Buffalo (drinking game)
Buffalo or Buffalo Club is a drinking game popular around the world. People who play the game refer to themselves as "Buffalos". The Buffalo Club is a lifelong commitment with a strict code to honor the rules at all times in perpetuity.
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[edit] History
The history and origin of the Buffalo Club are obscure and many versions are in existence. A folk origin of the game states that Buffalo Club stems from the gunslinging days of the Wild West where the use of one's right hand (the shooting hand) was at times a matter of life or death. Thus, recreational activities such as playing cards or drinking were done with the left hand only to avoid severe consequences.[1]
[edit] Rules
The rules are fairly simple, though widely varying,[2] and involve which hand a player may use to drink. One version of how to play the game is as follows:
- A player can hold their drink with either hand, but may only drink from it with their non-dominant hand.[3] If any other Buffalo players spot them drinking with their dominant hand, they call Buffalo on the player and that player must finish their drink as quickly as possible.[4][5] If the player hesitate to finish their drink, the other players will usually proceed to make a ruckus chanting "Buffalo!" and banging on the table until the player finishes.[6][7][3]
- If the player calls Buffalo on somebody when they are actually drinking with the proper hand (or have an empty drink or are not drinking an alcoholic drink), they may return with a call of "False Buffalo" and the player is obligated to finish their own drink. If the buffalo-er does not currently possess a drink, the False caller must drink the nearest alcoholic drink available. Special care must be made when drinking with left-handed Buffalos because of this rule.[4]
- Once a player begins playing Buffalo, they are playing it for the rest of their life.[4][3]
Nobody needs to declare that the game is on. At least in principle, if rarely actually done, if the player spots a complete stranger drinking with what the player thinks to be their dominant hand, and the player calls Buffalo on them, they will either be confused or immediately know that they have transgressed the rules in the presence of another Buffalo player and are obligated to finish their drink or return a false Buffalo, if applicable.
[edit] See also
- The Game - another game in which the players are perpetually playing.
[edit] References
- ^ "The American Buffalo Club Association". American Buffalo Club Association. http://www.americanbuffaloclub.com/.
- ^ "ABCA Rules". American Buffalo Club Association. http://www.americanbuffaloclub.com/abca-rules.html.
- ^ a b c Kevin Pease (Nov. 26, 2007). "Let The Games Begin!". New University. http://www.newuniversity.org/2007/11/features/let_the_games_begin49/. Retrieved Jan. 18, 2010.
- ^ a b c "Beer Game: Buffalo Club". Real Beer. 2008. http://www.realbeer.com/fun/games/games-19.php. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
- ^ Melissa Ludwig (March 26, 2009). "UTSA frat kicked out for hazing". San Antonio Express-News. http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/education/UTSA_frat_kicked_out_for_hazing.html. Retrieved January 18, 2010.
- ^ "The 5 Lamest Drinking Games". Coed Magazine. March 19, 2009. http://coedmagazine.com/2009/03/19/the-5-lamest-drinking-games/. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
- ^ "Buffalo". Student Drinking Games. http://www.studentdrinkinggames.com/coordination/buffalo.html. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
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