Beer Pong – How to Play America’s Favorite Drinking Game

Beer pong is a very simple but fun game. There are two teams, each team places 6 to 10 cups in a triangle shape on their side of the table. Each of the cups should be filled with liquid about 1/4 high. Although the game contains the word “beer”, it is not necessary for anyone to drink alcohol. Each team takes turns tossing 40mm ping pong balls into the other team’s cups. When a ball falls into an opposing team’s cup, that cup must now be removed. The first team to sink all of their opponents’ cups is declared the winner!

Sounds simple enough, right? Well, in practice, a game of beer pong is rarely that simple. We’ve just gone over the basic basics that apply to each game, now we’ll go over some of the optional rules that make the game so unique from place to place.

When the rebound is in play, a player can bounce the ball off the table and into the cup. If the cup is hit successfully, that cup and another cup should be removed from the table. The downside to bouncing is that once the ball hits the table, it is fair play and can be crushed by the opposing team. It is best to use the bounce maneuver only when you are sure your opponents are not paying attention because otherwise it will be a waste of shot. You can’t win the game with a bounce, so if 2 cups remain and you bounce, it only counts as 1 cup. If there is 1 cup left and you bounce, it doesn’t count.

Redemption is very popular; this rule is almost always in play. If all your cups are correct, you still have a chance to win. Winning the trade will send the game into a 3 cup overtime. Redemption is a “shoot to miss” shot. So if 3 cups are left when your last cup is hit, and you hit all 3 cups in a row on your trade, you will ship the game over time. Eventually played with 3 cups on each side in a triangle formation, standard rules apply.

Catching is a weird but fun rule. If a ball is thrown beyond the other edge of the table and does not hit anything, the opposing team can catch the ball, forcing the throwing team to remove a cup from their side. The ball must be caught with one hand and it must be a clean catch, without fumbling for the ball. This is a great rule because it keeps games interesting.