How Many Cups Do You Need for Beer Pong?

Though there actually are official rules, each game is a little different depending on who and where you’re playing. This provides the opportunity to experiment with new renditions of the game, enjoy a unique experience every game you play, and adopt the various minutiae players implement with their own style or rules.

To keep it simple, beer pong games will usually include either a set of 6 or 10 cups on either side of the beer pong table.

Follow these four simple steps to get a game started, and remember … it’s all about having fun, so don’t worry about the rules too much. Just be sure to let everyone know how you tend to play so there aren’t any surprise rules … no one like that!

Beer Pong Rule: Look for the Bounce Before Interfering

Though rules can vary from game to game, one of the most common rules you’ll come across is that concerning the only time when a player is allowed to block the beer pong ball from landing in a cup.

Here’s the rule:

The only time a player can guard a cup by interfering with the ball is if the opposing player opts to bounce the ball into the cup rather than throw it in directly.

So pay attention to how your opponents are throwing their ball … it might mean the difference between a won game and a lost game. Be careful though … if you knock over cups while trying to defend them, you’re bound to suffer some consequences depending on the particular game. For example, one set of rules might require you to drink the same amount of cups you knocked over.

Four Simple Steps to Start A Beer Pong Game

Arrange cups into a triangle.

Creating the best beer pong game starts in the very beginning with the actual setup. Though there are a variety of methods people opt for in terms of setting up their game, there are a few fundamentals to keep in mind that you will see with every game, no matter how different they are from each other.

Let’s keep this simple and to the point … Here are the four simple steps you need to start a beer pong game.

1. Set Up the Cups

Everyone sets up their cups a little different, but the basic idea is to position the cups close to the edge, but not so close that they’re at risk of falling. You’re going to need 6 – 10 cups to get started, but the scale of games range drastically … ever seen the 9000 cup beer pong match? Set your cups on either end of the table so they form two triangles. These triangles should point to each of the table.

2. Filling the cups

Fill each cup about 1/4 to 1/3 full. This will enable you to play multiple games, while still getting buzzed.

3. The Water Cup

Designate two water cups on either end of the table. This is used to clean the ping pong ball between throws, after it hits the ground, and to keep the beer players consume clean.

4. Determine Who Gets First Throw

There are several opinions about this, but many believe the official way to determine which player gets first toss is the player that bounces their ball on the table and comes closest to reaching the ceiling … without actually reaching the ceiling.

Others opt to go for a basic coin toss or arm wrestling match.

Image by gojeffrey

The Last Cup: A Documentary About the World’s Best Beer Pong Players

Ever wondered what it might be like to turn a drinking game in your buddy’s garage into something that brings you worldwide fame and money?  “The Last Cup,” a documentary about one of the country’s most controversial “sports”, does just that.  The producers follow the progress of a number of players as they work their way up to the national championship tournament. 

The idea for the documentary started with a small, little known film making company called Film 101, and as it gained the support of such names as Morgan Spurlock and the staff at the World Series of Beer Pong’s official site, the cult following that resulted began to resemble that of any other recreational bar game such as pool, darts, or poker. 

 The film’s creators would argue that beer pong is in fact a sport, and this is evident from watching the documentary.  The viewer is taken alongside the players’ experiences ranging from tiring practice sessions to glorious victories to upsetting, close-call losses. 

 In addition to portraying beer pong as an actual sport rather than just a drinking game, the film does bring to light the reality that, like all athletes, professional beer pong players will eventually need to move on to other genres of work as their youth comes to an end.  One cannot play beer pong forever, let alone do so and continue to be profitable in competitions.  Until then, Letsplaybeerpong.com  supplies a full line of Regulation Size Beer Pong Tables for all of your championship training needs.

Drinking Games: Official Beer Pong Rules

What are the official rules of beer pong? That can be a leading question. While there ARE official rules and even a world series of beer pong, most casual beer pong play at house parties is largely dependent on the preferences of the host. But for educational purposes, here are the rules that the pros play by:

Setup

1. The two teams (or individuals) stand on either end of the table. Teams are generally two players each.

2. The ten glasses on each side of the table are laid out in a triangular fashion, with four glasses just barely in front of the table’s furthest edge, three in front of that, two in front of them, and one more in front of them. Rims of the cups should be touching, and no cups should be tilting or leaning against each other.

