Everything you need to know about Beer Pong, from tips and tricks to how to play
Ah, beer pong. The good old drinking game that never gets old - or boring - no matter how many times you play it. From makeshift tables at random dingy uni houses during Fresher's Week to groomsmen getting competitive over a game at their mate's wedding do, beer pong brings people together in the most disorderly of ways. There are no ifs or buts about it.
But if for some reason you completely missed your drinking game era or are a little rusty on the rules (first year is a distant memory now, ngl), let us educate you on the art of beer pong.
Here, we'll take you through the general do's and don'ts of the game and what you need to play. Plus, some tips and tricks on how to become a BP legend.
Let's take your next house party back to 2010. Alexa, play TikTok by Ke$ha...
What you need to play beer pong
OK, for the ultimate game of beer pong, the days of bouncing a ping pong ball into miscellaneous mugs on your mum's coffee table are over. It's time to get equipped, people.
Below is a list of non-negotiable items needed for a proper game. Or tournament, depending on how many people there are:
Two teams, with two people in each. This is the standard ruling, but if there are more of you, you can split into equal teams. Or, if you want, you can have more than two teams of two if you're planning on playing for a while.
The 'official' rules say you need an 8ft by 2ft long beer pong table, but any level table/playing surface high enough will do.
22 plastic cups (the red party ones, for nostalgia purposes). Each team has 10 cups each, and two for water.
Ping-pong balls.
Beer, of course. Or the beverage of your choice if cheap lager isn't your thing.
How to play beer pong
Now you've got everything you need for hours of endless (and competitive) fun, let's take you through the rules of beer pong...
Beer pong setup
Before you get started, you need to set up your playing area. At each end of the table, place the 10 cups in a pyramid-like formation. Then, fill them with your chosen drink and desired amount.
Again, the 'official' rules state the cups need to be 16oz. However, we're not going to tell you that you can't upgrade their size for a next-level boozy match...
Beer pong rules
Let's play...
Step One: Decide which team goes first
There are many ways you can start a game of beer pong. The traditional rule is the 'eye-to-eye' method, where a player from each team tries to land the ball in a cup while looking their opponent directly in the eye. The first player to make a cup goes first.
Or, you can rely on the trusty rock, paper, scissors game or flip a coin.
Step Two: Take turns throwing the balls into the cups
Now the game starts. Each team is allowed to throw one ball per turn, with the goal of getting it into a cup of the opposing team.
Either throw the ball directly into a cup or bounce it off the table so that it lands in one.
Step Three: Drink from the cup the ball lands in
If and when you make a successful shot, your opponent needs to drink the beer from the cup the ball landed in, and vice versa.
For teams of two - take it in turns to drink from the cup. For example, if your partner goes first, you drink the next cup.
Following this, set the empty cup aside.
Step Four: "Re-rack" when four cups remain
This is an official beer pong term, and it refers to restacking the cups when only four remain.
Say you've drunk six cups of beer on your side of the table - you need to rearrange their formation into a diamond shape. This is the same if the other team have drunk six cups, too.
Basically, it just makes it easier for everyone to shoot.
Step Five: "Re-rack" round two
When you're down to the last two cups on either side, place them in a vertical line next to each other. The back of the cup needs to be about 2.5cm from the table's edge for ultimate gameplay.
Step Six: Keep going until someone wins
Obviously, the fewer cups you have remaining the harder it is to make a shot. So sometimes, this round can last forever.
Regardless, each team should keep taking turns throwing the ball, until one player or team has landed it in their opponent's last cup. The first team to do this wins the game.
The prizes are up to you...
Beer pong tips and tricks
If you want to flex those beer pong skills and give yourself the best chance of winning, practice the following...
Arc the ball when you throw as this gives it a better chance of landing in a cup.
Rather than aim for the edges of the initial pyramid, go for a cluster of cups in the middle so there's more scope for it to land in one.
Practice both over and underhand throwing to see which one you're better at.
Keep your elbows behind the table when you throw the ball. Otherwise, it won't count if it lands in a cup and your team won't get the point.
Focus on the back of the cup as you throw. This is a common tip in basketball that helps players make a shot.
Clean the balls with water if they drop on the floor. Beer pong isn't the most hygienic game, we know, but you can at least reduce the chances of drinking bits of carpet that have transferred from the ball into the cups.
OK, now you're all set for - probably - the best tournament of beer pong you've ever endured. Just please drink responsibly.
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