Information AboutBeer Pong |
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Beer Pong (also known as '''Beirut''') is a Drinking Game that involves propelling a Table Tennis ball across a table with the goal of making the ball land in one of several cups of Beer . The game generally involves two teams, each composed of two people. Once a player is scored upon, he/she is supposed to consume the entire amount of beer (or other alcoholic beverage) that resides in the cup where the ball landed. When one of the teams has scored in all of their opponents' cups, the game is won. While having a remarkably simple premise, the game has a great depth of skill and strategy with different kinds of shots, cooperative planning, and a large element of confrontational psychology. These elements combined with the debilitating effects of Alcoholic Beverages create a complex alluring game, or as some say, a sport. Beer Pong also has a remarkable number of variations and styles, which can depend on the area of the country, state, or even what house at which the game is being played. Today, ''beer pong'' has become a staple of American High School and College Subculture , and along with Quarters , is one of the most played drinking games in the United States . ETYMOLOGY The meaning of the terms ''Beer Pong'' and ''Beirut'' vary depending on locality to which the game is played: Beirut is unambiguously accepted to be the version of the game where players throw the balls and do not use paddles to hit the ball, while Beer Pong can mean either the same game as Beirut, or the Similar Game where players use paddles to hit the ball toward the cups of their opponents. ''Beirut'' is generally a term used in the northeastern United States while 'Beer Pong' is the most commonly used in the southern and western regions. Beer Pong, in its paddle variation, is rarely played in the South . The name "Beirut" is said to derive from an irreverent, and some would deem offensive, allusion to the Civil War in Lebanon in the 1980's in which Mortar Shells were lobbed at Beirut, the country's capital city. Calling the game Beirut is said to have originated at Lehigh University or Bucknell University [http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2004/11/19/opinion/11525.shtml]. A [http://www.bellybuttonwindow.com/archives/000637.html December 2005 census] determined that the game is unknown to bar patrons or college students in Beirut. SETUP ]] Players and officials Beer pong is usually played with two teams of two persons each, two teams of one person, or a two-on-one handicap match. Each team begins the game standing at either end of the table behind their rack of cups. Challenging teams must sign up on a designated list, or audibly call their claim to the table if no list is present. Tampering with this list is heavily frowned upon. If a player or team is not present for their game, they may be replaced or skipped all together. Ultimately, the person(s) residing in the location of the beer pong event have the final say on the players engaging in the game. There may be up to two officials observing one game. These officials should be unbiased individuals competent in the rules of the game. Officials should stand at the side of the table as to not interfere with gameplay. The job of the official is to determine any violation(s) of the rules that follow. Playing field The original, simplest and most common place to play beer pong is on a Ping Pong table. However the game can be played on any flat surface with enough space to hold the two formations of cups, although it is typically preferred to be played on a surface that is 4' x 8' or larger. Many frequent players will create a personalized table for use by friends and visitors. In general, this will be a Plywood board cut to proper size, painted with sports, school or fraternity symbols and then given a coating to liquid-proof. Many college students who live in dorm rooms will take a door from a closet or conjoining room and use this as a playing surface. The door can be used in conjuntion with chairs from the dorm room to create a very usuable, however unstable, table. This is useful because of the lack of space in a college dorm, and also because many students are underage and do not wish to be caught by a Resident Advisor. To compensate for smaller playing fields, additional rules can be created forcing players to shoot from several paces away, establishing the minimum 6' separation distance between the point of shooting and the opponent's cup formation necessary for correct gameplay. The cups The most common and preferred cups used are Solo or Dixie 16 ounce cups. These cups have ridge-lines which can be used to precisely measure the amount of beer to be poured. Smaller cups greatly vary the aim necessary in order to score; often more exprienced players agree to use smaller cups because they require better aim to score. Smaller cups can also be beneficial in situations where the teams playing are unevenly matched or when using a smaller/lower playing field. However, the 16-ounce cup is the most common and most universally accepted size. On each side of the table, an equilateral triangle formation of cups is assembled, with the convergence point focusing