Tanner Conley
Staff Writer
Downtown Laramie is the hub of college activity on any given weekend, with hundreds of students flocking to bars to celebrate their lives or forget their failed assignments.
This nightlife is famed to include drinking at any of the numerous bars that dot downtown Laramie. For some just coming on the scene, however, the prevalence of party drinking games can come as quite the culture shock.
“If you are at a party and a bunch of people are playing games, it doesn’t really matter if you don’t know each other. You’re all there for the same reason and it starts a good [conversation],” said Noah Iberlin, a UW junior.
This article intends to serve as an introductory guide to that culture, and reminds those reading that this article is not a sponsorship of these activities. All activities mentioned below are intended for adults of legal drinking age to participate in responsibly and in accordance with the law.
No party game is more synonymous with the thrill of victory and the crushing depths of defeat than beer pong. A simple game that has evolved into an international sensation, beer pong encompasses everything that intoxicated people think they are good at; speed, finesse and strategy.
Traditionally, the game is played on opposing halves of a Ping-Pong table (hence the name beer pong), but any flat surface that is elevated and several feet long will do. Each team fills 10 cups, typically of the red and solo variety, with water or alcohol.
It is important to only fill the cups halfway in order to allow the Ping-Pong balls to enter without creating a huge mess. These cups are arranged one thumb length from the edge of the surface with the back row consisting of four cups, then three in front of that row and so on until the cups form a triangle.
The two teams of two will then alternate between tossing one Ping-Pong ball per teammate into the opposition’s cups. Every made cup is removed from play until one team has removed all of the opposite cups. When this happens, the defending team gets one ball each to make one of their cups in a ‘redemption shot’. If the shot is made, the game continues. If the shot is missed, it is game over.
In the event that each partner makes their ball into a cup, the two cups are pulled and the balls are returned to the shooting team. Should the ball roll back to the shooting team, they are allowed to shoot again, unless the other team makes a specific demand pertaining to how the ball is shot. In this case, the shooting team must oblige and follow the demand. Common demands include: behind the back, left handed and off the wall.
An important aspect of beer pong is the concept of “House Rules.” These are rules, established by the owners of the table, materials or establishment that dictate special procedures to be followed during the game. It is recommended that these be established before the game to prevent disagreements. For an official set of rules, visit the World Series of Beer Pong website at BPong.com.
“Know your limits, take it slow. Don’t try to keep up with other people,” Iberlin said. “If you go and try, people will be more accepting of you. They won’t be huge meanies to you. Everyone is there to have fun.”
Beer pong can be an excellent example of a method that can be used to meet new people and establish new friendships. However, this is a game that must be enjoyed responsibly. Please know and adhere to your limits before playing a game. No game is worth alcohol poisoning.
Another popular drinking game is King’s Cup, also known as King’s. This game revolves around a deck of cards and the actions associated with those cards. Players take turns drawing cards and performing the following actions until all cards have been drawn.
Ace: Everyone must drink until the player who drew
the card stops drinking. It is up to the player as to whether or not everyone
finishes their glass or takes a few sips.
2: The player who drew the card can tell any other player to drink.
3: The player who drew the card must take a drink themselves.
4: All female players must drink.
5: All male players must drink.
6: Everyone must touch the floor. The last player to do so must drink.
7: Everyone must point towards the sky. The last player to do so must take a
drink.
8: The player who drew the card selects another player who has to drink every
time they do. This lasts until another player draws an eight.
9: The player who drew the card says a word. Going around the table, each
player must say a word that rhymes with it. The first player that fails to do
so quickly must drink.
10: If a player draws a 10, they say something that they have never done. If
other players have never done it either, they don’t have to drink. However, any
player who has done the thing in question must drink.
Jack: The player makes a rule that must be followed for the rest of the game.
Queen: The queen is a wild card. Groups are encouraged to create their own
unique rule for the queen.
King: When a player draws a king, they pour half of their drink into the center
cup. When the final king is drawn, that player must drink the entire cup.
Not every drinking game is included in this article for obvious reasons. The amount of drinking games and their variations is worthy of its own textbook, much less an article.
“We’ve been in situations where we don’t know the game we are playing, but before the game a lot of people explain it, [and] explain how the rules work,” said Alec Arnold, a UW student. “We always go through a practice round. It’s a little more fun if you get a little into it and know the rules.”
