Centurion (game)
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Centurion, also known as Century Club, Power Hour and Century Clock in North America, is a drinking game, popular within the United Kingdom student population. Although there are variations in the rules, a basic premise remains; drink one hundred shots of beer or cider in as many minutes. This may sound simple. However, due to the sustained rate of the alcohol consumption without rest, the game often leaves even the most hardened drinker in a state of complete intoxication. Depending on the size of the shot glass used, either 2.5 or 3 litres of low volume drink such as cider or beer is required; however, most individuals fully fill each glass, consequently exceeding this measure.
[edit] Variations
Other variations say that if a player vomits within the minute between shots, and carry on within time then they can continue. Also if a player misses a shot they can carry on if they drink that shot and an extra forfeit shot within the minute before the next shot is due.
Additionally, players can choose to time their shots with a soccer match, where ninety minutes of playing time is equated with ninety shots - with a further ten requiring to be drunk during half time. This variation carries the added advantage of an on screen timer, which can be seen by a wider audience.
Furthermore, if there are multiple players still remaining after one hundred minutes, a 'go for gold' challenge may be introduced. Here, all parties remaining agree to continue drinking shots past the one hundred minutes, until only one victor remains in the game.
Additional rules can be put in place to make the game more difficult, and forcing players to have extra shots. These can include a Thumb-master, who, at any point can place his or her thumb on the table or wall, and the last player to reciprocate must incur an extra shot, or a Toilet-master, whereby no player is allowed to go to the toilet unless the master has gone, and must catch up on any missed shots when they return. This can result in players taking many shots at once in a situation with only one toilet where a queue forms.
Regional variations can be found across the globe. For instance, In Russia it is not uncommon to set every 'nth' shot with a spirit, typically in this case Vodka.
The Australian variation of a 'buy in' back into the game after one vomits, is for that person to do a shot of his/her own vomit to continue playing centurion.
Another variation includes a rule about a zero tolerance on bodily fluids being expelled. Players may not, at any point after the first shot has been consumed, go to the washroom or vomit, and jokingly, bleed, cry or sweat.
The Canadian variation is an extension of the original game. Instead of the 100 shots in 100 minutes, the players drink 1 shot per minute for the entirety of a 24(case of 24x341mL bottles of beer), sometimes allowing each player a single 1 minute break at any point during the game to go to the bathroom.
Another Australian variation of the game is known as a "Goon Centurion" and involves the replacement of beer with cheap box wine. Due to the higher alcohol volume of the wine, intoxication comes at a quicker rate which creates more of a challenge to the players.
[edit] Tips for success
- Choosing very weak beer. This increases players' ability to continue drinking.
- Eating a full meal beforehand. This slows the rate at which alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream.
It should be noted that in more serious drinking circles, especially in Australia that the practice of drinking light or low alcohol beer in drinking games is seen as "piss weak".
The game's popularity can be attributed to a perception of its money saving qualities; i.e., as a precursor to an evenings entertainment outside of the house, providing a cheap method by which players can become drunk enough not to need to purchase drinks within the more expensive nightclubs. Also pouring the drink into a jug before starting not only helps with speed of distributing the shots but also makes the beer slightly flat which helps with the inevitable bloating. Pouring the beer into a jug, at the beginning, as opposed to each member of the game filling their shot glass up with beer from a can as time goes on, is an absolute must for this game. Otherwise you will be left with a pints worth of head in your gut, which is near impossible to stomach and a bad time will be had by all.
[edit] External links
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