The Rules of Beer Pong

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The

Rules

of

Beer Pong


The following are rules for the game of beer pong, as developed by the residents of the Crackhome during the height of the home's popularity. Common playing situations that arise during the game are addressed here in these rules, as well as rare game circumstances. If there is a question about how call a certain play it can usually be addressed here, as these rules have resulted from over tens of thousands of hours of Beer Pong played by numerous people and different styles of play (although, our style is the only one that really counts; your way sucks, and we've proven it). If you believe we have overlooked something please feel free to keep your comments to yourself because we really don't care.

Table of Contents

I. Don't talk about Beer Pong

II. Don't talk about Beer Pong

III. Get Drunk at the Crackhome (revised)

IV. The Playing Field

V. The Players

VI. Playing Equipment

VII. Alcohol

VIII. Balls & Cups

IX. Special Rules & Circumstances

Appendix I & II

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The Members of the Beer Pong Council:

Brady S
Alex M
Mike G
Brett R
Derek W

The following individuals are permanent members of the Beer Pong Council and oversee all rule changes and other governing duties of the game. Members have demonstrated a life-long devotion to the sport of Beer Pong as well as to the game's advancement and enjoyment. They also claim responsibility for the re-birth of Beer Pong at Kansas State University and Manhattan, KS.

Game Overview: Two opposing teams alternate tossing two ping-pong balls into their opponent's cups filled with beer. A cup is eliminated when a ping pong ball has successfully landed into a cup and the opponent drinks the beer inside the cup. The empty cup is then removed from the playing field. The first player or team to successfully eliminate all of their opponent's cups is declared the winner, but if you're drinking beer, well, then everyone is a winner.

I. Do not talk about Beer Pong

II. Do not talk about Beer Pong

III. Get Drunk at the Crackhome (revised)

A. Drunkenness and debauchery is encouraged and can be accomplished without playing Beer Pong, but it is not recommended.

B. Drunkenness shall occur in the presence and the mutual participation of roommates, friends, significant others, or dirty sluts.

IV. The Playing Field

A. While not considered mandatory the suggested arena for the game of Beer Pong is the Crackhome*

1. The purpose of the game of Beer Pong is to bring enjoyment to the players and its audience, but it is also realized that not all players are able to play at the Crackhome, and it is further realized that Beer Pong is a game that can be played anywhere, thus Rule IV A is to be used more as a guideline.

* In the early spring of 2004, the original Crackhome, as previously referred to, no longer exists.

B. The playing field shall be of a solid, somewhat flat and level surface resembling the length and width of a standard billiards table (8' x 4'). Small widths are acceptable.

C. The field is to be divided lengthwise into two halves.

D. At each end of the playing field there shall be a triangle of equal sides, painted or drawn, with the base of the triangle parallel and centered with end of the table. The tops of each triangle should be pointing towards the center. (See Appendix II)

1. This triangle serves as the starting frame in which the cups are placed

E. It is suggested that the field be designed in a kickass way and have the strength to endure the following occurrences, such as, but not limited to:

Drink spills, leaks from the ceiling, dancing girls, longs periods of time spent in the rain, abuse from drunk mother-fuckers beating on the table, and fat people sitting on the table.

V. Players and Player Actions

A. There shall not be more than two teams playing at one time. Any more than that would just be plain silly.

B. A standard team consists of either one or two players, but can consist of more as long as all other participants consent to doing so and the game's integrity is not compromised.

1. The general guideline is to have equal teams on both sides of the playing field (i.e. one on one, two on two). A two on one game is permitted only if all players agree to allow such a match up.

2. Should a player be unable to continue (is distracted, hitting on a girl, too drunk, unconscious, etc.) it may be necessary to call in a substitute player, as long as all other players give consent to do so.

3. Contrary to previous thought, players need only to appear to posses a first grade level of education to play. However, if a player candidate has demonstrated a deteriorating level of competency (i.e. drunk), he can ruled ineligible to play by his peers.

C. The team to begin the start of play will be the team that has either: won the previous game, or, in the case of two new sets of teams, the team that has won the coin toss.

1. To keep in line with tradition, a penny shall be the coin of choice for the toss. If one is not available another coin may be used or any other two-sided object (e.g. bottle cap).

