You can find the official Beer Pong rules here. Our short version is sufficient for beginners for the time being. For the advanced among you we have explained the rules in more detail below.
SUMMARY OF THE BEER PONG RULES
REQUIRED ACCESSORIES
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4 players, 2 balls, 22 red cups, beer, beer pong table / playing area
BASIC RULES (SHORT VERSION)
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every player on a team throws one ball per round
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Hit cups must be drunk
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the elbow must always stay behind the edge of the table when throwing
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If both players hit, the team may throw again (“balls back”)
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Impacts count as two cups, but may be fended off
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the teams take turns throwing
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When the last cup has been hit, the team has another counter attack
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the team hits the counterattack: game continues - otherwise game ends
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If both players hit the same cup, 3 cups are put away (“bomb”)
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If a player announces a stand-alone cup, 2 cups are put away (“Island”)
OFFICIAL BEER PONG RULES
STRUCTURE / MATERIALS
2 table tennis balls (ø 40 mm; 2.7g)
1 table (8 ft / 243 cm length)
Place ten cups in a pyramid shape and align them with the pyramid tip towards the center of the table. Fill each mug with the desired amount of beer (usually half full or 1 liter of beer per team). A watercup for cleaning the balls may be placed on each side.
GENERAL GAME PROCEDURE
Beer Pong is usually played by two teams of two people each. Both team members try to throw a ball into the opposing team's cups per round. If a cup is hit, it must be drunk after both balls have been thrown. Balls must always be removed from the cups immediately. The team that hits all of the opposing team's cups first wins.
Since there are many different variations of Beer Pong, the special rules should be mentioned again shortly before the game so that everyone can agree on them.
The winner of the game typically stays at the table and awaits the next opponent.
DECIDE WHO BEGINS / EYES
The first game of the evening is decided by "eyes". One team member from each team looks the opponent in the eye. Both throw at the same time. Whoever hits first can start the round with his team. The hit cup is not removed or drunk. The team only gets the ball.
or
The winner of the last game gets the balls.
ELBOW RULE
When throwing, the thrower's elbow should never protrude over the rear edge of the beer pong table. If this fundamental rule is not followed, the shot taken does not count and the other team gets the ball. If the ball is pocketed, the thrower has one more try.
BALLS BACK
If both team members meet in the same round, the team receives the balls back and is allowed to throw again. The cups are removed before the second throw.
COMPILING
You can put it together once per game. You can do this with a number of five remaining cups. After a "balls back" this rule does not apply because the round is still going on.The last cup should always be moved to the "center" (middle) of the former triangle formation
PICK UP / BLOW AWAY
If a player throws the ball with a bouncer over the table top or another cup into a cup, the opposing team must drink two cups.
In order to avoid landing, the ball may be knocked away or caught after the first contact with the table or cup.
ADJUST
During the course of the game, players may request that the opposing team bring their cups back into shape if they are not standing as they should.
FINGERS / BUBBLES
If a ball is still circling around in a mug and has not yet touched the beer, it can be blown out / fingered to make the hit invalid. As a rule: boys finger, women suck!
DEAD CUP
As soon as a cup has been hit, it should be drunk. But if it is not emptied and is in the hand of a player / at the table, that team automatically loses if the cup is hit again by the other team. Dead cups are therefore extremely dangerous.
TRICKSHOT
If a player throws the ball and it rolls back over the table to his own side and is caught (without touching the ground), it is the thrower's turn again. The throw has to be a trick shot. Means: close your eyes / with your left / behind your back / etc
BOMB
If both team members meet in the same cup, the "bomb" rule applies. 3 cups are removed from the opposing side and the team receives both balls back (balls back) and is allowed to throw again.
ON FIRE
If a player lands two hits in two rounds in a row, he can shout "heating up" and in the case of a third hit may throw in the next round until he no longer hits. He is "on fire".
ICELAND
This rule can be used by each player once in the game. If a cup stands alone (without touching others), the player can refer to "Iceland" on the cup. If the named cup is hit, the shooter may choose a second cup for the opponents to drink. However, if the player accidentally hits another cup, the hit will not count.
REVENGE / ACCOUNT
If, during the game, a throw by the opponent is caught directly behind the table top, the catcher of the ball may throw the ball twice in the following round (he may counter).
and
After the last cup of the opposing team has been hit, the opponents receive both balls and are each allowed to throw a counterattack. In the event that the countering team manages to hit one / both cups (= same number as opponents), the game continues in possession of the actual winning team and no cups are removed.
