How To Play Beer Pong

Beer Pong has become a favorite game at parties and events around the world.

The rules are simple: two teams compete against each other by throwing ping pong balls into cups filled with beer. Whoever gets their ball into the cup wins that round.

Beer Pong was invented in 1972 by a man named Ed Thorp. Beer Pong became a hit because it was fun and didn’t require much skill or equipment.

Beer Pong is played using a table with four cups for each team arranged in a square or triangle formation. Each player starts with five ping pong balls.

They then take turns hitting the balls into the cups. If they get it in the cup of the opposite team, they must drink a shot of beer. 

Once everyone has finished playing, the team without any beer left loses, and the other wins.

We look at the game in closer detail and teach you how to play a perfect round of beer pong to keep things fun and change things up a little at the next party!

What Is Beer Pong?

The official name of this popular drinking game is “beer pong” but some call it Beirut.

It is mostly played on a table with four cups arranged in a square or triangular formation, with four players per side.

Each player takes turns hitting the balls into one of the cups. If they get it in the cup completely, a player of the opposite team has to drink a shot of beer from the cup.

When all four players have taken their turn, whoever is still standing with a beer in their cups wins.

Beer pong is played at many different types of events including weddings, birthday parties, bachelor/bachelorette parties, corporate outings, family reunions, etc.

There are also tournaments held throughout the year where people can compete against others. Most people play it recreationally as a way to unwind from work or school.

What Do I Need To Play Beer Pong?

To play beer pong, there are a few things you are going to need to get your hands on first. These include:

1. A table with cups arranged into a square or diamond formation (you can use an old card table if you don’t want to spend money). 
2. A set of cups (you can find them at most sporting goods stores)
3. You will need to buy 4-6 ping pong balls depending on the number of people that want to play.
4. 12 pack beers (depending on the size of the group)
5. A timer (optional)
6. An air horn (optional)
7. A score sheet (to record the scores)
8. A trashcan (for emptying the cups)

How Do I Play Beer Pong?

To learn how to play beer pong, we first need to talk about the basic rules. The main rule of beer pong is that if you get the ball in the cup, you must drink a shot of alcohol.

This means that when you have the ball, you can do anything you want with it. You can throw it, bounce it off walls, kick it, drop it, whatever you like.

However, the aim is to get it in the opposite team’s cups of beer.

Once you have learned the basics, it is time to practice them. Start by throwing the ping pong balls across the room. Try to hit them into the cups of the other team.

The aim of the game is for the opposing team to have to drink all of their alcohol as a result of you getting the ball in their cups.

This means you win the game and the opposite team gets even drunker.

Instructions

If you are still a little confused by the game, this step-by-step guide to setting up and playing should help.

1. Take turns throwing the balls into the opposite team member’s cups. Each team gets to throw one ball every time it is their turn. As we have mentioned, the goal is to throw the ball into the cup of the opposite team. Try to arc the ball as you aim. This increases your chances of it landing in a cup. You should also try to aim for a cluster of cups instead of the edges of the formation. Try underhand or overhand and one might work better than the other.
2. Now you need to drink the beer based on where the ball lands. When the ball ends up in a cup of your team, you and your teammates should be drinking the beer between you all.
3. You should restock the cups into a diamond when you only have 4 cups remaining. Once 6 cups of beer have been emptied and drunk by the team, restacking will make shooting a lot easier. Arrange the remaining 2 cups at the end into a single file row. 
4. Keep playing until one of the teams has no cups left. This team loses and the team with beer still left in their cups wins.

How Can We Make It More Interesting?

There are many ways to spice things up. Here are some ideas:

1. Have a round-robin tournament. Divide the players into two groups. Then each player plays against everyone else in their group once. After that, they switch sides and play again. This continues until there is just one winner.
2. Give each team a different color cup. For example, red, blue, yellow, green, etc. They then alternate taking turns to throw the ball into their assigned color cups. If they miss, they take a sip from the corresponding cup.
3. Mix up the number of cups per side. Instead of having 8 cups per team, have 16. Or 12. Or 10. Whatever you think looks cool! Adding more cups will also make the game last longer.
4. Add a scoring system. For example, if you score 3 points for every cup you put in the opponent’s cup, These points could equal extra shots the players have to take at the end of the game, and this could be a great way to get everyone at the party a little drunk. But remember to do so responsibly!

Final Thoughts

We hope after reading this article you have gained an understanding of how to play beer pong.

Hopefully, now you know what to expect when you go out to a house party or bar. And hopefully, you have found a new fun activity to add to your list of games to play.

Good luck playing and remember to always drink responsibly!

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Andrew Carr

Hi, I’m Andrew Carr and I find beer fascinating. Not just drinking it (although that is a plus!) but everything about it. There is so much to learn - the fermenting process, the best glasses for each type, recipes to make at home… The list goes on!

I have been making my own beer for almost a decade now and I pride myself on my home setup. I’ve made sours, pale IPAs, stouts - you name it, I’ve probably made it in the comfort of my own home.

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