2. At the start of each game the throwing team shall confirm with the defending team that they are ready to begin play before throwing. This is the only instance where the throwing team must confirm the readiness of the defending team, hereafter the defending team must be prepared to call timeout if they are not ready to play (see rule V.I.).

D. When teams of two are formed the problem of which team member should throw first may arise. If this problem should occur it shall be solved through the fair and just method of "Rock, Paper, Scissors."

E. When playing in teams, players of the same team should alternate drinking the beer when a ping-pong ball has landed in their own team's cup.

1. Should players find themselves playing on the same team as a girl or some Sally who can't hold his liquor, the stronger team member may "take one for the team" and drink their teammates beer. This is to ensure proper flow of the game and/or maintain the sobriety of your partner.

F. There are many varying ways one can throw the ball at their opponent's cups. Among the techniques are the Arc, the Rainbow throw, the Fastball or Line Drive toss, the Bounce Shot (described later in the rules), and the Underhand/Granny shot. While there are many different ways you can release the ball, the last one listed is likely the only shot people will make fun of you for.

F. A turn by a team has been completed when two ping-pong balls have been thrown and they are no longer in play.

1. The defending team cannot legally throw a ball at their opponent's cups until both balls have been thrown by the opponents. Any cup made by the defending team while their opponents still have a remaining ball to throw is not counted and that defending player/team is to be ridiculed should he or she think otherwise.

2. Balls made into the defending team's cups are to be drunk by the opposing team's members. Once both balls have been thrown (and not before then), remove the cup(s) from the table, drink your beer (you loser), and realign the remaining cups in their proper form.

a. Should the defending team drink or remove a "made" cup before the second ball has been thrown two more cups must be drunk by the opposing team should the second ball be "made." However, the throwing team may settle for the cup to be placed back in its original spot without penalty and receive only a warning.

b. It is not required for the player finish drinking his or her beer to continue playing. However, all remaining beer must be consumed immediately following completion of the game.

G. The throwing team is not allowed to extend ones arm too far over the table, and thus closer to their opponents' cups. The elbow of the throwing arm is not allowed to pass the third row of cups.

H. The defending team is allowed and encouraged to distract, taunt, and psych-out the throwing team in order to prevent them from making the ball into their cup. This can be done by any means they deem necessary as long as long as no physical contact is made with the cups, the table, or the throwing player. Interfering with the thrower's throwing motion and immediate vision is prohibited.

1. Items may also be held up to block the throwers view of the cups as long as no contact is made with the ball. The thrower is allowed one "clean" look for a minimum of 1 second at the cups before having his or her view blocked.

I. Timeouts can be called by either team. For a timeout to be valid for the throwing team they shall simply decline to throw their respective ping-pong balls. For a timeout to be recognized for the defending team remove at least one cup, which was originally in play, from the designated triangle. Cups can be removed out of the triangle at any point except when the ball is being thrown at said cups and is in the air.

J. Blowing a ball out of the cup once it has immediately landed into the cup is extremely prohibited. To permit such an activity is to go against the very basic principals of Beer Pong. Any moron can blow a ball out of a cup that is sitting an inch away from their face. A true Beer Pong athlete focuses their game on making a small white ball into a 3.5" wide cup six feet away while drunk. If you wish to continue blowing on balls, the Beer Pong committee requests that you put your blowing skills to other constructive uses.

K. A ball is no longer in play, after a throw when: a defending player has secured possession of the ball, the ball has landed on the floor, the ball has overshot the table, if the ball has missed the cups and is now rolling on the table, or as described in any special circumstance rule below.

VI. Playing Equipment

A. Two ping-pong balls are to be used.

1. While many other games may be flexible in the type of ball used this is one game that allows for no such leniency. To change the type of ball would dramatically alter the game's dynamics and result in one messed up game of beer pong.

B. Twenty cups are to be used, with each team receiving ten.

1. Fewer cups may be used if a quickie match is being played.

C. Ample supply of beer. (Secondary items: empty pitcher to readily hold keg beer.)

D. Two glasses of water, with one glass placed at each end of the playing field. These glasses of water are not to be used for quenching one's thirst, but instead used to wash off your balls in between throws. A true Beer Pong athlete will always wash their balls regularly as to show respect to the other athletes playing the game.

