Quick Beer Pong Rules for Beginners

If there is one game that should be in every man cave, it’s Beer Pong. A great game to play with friends and of course beer! But before you start bouncing away those ping pong balls, lets recap the rules in order to create a fair and fun game for all.

• 20 cups (30 if playing with more than 2 players)

• 2 ping pong balls (4 if playing with more than 2 players)

• 1 long 8-foot table

• 1 Beer (although I wouldn’t be using your finest Ale)

• The first team to eliminate all of their opponents cups (pending redemption), wins the game!

• When a team loses, they get one chance for redemption (shoot until you miss)

• If the losing team eliminates all of their opponents cups, the game goes into a 3 cup overtime

• If the ball lands in the opponent’s drinking cup, the game is over (no redemption)

• If both balls land in the same cup, the game is over (no redemption)

• Form 2 teams of 2 players (can be played with more than 2 players in each team)

• Each team takes an end of the table

• A 10 cup pyramid is set up at both ends of the table

• Team to shoot first is determined by an Eye-To-Eye

Eye-To-Eye is when a player from each team shoots the ball while maintaining eye contact with their opponent. If both players miss or both players make it, their teammates now shoot. This goes on until one person makes it and their opponent does not.

• Each player shoots once per round

• Players can shoot the ball directly into a cup for 1 cup or bounce it off the table into a cup for 2 cups

• If a ball lands in a cup, the cup is removed and defending team must drink

• Defending team is only allowed to block (by swatting) a bounce shot

• If both teammates make a cup on the same turn, they get both balls back and shoot again

• Each team gets one re-rack per game

• When shooting, elbows must stay behind the edge of the table (no reaching)

Get your throwing technique sorted

Whether you like to lob or fastball, work out which throwing technique works for you. There is no right or wrong way to throw in beer pong, just as long as it’s going in the cup.

Start from the Front

Unless you really want to impress your friends by landing those difficult shots, you should always start from the cups at the front and work your way back. Get the easy ones out of the way. You’ll be getting better as the game goes on.

Choose the Right Teammate

Beer pong is a game of hand-eye coordination so find a teammate that has their mind on the game. It’ll go a long way to winning.

Practice Makes Perfect

If you want to get better at the game, you’ll need to practice. Lobbing a ping pong ball is such an unnatural activity, you’ll need to practice throwing to get the feel of how to throw.

Remember that it’s a drinking game

You may throw better after a few beers or you might throw worse. At the end of the day it is a drinking game so realize that your own game may get better or worse after a few.

Final Thoughts

Even though there are professional beer pong tournaments around the world, you’ll most likely be playing in your man cave with your buddies so don’t take the game too seriously. Your goal will always be fun so make it that way. There are countless ways to change the rules to make games even more fun.