3. Standard tournament dimensions for a beer pong table are 8′ x 2′ x 27.5″.

4. Standard size 40mm ping pong balls are used for gameplay.

5. Split 24oz of beer between the ten cups. In official tournament play, the back four cups are filled with water instead, but we’ve yet to go to a party where this actually happens!

Gameplay

1. The team that goes first is selected randomly. In some house rules, we’ve seen a face-off take place between the two teams to compete for the first turn, and in this case, whoever lands a ball in a cup first gets to throw the first (official) shot.

2. Traditionally, the team that throws first gets only one shot. After this, one turn equals two shots per team, which is one shot per team member.

3. Legal throws include the following:

-Throwing a ball directly into an opposing team’s cup

-Bouncing the ball on the table and landing it in an opposing team’s cup

4. A penalty of one cup is granted for the following reasons:

-Altering the ball’s path on its way to their cups

-Extending any body part over the table while making a shot

-Creating a distraction, including but not limited to: Fanning or blowing on the balls, trash talking the opposing team, blocking the opposing team’s view of the cups, interfering in any way with the opposing team’s ability to shoot, etc.

-If you knock over your own cup, it counts as if the other team made a shot into that cup. The cup stays empty…unless, of course, the other team doesn’t notice this. Then, the cup may remain. Don’t believe us? It’s in the official rules of the world series of beer pong, called the “Dipshit not paying attention rule”. Seehttp://www.bpong.com/wsobp/official-rules-of-the-world-series-of-beer-pong for these rules.

5. The final rounds: If it has come down to a situation in which both teams have one cup remaining, the first team to make a shot is not necessarily the winner. The opposing team gets a chance to make a rebuttal shot, and if they sink the rebuttal shot also, it’s back to square one, with one cup remaining for each team. If the rebuttal shot is missed, then the team that made the original shot is the winner. The official rules describe several possible finals scenarios, but this is the simplest of those described, and, as house rules vary, it makes more sense to just ask the host about his or her rules about the final rounds of beer pong.

So, there you have it. Now that you are an expert and know how to play like a pro, why not gear up like a pro? Visit http://www.letsplaybeerpong.com for the best professional beer pong tables and accessories. This article originated on Ezine Articles

Where Did Beer Pong Come From Anyway?

Have you ever heard of the game Kottabos? If you haven’t, don’t feel left out, not many have. Kottabos was a drinking game played by the ancient Greeks that involved the flinging of residue from the bottom of their wine cups at each other. Some would argue that this was the first “organized” drinking game ever. Wait, what? Throwing alcohol at one another? Really? There has to be a better way of combining alcohol and throwing objects, right? Well, thankfully, the answer is a very strong yes! Today’s generation has come up with a way. We still like to throw objects while drinking, just not the drink itself. That’s actually considered a “party foul” to most! Instead of Kottabos, we play beer pong.

Now, we arrive at the present. Beer pong has evolved from a college drinking game, to a real money making sport. There are tournaments all throughout the country that have cash payouts, and the 2010 Atlantic city championship hosted by the world beer pong tour had a prize pool of $50k! So there is some serious cash to be made in this wonderful game. In fact, a recent documentary titled Last Cup, chronicled several players’ quest for glory as they trained for the national championships. So, want a new avenue to meet people, drink beer, and potentially get paid for it? Can you toss a ping pong ball into a cup? If so, why not give beer pong shot.

So for all you former athletes that can’t physically do what you used to, but still have that competitive instinct, welcome to the world of beer pong. You can play it in the comfort of your own garage or backyard, or even at your local bar. Bars across the country are now hosting tournaments and are even forming organized leagues. Some college kids who are new to an area and who don’t know anyone can use beer pong as a social tool. One can go to a party, not know anyone when they arrive, jump into a game, and meet a lot of people in a couple hours. So if you aren’t that former athlete, but need a way of meeting people in a new town, go find a game of beer pong!

The ancient Greeks had a good idea. We like to drink and throw objects as well. We just have a more practical way of doing it. We can also make money while doing it! If you aren’t already a part of this beer drinking, ball throwing craze, join the action today!

Letsplaybeerpong.com carries a complete line of beer pong tables and accessories to satisfy all of your greatest beer pong desires! This article can also be found at http://ezinearticles.com/?Where-Did-Beer-Pong-Come-From-Anyways?&id=5762579