on the other team. Different variations allow for different numbers of cups, although ten (4-3-2-1) and six-cup (3-2-1) are the most common. Some other practiced, although less common arrangements, are seven-cup (2-3-2) in a hexagonal pattern and nine-cup (1-2-3-2-1) in a Nine Ball pattern. When playing on a larger field or with larger teams, ten or more cups are more frequently used. Also on each side is one, sometimes two, water cups or ''holy cups'', which are cups of tepid or slightly hot water. This is used to clean the ball of dirt, grime, or beer that accumulates when it accidentally hits the floor, table, etc. It is proper etiquette for the player to wash the ball before shooting, to promote good hygiene. The act of dunking the ball in water can also serve as a pre-shot ritual for players intended for concentration purposes. The alcohol Any type of beer, or other alcohol, can be used to play beer pong. Usually a Light Beer is used as large quantities may be consumed during the course of several games. Light beer tends to be less filling, allowing participants to play more games. Cheap beer, such as Pabst Blue Ribbon , Keystone Light , Milwaukee's Best Light , Icehouse , or Natural Light is used as the players are less concerned with what they are drinking and more concerned with the game. Typically, approximately 4 oz. of beer is poured into each cup in the formation, which is equivalent to the first or second ridgline up from the bottom in an 16 ounce cup. This works out to be two 12 oz. cans of beer per team in a regular six cup game, or three beers per team for a 10 cup game. THE RULES Offense The two basic offensive options a player has are the ''shot'' and the ''bounce''; however, the bounce is not universally accepted as legal. The ''shot'' is referred to as tossing or pitching the ball across the table without having it hit the table, ground or other surface first. A ''bounce'' is performed by bouncing the ball, generally at a point at least at the midpoint of the table. The ball can bounce multiple times torward the cups, but this should be minimized as the bounce shot can be swatted away or deflected by the opposing team's hands. Because of the increased difficulty of this shot, it is worth two cups; the one in which it lands is pulled, and then an additional cup chosen by the scored-upon team. The edge of the table is used as common boundary, particularly when playing on a short table or the players involved are tall in stature. The shooter's hand holding the ball, when outstretched, may not pass over the edge of the table nearest to the shooter upon release. In many cases, if the rule is broken, the shooter would be forced to re-take the shot and forfeit any cup scored during the infraction. An "Elbows" rule may present a limit to how far towards the opposing team's cups a throwing player's elbow may go. On a typical table configuration, the elbow limit is midway through the initial triangle formation. This stipulation is generally relaxed in the context of a bounce shot. In general there are no stipulations on the order in which a team's players take their turns; however rules vary on whether or not a strict alternating order must be followed. Generally a team determines their own order and may "switch it up", if their performance is not acceptable. Much like Baseball , there is no "shot clock" and players generally prefer to take the time needed to prepare the shot properly. Determining initial possession The team who won the previous game is automatically given possession first, enabling the team to set a scoring precedent. If the two teams are new to the table, or it is the first game played on the table during that session, or is during a tournament, the teams must determine who shoots first. The typical way of achieving this is by shooting "eye to eye". That is, one player on each team holds Eye Contact with each other, and shoots the ball simultaneously. Not being able to see the cups while shooting presents a greater difficulty. The player who shoots the ball into a cup closest to the front of the formation wins possession for his team. If the shots have equal distance or both players miss, the "eye to eye" repeats with the other players. Other forms determining initial possession include: shooting normally and alternating possession and playing Rock, Paper, Scissors . Shot technique Arc Shot The most common throwing technique is to grasp the ping pong ball with the tips of the thumb and forefinger of the player's good hand, and hold the arm at an angle with the ball upwards, then throw by using gentle elbow motion, holding the upper arm parallel with the table. Wrist movement may also occur in an effort to create a greater arc. A good player may also push off with the knees as they throw to create an upward arcing motion. The arc motion allows one to put enough force on the ball to get it to the other side of the table, while conserving velocity and slowing it down so that it is not as likely to bounce off the rim of the cup but gently roll into the cup. Fastball Some players prefer or occasionally use a "laser" or "fastball" style throw (named for its speed, it is not thrown like a Baseball ) which uses more of a hard chopping motion to send the