How to Play Beer Pong | Plus Secret Techniques To Improve Your Game

The Beer Pong game was initially originated in the US on December 27, 1980, during a meeting of friends in which they tried to shoot ping pong balls into glasses filled with beer from the side of a table. They still didn’t know it, but that’s where the Beer Pong game would be born. Although many see it as a simple game of friends where you can drink and have fun, the number of people striving on how to play beer pong tends to increase daily.

Beer Pong derives its playing mode from a game similar to the one we play with paddles, originated between the 50s and 60s and which we all know as ping pong. This game with paddles has led to a game without paddles. Where the rules have changed, and beer has also been introduced.

On December 27 of the 80s, was a time when people began to play. What today has up to a world league and a lot of followers all over the world? We are talking about Beer Pong. (Beer, with regards to liquor, and pong that reminds us of the game of table tennis).

How to Play Beer Pong

The objective of the game is simple: to get drunk. The second objective is to hit the ping pong ball inside the opponent’s glass. And every time this occurs, the opponent must take the drink from the cup that was hit. So, do you want to learn to play? Follow the steps:

Prepare the Game

This is the ideal way to set up the “Beer Pong” challenge:

Here, you will need a very large table (preferably straight), more resistant cups and some ping pong balls. The layout of the glasses is always in a triangular way (as in the snooker). In professional tournaments, the ideal number of glasses is between 6 to 10. On the other hand, there is no defined number of glasses when playing just for fun or relaxation. You can put as many as you can take.

The Drink

As the name says, the drink usually used in the game is beer. But you can use the drink you prefer. It is also part of the game to fill some glasses with stronger drinks (tequila or vodka), among the other brands of beer.

Filling the Cups

The ideal practice is to fill the glasses halfway. In the case of strong drinks, it may be a smaller dose (to prevent anyone from ending up in the hospital due to excess alcohol consumption).

Cleaning Kit

It is worthwhile to have a bucket of water and a towel (or paper towel) to sanitize the ping pong ball when it falls off the table (what else happens in this game).

In all, while working on how to play beer pong, you would discover that the game is pretty straightforward at first, but it gets harder every time someone dunks the ping pong ball into your glass.

To play, it is necessary to have the minimum required by this game. A Beer Pong table, a few glasses, usually American reds, and at least one ping pong ball. Depending on whether you will play as a team or alone. You will also use 6 or 10 cups per team.

Once you have everything you need, go on to assemble the Beer Pong game. In some cases, the Beer Pong tables you would find on sale are foldable. Thus, they are easier to transport and to set them up, the first thing to do is open them.

When the table is open, you will have to place the Beer Pong glasses at both ends, 6 or more if you are playing alone or 10 if you are doing it as a team.

As earlier highlighted, the game doesn’t have many steps; you need to be behind the table (on your side/side of your team) and try to hit the opponent’s glass with the ping pong ball.

You can launch the ball the way you prefer: bouncing or from the top.

If you get it wrong, the other one gets to play. In the game in pairs, you have to alternate who will play the ball.

If you get it right, the opponent drinks the cup you hit and takes it off the table. After that, you can play one more time. In the case of a doubles match, you can choose which of the opposing pair you want to take the drink.

You win the game when you manage to clear all the cups of the other team from the table.

If there is only one glass left for each team and one of the players gets a hit, it is possible to appeal for revenge where the other player can shoot. If the other player is correct, the game continues. But if he fails, he takes his glass of beer thoroughly, and the game is over.

The Rules for Playing Beer Pong

Selecting who throws the Beer Pong ball first

If it is the first game, the opposing players will have to throw the ball from their side of the board into their opponent’s cups. The first player who does not score loses, and therefore the other player would start playing.

If it is not the first game, it will always start by throwing through the player who has won the previous game.

Selecting where to throw the ball

This is one of the most commonly discussed beer pong rules. You always shoot from the opposite side of the board from your opponent. But it is taking into account that neither elbows nor wrists can exceed the edge of the table. If the shot is made beyond two parts of the body from the edge of the table, the shot is canceled. And it is retaken. Each missed shot can be repeated once.

Furthermore, you can throw the Beer Pong ball in two ways. One is throwing directly without bouncing, in this case, the rule says that if it enters one of the glasses, the opponent will drink the liquid inside and the glass will be withdrawn. 

