Beer Pong Rules

The rules of beer pong vary widely from college to college and most alter the rules in some way to put their own twist on the game (”house rules”). The rules below are the most general set and should come close to the rules used by the majority of beer pong players.

You need:

  • Either two people (head-to-head) or four people (2 vs. 2)
  • 14 plastic cups; six to each team for play and one to each team for ball washing
  • two ping pong balls; just buy a pack, you’d be surprised how easily the balls get lost
  • a worthy table; should measure about 7 ft. long and 3 ft. wide

Your mission:

Eliminate the other team’s cups.

How to play:

beer pong

  1. Setup.
    Set your table up similar to this (though I find the excessive amount of beer bottles and cans a little distracting). Six cups in a diamond formation at the end of each table. Place your ball washing cup off to the side.
  2. Start of game. If there is a reigning beer pong champion, that individual or team has the right to shoot first. If there are two fresh teams, each team must select a player for a staredown throw. In a staredown, two opposing players must maintain eye contact and simultaneously throw their balls at the same time. Whoever makes a shot has their team go first. If no one makes a shot or if both do, the process is repeated until one person wins.
  3. Turns. Each team takes their turn shooting. If a shot is made (ball into cup), the team whose cup was made must drink the contents and remove the cup from play. If a team makes both balls into cups, they get both balls back and may shoot again.
  4. Re-racks. A re-rack is allowed once per game. Before any team member throws a ball, a team may request that the cups they are shooting into be arranged in any formation - triangle, straight line, diamond, etc. This is only before a ball is thrown. If one team member takes their shot, a re-rack cannot be requested for that turn.
  5. Bouncing. Instead of throwing, you can also bounce your shot. If you make a bounce shot you not only eliminate the cup you shot into but another of your choosing. Be advised, though, that a bounce shot can be swatted away by the other team (if they’re fast enough).
  6. Blowing. If a shot from the other team swirls around in your cup, you are allowed to blow it out if you are able. If the ball touches the contents inside the cup, however, the shot counts and the cup must be removed and the contents drank.
  7. Redemption. When a team’s last cup is sank, they are allowed either one or two redemption shots. One if the cup was sank by the first shooter on the other team, two if it took both players to sink the cup. If a redemption shot is made, the team may keep their one last cup on the table and play continues.