Set-Up

Each team creates a pyramid of ten 16oz cups, with the point of the pyramid pointing at their opponents. Each cup is typically filled halfway with beer, but feel free to change the amount and put your preferred drink in the cups (seltzer, water, etc.).

The Basics

Beer Pong is typically played by 2 teams of 2. Each turn, both players on a team attempt to throw a ping-pong ball into one of the opposing team’s cups. When a ball lands in a cup, the opposing team drinks its contents and removes the cup from the table. If both teammates make successful shots in a single turn, they get the balls back and take another turn. The game ends when one team eliminates all of the other team’s cups, claiming victory.

Starting the Game – Who Goes First

There are two methods for determining who goes first:

• Eyes: “Eyes” is used if it is the first game of the party, the last winner retires, or new teams are formed. 1 player from each team shoots while maintaining eye contact with their opponent throughout the attempt. If both players miss or both make their shots, their partners take the next turn. This repeats until one player makes a shot and their opponent does not. (Note: That cup is not removed from play; this was just to figure out who starts).
• Winners: The winner of the previous games gets to go first.

Standard Rules

• Elbows: When throwing, the player’s elbow cannot extend past the edge of the table. If it does, the shot doesn’t count. If you made the shot anyway, you’ll get one more chance to redo it.
• Re-Racking: Each team can request up to two re-racks per game to rearrange the remaining cups into a tighter formation (e.g., diamond, line, triangle). Re-racks can only be requested at the start of a turn, and no re-racks are allowed if the team just made both shots and got balls back.
• Bouncing: A ball that bounces before landing in a cup counts, but the opposing team can swat it away. If a bounce shot lands, the defending team removes two cups instead of one, unless there are only 2 cups left on the side.
• Last Cup: The final cup can be pulled back and centered upon request.

Optional Rules

• Death Cup: If a cup that’s already been made is still being held and a ball lands in it again, the game is over.
• Rollbacks: If the ball rolls back to the shooting team’s side after a missed shot, they can take a behind-the-back trick shot.
• Blowing and Fingering: Players may blow or finger a ball out of the cup if it’s spinning around the rim. Typically, this is only allowed for non-bounced shots.
• Celebrity Shot: Teams can call in a “celebrity” (guest player) to take one shot during the game.
• Island Rule: If a single cup is isolated (not touching any other cups), a player can call “Island” before shooting. If they hit the cup, the opposing team removes an additional cup.
• Redemption: If a team eliminates the last cup, the opposing team gets one last chance to shoot until they miss. If they manage to sink all the remaining cups, the game goes into overtime and 3 cups are put on each side of the table.