ball in a more direct line to the intended target cup. This can be done with the hand in the usual "pistol grip" orientation or in an overhand "slam-dunk" orientation. The fastball is especially favored by taller players, as it is easier to throw from a higher position. Due to the straighter path the ball will follow, the player may feel more confident in hitting using the fastball. However, caution must however be used if a "no elbows over the table" rule is in use, as it is much easier to violate that guideline with a less controlled throw. Fastballs are also much more likely to knock down a cup, which may have positive or negative consequences depending on house rules. As noted above, the higher velocity of the ball will also cause less-precise shots to bounce off the rim rather than gently bounce into a cup. Nicknames for this technique include "The Rocket," "The Laser," "The Frozen Rope," "The Dart," and "Sniping." Finger Roll Other players prefer to grasp the ball with the thumb, index and middle-finger and release the ball in a somewhat "finger-roll" fashion. Throwing in this manner is very accurate once mastered but it is difficult to use on relatively large table. It also takes time to perfect so it is not recommended for beginners. Therefore, this form is most often employed by veteran players. Bounce Shot Bounce shots are much harder to accurately throw, due to the addition of factors outside the thrower's control. The ball may follow an unpredictable path after bouncing based on the table surface, ball wetness, ball spin, etc. Since the bounce shot counts for two cups, the other team is allowed to swat the ball out of the court. The best time to attempt a bounce is when the opposing team is not paying attention to the game, as the risk of deflection is zero. The current rack must be taken into consideration as well — there is obviously a much higher chance of sinking a bounce on an unspoiled ten cup rack than on an inconsistent rack which is all over the table. Serious defenders should also always keep one player on alert for bounce shots to their cups. In addition to being able to count for two cups, the ''bounce'' also allows the possibility of scoring a ''shot'' even though it initially missed its target. For example, if the ball hits the side of a cup, bounces on the table, and then manages to get in a cup, it counts for only that cup in which it conclusively landed. If the ball was intentionally bounced and hit only the table and the cup in which it landed, it will count for two cups. In addition to the table, the opposing players themselves are often considered far targets for bounce shots. A ball bouncing off a defending players face, hands, or body maybe regarded as a one or two cup score depending on the established rules of that particular game. This shot style can be more effectively used if the ball is bounced simultaneously while the player's partner is performing a traditional shot. This creates an element of surprise and is also harder to defend against, as the player does not want to commit goaltending on the pitched shot. Reracking ''Reracking'' refers to the rearrangement of cups into different formations, after a designated amount of cups has been scored. Beer pong can be played with or without this rule. It is normally used in order to keep the game progressing at a steady pace and thus giving other hopeful players an opportunity to grab a game. In a six cup game, reracking occurs at (in quantities of cups remaining): 4 (rhombus or diamond), 3 (forward-facing triangle), 2 (horizontal line perpendicular to the edge of the table "I-Form"), and 1 (a courtesy pull back near the edge of the table). In a ten cup game, reracking occurs at all of the above occasions and can be instituted at the 6 (foward facing triangle). However, there are also "house rules" that take presidence over general rules. Some players may sometimes request more unconventional reracks, like the 5 (the "New Jersey" or trapezoid oriented on its side) or the 3 (the "Power I" or horizontal line perpendicular to the edge of the table), but these reracks are not always permitted in accordance with house rules. It is not uncommon to find a limit of one, two, or three reracks per game, and in some cases no reracking is allowed. Rollbacks/Bringing it back When each member of one team each makes his shot during a single team turn, they are said to have accomplished "Rollbacks." or have "brought it back." This means that the team on offense regains possession of the balls and has two additional chances to score. A team can repeatedly gain Rollbacks until the conclusion of the game. There are common stipulations regarding re-racking after a team gets Rollbacks. Some local rules stipulate that there is no re-rack after a rollback, while others allow the opposite. These variations of the rules are permitted on a game-by-game basis as long as they are properly disclosed and agreed upon prior to commencement of the first volley. In some variations, the defense must remove any cup that has been made as quickly as possible. If in that time the offense can sink the second ball into the same cup as the first ball, the game is over with no rebuttal. This is based on the principle that if a player