E. Ritualistic Items (optional)

1. If a player feels they perform better while having certain items close he or she is allowed to bring such items to the playing field. Such items include cigarettes, cigars, voodoo doll, hot chick/guy, etc. as long as they do not interfere with the game.

F. Music shall be played during Beer Pong. Should the music stop it is considered respectful to stop play and allow for the music to resume.

VII. Alcohol

A. As the name would imply, beer is the preferred beverage to be used in the game of Beer Pong. Two 12 oz. cans of beers are to be used by each team to fill the regulation ten cups afforded to each team.

1. One beer per team is permitted in a game of one-on-one.

2. It is considered good form to use a beer of high drinking quality, this to ensure the drinking pleasure of you and your teammate, and, should you win, your losing opponents.

3. It is appropriate and respectful that team members share the responsibility of providing beer for the game. If this not possible the primary beer provider shall determine a beer repayment method for the beer moocher if the beer provider chooses to do so.

B. Since the game is alcoholic in nature it is important to the integrity of the game that an alcoholic beverage of some kind be used at all times. Therefore, should beer not be the desired beverage a substitute alcoholic drink must be used.

1. The only option outside of beer is to use a mixed concoction of the player/team's choice, which would then have to be approved prior to play by the opposing team. This mixture must contain an alcoholic content equal to or higher than that of beer. Drinks that are fruity, girly, and contain any sort of umbrella décor are immediately disqualified regardless of content. Any men, especially, who bring such drinks to a Beer Pong arena will not only have their player status called into question, but is also subject to mockery and ridicule.

(Exception: playing Beer Pong on a sandy beach in a location deemed "exotic.")

VIII. Balls and Cups

A. Ten cups are afforded to each team which should be filled evenly (or as even as an intoxicated person can tell) with two beers.

1. Depending on the size of the cups the height of the beer in the cup should usually be about an inch to an inch and a half; this is to ensure the drinker of the cup that the amount inside can be "downed" with little trouble. (The goal is to play a lot of games and get drunk. Not play one game and then have to pass out. . . Beer Nazi.)

B. The cups shall be aligned at the start of the game in a pyramid shape fitting within the triangle that is formed on the playing field. The alignment is as follows beginning at the base of the pyramid: 4, 3, 2, 1

1. This pyramid form should be maintained as best as possible throughout the game as cups are removed, but a few exceptions do exist (see Appendix I).

2. In the situation where seven cups remain the team has the option of implementing "the daisy" formation: 2, 3, 2; or the standard 4, 3 formation, also known as "The Wall". The choice between either formation is at the discretion of the defending team.

3. When there are four cups remaining a diamond shape is formed. This calls for a 1, 2, 1 formation.

4. In the case of two cups remaining a straight line is to be formed, one cup in front of the other going lengthwise of the playing field.

5. Cups can be placed anywhere within the triangle as long as the cups remain in their respected formations and touching each other. This applies to all formations that include six cups or less.

C. Cups are to be touching each other at all times. There are to be no gaps between any cups.

1. The throwing team can call for a realignment of the cups should they not be set up to their liking, and thus refuse to resume the game until cups are properly placed in their appropriate formation.

2. Should the throwing team fail to recognize the disarray amongst the cups on the playing field and throw the first ping pong ball before the cups can be realigned the field must be played as is by the second thrower.

3. The throwing team shall allow enough time for the defending team to reset the cup formations when an obvious misalignment has occurred. This prevents the defending team from being hit by a thrown ball and doesn't penalize them for practicing good Beer Pong etiquette. If a defender is hit by a thrown ball while adjusting the cups the ball can either be thrown again (a "do-over," if you will), or the participating players can collectively decide that the thrown ball, and subsequent hit count. (Ref. rule IX B)

D. Balls Tipping Over Cups: When a player throws a ball and it goes into the cup and then is subsequently knocked over the cup shall be stood back up in its original position with the ball placed inside.

1. The fact that that the cup has been tipped over by the ball does not alter the dynamics of any other Beer Pong rule other than that little to no beer may exist in that cup. (Mourning of the unintentionally split beer may be seen as appropriate.)

