Beer Pong

1 Setup

Set up a table approximately 8 feet long (standard ping pong table size). Each team arranges 10 cups in a triangle formation (4-3-2-1) at their end of the table. Fill each cup with a set amount of beer (or water, using separate drinking cups). Each team has 2 players.

2 Gameplay

Teams alternate turns. On each turn, both players on the shooting team each throw one ping pong ball, aiming to land it in the opposing team's cups. Elbow rule: your elbow may not cross the edge of the table when shooting.

When a ball lands in a cup, that cup is removed. The opposing team drinks the contents.

3 Key Rules

Bounce Shots

You may bounce the ball off the table into a cup. Bounce shots count as 2 cups, the defending team removes the made cup plus one additional cup of their choice. However, the defense may swat away bounce shots after the first bounce.

Same Cup / Death Cup

If both teammates sink the same cup on the same turn (same turn, both balls in one cup), the game ends immediately, the shooting team wins.

Ball Retrieval

Defenders may retrieve balls that have bounced or rolled off the table. "Fingering" (spinning the ball out of a cup with a finger) and "blowing" (blowing the ball out before it settles) are house-rule dependent, agree before playing.

4 Re-Racks

Each team may request a re-rack (rearrangement of remaining cups) twice per game. Re-racks are called at the start of your turn before shooting. Common re-rack formations:

• 6 cups: triangle (3-2-1) or 2-3-1
• 4 cups: diamond or square
• 3 cups: triangle
• 2 cups: side by side
• 1 cup: centered

5 Common House Rules

• Heating up / On fire: A player who sinks 2 in a row is "heating up." If they sink a third, they call "on fire" and shoot until they miss.
• Island/Isolation: Once per game, each player may call "island" on a lone separated cup, if they make it, it counts as 2 cups; if they miss, they lose their island privilege.
• Redemption: When the last cup is made, the losing team gets one "redemption" round, both players shoot until they miss. If they clear all remaining cups, the game goes to overtime (3 cups each).
• Balls back: If both players sink their shots on the same turn (not same cup), they get their balls back and shoot again.

6 Winning

The first team to eliminate all opposing cups wins. In most house rules, the losing team gets a redemption round. If redemption succeeds, the game goes to overtime with 3 cups in a triangle each.