hits an opponents drinking cup, the game is over. The Roll Back Rule In the event that once a shot is taken by the offense, and the ball is finds it way back (unaided by outside forces) to the offense, the offense may again shoot. The only difference in this "second chance" is that the ball must be shot by swinging the shooting hand around the back and delivering the shot. This "behind-the-back" shot is extremely difficult to master and much force is required to hurl to the opposing cups. Of course, this rule is only in affect if house rules will allow it. Guns and Butter In most areas that the game is played, the 'Guns and Butter' phrase is used when going for a rollback. When the first player of one team makes a shot, he has "brought the guns" and it is up to the teammate to "bring the butter" by making the 2nd shot. Defense Beer distribution and formations Players have some strategy regarding the amount of beverage poured in their cups. If the player(s) are getting to the point of inebriation or are running out of beer they may desire to lessen the amount of beer in the cup. Less beer increases the risk of the cup being knocked over by a shot, especially the fastball type. This can even detrimentally affect the traditional arc shot, as the cup has less stability than it would normally have. If a team is found to be in violation, a foul is called or the other team is allowed to repeat their attempt once the problem has been remedied. A common Cliche of the game is the phrase "Is there any beer in that cup?" It is to the defensive players' benefit to subtly mess up the formations, usually by having the edges of some cups be over or under the other edges. This can highly affect arc shots, causing the ball to bounce out. It is the responsibility of the team on offense to recognize an improper formation and then instruct the defending players to remedy this. In some areas these minor adjustments are referred to as "kissing" the cups. Once instructed, the opposing team must remedy this situation or risk a penalty or disqualification. Ball blocking If bouncing the ball is allowed, then players may swat away a ball that has hit the table, a cup, or anything else not in play. They must, however, be careful not to knock over any cups and commit a foul. If the player hits the ball away before the ball hits anything, unless it is on a path that is very obviously not towards scoring a cup, a goaltending violation occurs. Depending on rules, goaltending either results in a re-try, or a pulled cup. If the player blocking the bounced ball accidently assists the ball into the cup, then that cup will count as a successful bounce shot. Blowing/fingering If the ball is spinning inside a cup, players may blow into the cup in an attempt to make it fly out; this generally has to be done rapidly, as the ball quickly spirals down inside the cup. In tournament play, this is generally not allowed at all. A variation of this rule is that a player may use one finger, usually the Index Finger to pop the ball out of the cup while it is still spinning. Once the ball stops spinning, it is considered 'dead' and no further defensive actions will count. The act of 'fingering' introduces the danger of knocking over one's own cups, causing a foul, and thus the removal of the knocked over cup. In most cases, the common euphemisms "guys finger" and "bitches blow" define the rules determining who is allowed to use each defensive maneuver. To clarify, males in these situations are allowed to use a finger to pull out the ball while females may blow into the cup in a similar situation. This rule is implemented in "New Jersey Pong", among other variations {Link without Title} . The act of blowing, while technically legal, is heavily frowned upon in many circles. In this sense, the common insult "bitches blow" carries the connotation that the one blowing is, in fact, a "bitch." Many styles, such as "Virginia Pong" specifically deny men the ability to blow into the cup {Link without Title} . Psychological defense A major element of defense is " Shit Talking ", or psyching out the other team. The defending players will hurl insults; a common jab at an underperforming team is "Hey, I'm getting thirsty over here". Not uncommon are statements of reverse psychology ("you got this shot", "this should be ''no problem''"), distracting visual cues (such as pointing to some spot on the table or the water cup). Generally any form of this is accepted, as long its not gratuitously distracting and/or annoying. Women often use their sexuality to aid in defense, through the use of provacative poses and actions. Some variations also allow players to wave their hand over their cups, to distract the shooting team. However, if the ball hits the hand of the player while performing this distraction, the distractor is given a two-cup penalty, or loses a turn, depending on the house rules. Dead Cup One frequently used rule is the "Dead Cup" or "Death Cup" which is used to negatively reinforce players to drink their unconsumed alcohol, and thus keep the game fair. The "Dead Cup" is any cup that was previously scored upon but not yet had its contents consumed. This rule can be easily defended by just placing one's hand over the cup when the opposing