Another way is to toss the ball by bouncing it. Once on the table before being dunked into the cup. This is one among the beer pong bounce rules, and it imposes that if the ball is thrown by bouncing it on the Beer Pong table. It will only be able to give a single bounce, and the opponent can intercept it in the air after bouncing, thus preventing it from entering one of the glasses. If it is possible to introduce the ball into the bouncing glass, two glasses will be removed; one will be the one in which the ball was introduced, and the winner will choose another.

Replacing the Beer Pong glasses

Your Beer Pong opponent may be asked to replace the glasses as long as they were able to move during the game. So that this does not happen, a rack can be used; although it is not mandatory, it helps a lot to prevent the glasses from moving.

Distracting the opponent

The rules of beer ping pong allow the opponent to be distracted during play. It is very normal and a common practice among professional players. The opponent can be distracted by speaking, singing, or with gestures, but always behind the table and in your place, without leaving your area of ​​the table. 

Cup shelving

Twice per match, each team may request to rearrange the cups at the start of their turn. This is called re-shelving, shelving, or reforming. Shelving can take place when you have 6, 4, 3, or 2 cups left. If necessary, the last cup can always be pulled back and centered.

The gunshot

If a player lands the ball in two cups in a row, he may call “the shot”. If he takes his third shot, he can announce that he is on fire and he shoots until he misses. In case, the player does not verbally announce that he is on fire, he cannot call the shot.

Essential Tips to Use While Playing Beer Pong 

In this section, we have highlighted some Important Tips to use while playing beer pong:

Prepare yourself mentally

We think having a drink or a dose before departure is beneficial. You can’t get drunk with this. Instead, it would cup help you relax and be better coordinated. 

Choose your team carefully

We all have those friends who have better and more precise motor coordination. Taller players also have an advantage here when shooting. Thus in beer pong, it would be better to include such people among your team.

Aim accurately

Of course, it’s easier said than done, but the sentence above couldn’t be truer. Don’t throw the ball in the cup just for playing. Instead, stop for a second, breathe, and concentrate. You will see that it will make a tremendous difference in the end.

Don’t stop drinking

The objective of the game is to make your opponent drink. But we realize that drinking during the game not only increases the fun and the amount of laughter you will have but also helps you stay relaxed between games.

Practice, a lot

Like everything in life, the more you practice, the better you will be. Do not think that in the first game you will be hitting all the cups and annihilating the opposing team.

Not quite, so play a lot to get well, after all the game is quite fun.

Read More: Best Ping Pong Paddle under 100

Frequently Asked Questions 

How do you set up beer pong?

• To set up beer pong formations:
• Start by making two teams of 2 players;
• Arrange 6 or 10 glasses in a triangle on both sides of the table (the cups must touch each other);
• Fill each glass with 1/3 of beer;
• Determine which team will start.

How many cups do you need for beer pong?

To play beer pong, you will use either 6 or 10 red cups per team.

Can you get drunk playing beer pong?

Yes. A significant part of ping pong includes drinking beer. Thus, you can get drunk while playing the game.

What happens if you hit the same cup in beer pong?

If you hit the same cup in beer pong, it is referred to as “Death Cup”. With this, the opposing team loses the game automatically.  

What happens if you catch the ball in beer pong?

No. This is against the rules of beer pong.

Can you throw underhand in beer pong?

Yes. In the game of beer pong, a player is allowed to throw underhand or overhand.

Can you shoot at the same time in beer pong?

Yes. Shooting at the same time in beer pong is allowed for team players.

What is death cup in beer pong?

A death cup is any cup that has sunk but has not been completely consumed. If the player hits the ball into the unfinished cup, the game will end immediately. This rule motivates all players to finish their drinks quickly and makes everyone responsible for each beer.

Why do you dip the ball in beer pong?

Dipping the ball in beer pong helps to sanitize the ping pong ball when it falls off the table.

What is a trick shot in beer pong?

A trick shot in beer pong involves bouncing the ball upon walls and other surfaces, sometimes multiple times. First, place the cup nearby where there are many rebound able surfaces.

Conclusion

In conclusion, beer pong is an entertaining game and is played around the world by people of all ages. Because it does not need sophisticated equipment or difficult to obtain, today, it is the most popular among games that involve drinks. So no matter what the occasion, there is always an excellent option for a Beer Pong party. Furthermore, playing beer Pong is simple, as highlighted above. It takes just a few minutes to learn how to play beer pong. So set up your table, fill the glasses with beer and start playing.