E. Because it is worth repeating: An opponent may not blow a ball out of a cup once it has entered the cup or as it is approaching the cup in order to prevent a shot from being made. (See Rule V.J.)

G. When throwing the balls the throwing team cannot throw the second ball until the first thrown ball has been thrown and has made contact with the opposing player's cups or any other object. (i.e. two balls cannot be in the air at the same time.)

IX. Special Rules and Circumstances

A. If a defending player knocks over one of their own cups it shall be counted as a made cup for the opposing team and is removed from the playing field.

1. Should a spectator be too drunk and stumble onto the playing field and knock over any of the two team's cup the cup may be refilled and put back into play.

2. Should any opposing player make physical contact with another team's cup, or shake the Beer Pong table, causing the beer to be knocked over one of their own cups must be removed and put in place of their spilled opponent's cup.

3. If a cup is knocked over by a ball being thrown directly at a cup and it is determined by the players and spectators that the ball was thrown with the intention of only knocking the cup over (with no intent of actually making the ball in the cup), the cup shall be stood back up in its original position. This is to prevent players from using any alternate method of removing an opponent's cup.

B. If the defending team or player interferes with the throwing of a ball and/or touches the ball before it has a chance to hit or miss the cups it is to be assumed that the ball would have landed in a cup. Therefore a cup is to be drunk by the defending team.

1. If this occurs after either the first ball was thrown (or after the second ball was thrown, in which the first thrown ball missed entering the cups), the defending team is to place the ball in a cup of their choosing and are required to drink the contents. If this situation occurs after the second ball is thrown and the first ball was made into a cup please invoke rule IX D.

2. If the ball has overshot the cups, but the ball hits a defender and then lands in a cup, it is counted as a made shot. It is up to the defender to either secure the ball or move out of the way.

C. A ping-pong ball may be bounced anywhere off of the beer pong table in order to make the ball into a cup.

1. If a ball is made into a cup by bouncing your ball the defending team must drink two cups for every ball made and bounced.

2. Once the ball has been bounced off any surface it is a "live" ball and can be swatted out of the air by the opposing team.

3. A bounce shot cannot occur on the wall behind the defending players. The field behind the players is considered out of bounds and not part of the playing field.

4. If bounced off of the ceiling, it is to be assumed the ball was thrown too high. However, the ball is still considered live and can be swatted at. The shot only counts for one beer if made.

5. A bounce can occur off the side walls. However, it must be decided on before the game, or the actual shot, if both teams will allow a bounced shot off the wall to count as two drinks if made (or legal at all). If a bounced shot occurs off the wall it is legal to swat at it.

D. Should two ping-pong balls be shot and made into the same cup, the defending team must drink three cups and then return the two balls to the original throwers.

1. This is considered most excellent if you are on the team that threw the balls and an appropriate high five or chest bump is in order.

2. A rule that is allowed but looked down upon and discouraged by the professional Beer Pong athlete is blocking the first "made" cup in order to prevent from rule IX D to be invoked. This results in the opposing team only drinking two cups if the ball hits the opposing player (see Rule IX B), and retaining the ping-pong balls.

3. If a ball has been made into a cup through a regular throw through the air and lands in a cup that already has a ball in it that was previously made via a bounce shot on the first throw, or vise versa, four cups shall be drunk and the throwing team shall retain both balls. (See rule IX C)

4. If two balls that are bounced and both land in the same cup the defending team shall drink five cups (sucks for them) and return the balls back to the throwing team.

E. Should a ball hit a cup and not go in but instead proceeds to bounce off the rims of the cups the ball is now considered live and can then be touched by the defending team without penalty.

F. The Skunk Rule -

1. Also referred to as the "Mercy Rule" or the "Holy Cow, You Guys Suck" rule. This rule is invoked when one team has successfully removed six of their opponent's cups from the playing field while all ten of the throwing team's cups still remain.

2. Should this occur the defending team must drink their remaining 4 cups as well as finishing off all 10 of their opponent's cups. From this results in much more intoxication by these losing players and much embarrassment as they are mocked and booed off the playing field.

Appendix I

Appendix II Edit Text