team is shooting. If a shot is made into this cup, the game is undisputedly over and the cup holder's team does not receive redemption/rebuttal honors. This rule applies not specifically to the cup, but to the liquid it contains. For example, if a player moves the beer from the dedicated beer pong cup to a secondary cup for consumption, this new cup becomes the "Death Cup". Trifecta Because of the extreme rarity of the following event, it is rarely considered while playing and even lacks a definite name in most beer pong circles. The "Trifecta" rule comes into play when the ball, either off of a bounce or direct shot, lands in the triangular shaped gap found at the union of three cups. This rule does not take effect if the ball falls through this gap, but instead requires the ball to be supported by the three cups in unison. If this happens, the defending team immediately loses the game and is required to drink all beer present on the table. This includes all cups in play, any unfinished beer from the opposing team, and any beer for the following game. Spectators are allowed to remove their beverages from the table that they do not wish to be consumed by the unfortunate losing team. This rule maybe modified to exclude varying amounts of beer depending on the availability and supply of usable beer. The only possible defense from "Trifecta" is to insure that cups in play are properly spaced, overly large gaps will increase the likelihood of this event. Teams that fall victim to the "Trifecta" should be given top priority for rematch games due to the extreme luck,not player skill, involved in the successful completion of this event. Shutout If a team is unlucky enough to lose a game without making any cups, there are many penalties that can follow. Common rules involve drinking all beer remaining on the table or taking a naked lap around the house. The losing team generally loses the right to play any more games for the rest of the evening, and, much to the dismay of the participants, the humiliating punishment is usually recorded in some form. Fouls and misconduct If a player or players knocks over one or more of their own cups, each cup that has been knocked over is removed from the game, and for most purposes counts as a score against the team who performed the foul. If a player's elbow or hand is deemed to be too far over the table, it can be ruled as a "leaning" foul. In this situation, there are two possible remedies: a re-do of the shot, or a loss of shot. Due to the likely hood of physical and/or verbal disagreements following an after-the-fact "lean" accusation, it is higly encouraged to recognize and remedy this foul before the guilty player commits to the shot. Redemption/Rebuttal honors Most variants utilize the set of ''redemption'' rules, which allow a potentially losing team to allow them to come back and tie the game for an overtime round. The game transitions into redemption rules as soon the final cup of one team is scored upon. Each member of the redeeming team can shoot as many times as possible, as long as they make each cup consecutively. As soon as one team member misses a shot, the next member must continue to attempt to score the remaining cups. If all the remaining opposing cups are scored upon, the game is considered tied and proceeds to overtime. Rules vary from location, but usually the normal re-racking rules apply to redemption scenarios. Overtime Overtime is played with a subset of the original number of cups, usually three. All normal rules, including redemption and reracking, apply in overtime. Although, a popular overtime rule is to disallow reracking whatsoever. A game can continue on to as many overtime rounds as necessary in order to conclude the game. Hygenic practices and manners
GAME VARIATIONS ] Due to the immense popularity of the game, it is impossible to list all the possible variations of beer pong. For an extensive list, see the general references. The following are some popular variations:
BEER PONG IN AMERICAN CULTURE Impact on High Schools Despite the illegal nature of teen drinking in the United States, Beer Pong is played nationwide by high school students. There is quite a difference in the American cultural attitude concerning alcohol use by High School -aged Teenager s versus use by college students (despite the fact that there is significant overlap between the actual ages of the two sets). Parents and school administrators tend to view high-school student drinking as severely dangerous and often treat it with a Zero Tolerance mindset, whereas drinking is often seen as an important part of the "college experience" and viewed with Nostalgia by older adults. While alcohol policy discipline is more often than not a "slap on the wrist" in college, many times high schools will engage in much more disciplinary action against violators. High schools have been known to exert disciplinary action even when drinking or drinking games occurred well outside the nominal jurisdiction of the school itself. This is perhaps an example of the school working In Loco Parentis to encourage habits that are more socially accepted as healthy. A number of arguments exist as to why drinking games such as Beer Pong are especially dangerous for younger teens:
