: Shooting from behind the back results in the same as a Bounce and does NOT encourage a Block.

Combo: This is done by utilizing more than one of the different trick shots in the same toss. Ex: Banking it off of the wall and bouncing it on the table ONCE and into a cup. These shots do NOT encourage the Block rule and HAVE to be called! If successful, the drink penalty for the opponent is incurred for EACH shot used to make the cup.

Block: Trick shots such as Bounce, Rafter, and Bank, allow the opponent to catch, swap, or (more dramatically) smack the ball across the room! A Block can NOT be done if they are doing a Combo shot or Called Cup.

Called Cup: In any shot situation, calling the cup before shooting will NOT encourage a Block. Even though bouncing the ball allows a block, bouncing after you call a cup does not! The drink penalty for the opponent IF MADE in the called cup results in DOUBLE what it would be if not called. Ex: Telling the opponent you are going to bounce it and shoot for a specific cup will result in 4 cups for the opponent to drink if made in THAT cup! If made in any other cup, the result is just 2 cups because of the bounce. Since calling a cup would prevent your ball from being blocked, each player is only allowed 3 of these in a game.

Picking and Blowing: While the ball is "rimming" the cup and has not touched the beer yet, you can try to pick it out using your index finger or blow into the cup trying to make it fly out.

No Contact: When shooting the ball, if you fail to make any contact with one of their cups, you have to drink one of your own.

Last Cup: The only exception to No Contact, when either you OR your opponent is on the last cup, the No Contact rule no longer applies.

Dumbass: Knocking over one of your own cups results in you drinking another one. Shooting the ball and knocking over one of their cups results in you drinking one, unless they set the cups too close to the edge in which case its THEIR Dumbass rule and they drink another one. In any situation where beer is spilled during a game on account of someone being a dumbass, this rule applies.

Mystery Cup: A Mystery Cup is set in the middle of the center line. This cup is for the Loser, and it is either filled with more beer than the shot cups or filled with hard liqour! If by chance someone knocks it over with the Dumbass rule, they automatically lose, and a new Mystery Cup is made for them because of it!

Re-rack: These are used to keep the cups together for easier shots instead of spread out. Each side is given 2 Re-racks a game. When enough cups from the opponents side are gone that you can use one of these, call the type of Re-rack and they set it up for you. The picture below shows some of the Re-racks you can call.

TEAM PLAY RULES: In addition to the rules listed above, here are some for playing 2 on 2.

Teamwork: When both you AND your partner make cups on the same turn, the opponents drink those made cups and your team gets the balls back for another shot.

Double Cup: More commonly known as Game over as thats what is being yelled when it happens. A Double Cup happens when both you AND your partner make the SAME cup on the same turn, resulting in the automatic win for your team and your opponents drink everything on the table!!!

If you have any rules that I have missed, feel free to let me know.