With this in mind, players new to Beer Pong or any drinking game should be extremely careful to avoid overconsumption and Alcohol Poisoning . When moderation is practiced in the presence of a trustworthy social support network, drinking games can be safe and highly enjoyable. Impact on colleges THE WORLD SERIES OF BEER PONG™ AND "PROFESSIONAL" TOURNAMENTS & LEAGUES National Beer Pong tournaments are held in the United States. Since the Drinking Age in the United States is currently 21 in all states, entry into most tournaments is restricted to players who meet this age requirement. Some, however, have held tournaments with other liquids legal to minors, such as milk or water. BPONG.COM began promoting and organizing The World Series of Beer Pong™ in mid-2005 and held the event in Mesquite, Nevada from January 2 - 6, 2006. The entry fee of $530 per team covered the event's entry fee, a four-night stay, three all-you-can-eat BBQ-style meals, and beer for the competition. Jason Coben and Nick Velissaris of Ann Arbor, Michigan won the event's $10,000 grand prize. [http://www.wsobp.com [http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Jan-08-Sun-2006/news/5208708.html][http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2006/01/18/mich_pair_wins_beer_pong_championship/] A more common and decentralized organization of Beer Pong games is small leagues. Ordinarily, a group of college students or other Pong enthusiasts will create teams (partnerships) and play weekly against each other. After a regular season and playoffs, one team will win a championship and usually some prize, purchased using member dues. Sometimes player statistics are recorded much like in a professional sports setting, and there have even been software products developed specifically for leagues to keep detailed statistics easily. {Link without Title} RELATED GAMES Bud Pong Bud Pong is branded version of Beer Pong that promoters Anheuser-Busch said involved the drinking of water, not Budweiser or any other beer. In the summer of 2005, the company began marketing "Bud Pong" kits to its distributors. Francine I. Katz, vice president for communications and consumer affairs, was reported in '' The New York Times '' as saying that Bud Pong was not intended for underage drinkers because promotions were held in bars, not on campuses. And it did not promote binge drinking, she said, because official rules call for water to be used, not beer. ''The Times'' quoted a bartender at a club near Clemson University as saying she had worked at several Bud Pong events and had "never seen anyone playing with water. It's always beer. It's just like any other beer pong.". Some expressed incredulity at Anheuser-Busch's public statements. Henry Wechsler, director of the College Alcohol Study at the Harvard School of Public Health, said: "Why would alcohol companies promote games that involve drinking water? It's preposterous," while advertising news site Adjab opined that "someone playing Bud Pong with water is about as likely as a teenage kid using the Rolling Paper he bought at the convenience store to smoke tobacco.". On October 19 , 2005 the company professed surprise that some players were using beer instead of water, and withdrew the game in response to criticism. Francine I. Katz stated that "Despite our explicit guidelines, there may have been instances where this promotion was not carried out in the manner it was intended." Beer Pong with paddles See Also: Beer Pong (paddles) This variation is quite popular amongst colleges and universities and is also the source of some contention regarding the associated game with the term ''Beer Pong.'' Slam Pong See Also: Slam Pong Slam Pong is a form of beer pong that has been popular at colleges and universities in the northeastern United States. Unlike many other variants of beer pong, slam pong is a fast-moving game that retains some of the rules of Ping Pong but borrows many of its rules and game play from Volleyball . The name "slam pong" refers to the action of slamming a ping pong ball into a plastic cup with a paddle, the fundamental way of scoring points in this game. Dartmouth Pong See Also: Dartmouth pong Dartmouth Pong is a variation of the common paddle version, played with paddles that have the handles removed. The game puts much more emphasis on lobs, rather than the slams of ''Slam Pong''. The table is 5'x9' (some houses have smaller tables). Each team has a predetermined amount of cups completely filled with beer and arranged in a predetermined shape, which may include "shrub", "tree", and "ship" formations. The game is played by serving the ball as in normal beer pong, but the ball is not allowed to hit an opponents cup. If a serve strikes an opponents cup, the serving team must drink half a beer. If a serve lands into an opponent's cup, the serving team must drink a full beer (or only a half, depending on the house). If a serve does not land on the opponents side and does not strike a cup, it is considered "out" and the server receives a second serve. If the second serve is out (some frats allow three serves), the serving team must drink and then keep serving until a valid serve is made. REFERENCES |
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