Beer pong

For the similar drinking game involving table tennis paddles, see Beer Pong (paddles).

A game of beer pong in progress.

Beer Pong (also known as Beirut) is an American drinking game that involves propelling a table tennis ball across a table with the aim of making the ball land in one of several cups of beer. The game generally involves two teams, each composed of two people. When a point is scored, the loser consumes the contents of the cup where the ball landed. When a team has scored in all of their opponents' cups, the game is won.

While having a simple premise, beer pong has a remarkable number of variations and styles, which can depend on the area of the country, state, or even in which house the game is being played. The game 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 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 allusion to the civil war in Lebanon in the 1980s in which mortar shells were lobbed at Beirut, the country's capital city. Calling the game Beirut is believed to have originated at Lehigh University or Bucknell University , while its inception is believed to be solely from Bucknell University. [1].

Setup

The Beer pong playing field, with measurements given in meters

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, unless the line -cutters own the house. They may play whenever they wish. If a player or team is not present for their game, they may be replaced or skipped. 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 in order 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. Use this plan to build one yourself.

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 conjunction with chairs from the dorm room to create a very usable, 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 experienced 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 cheap session pale lager of 3.2% abv is used as large quantities may be consumed during the course of several games. Typically, approximately 4 oz. of beer is poured into each cup in the formation, which is equivalent to the first or second ridgeline up from the bottom in a 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. However, sometimes teams may decide to fill one cup of their choice to the brim. This is called the "Money Cup" and has the same rules as any other cup.

The Rules

Note on rules

The rules presented here are a generalization. There is no "official" set of regulations, so rules vary from venue to venue and host to host. Often, organizers will have a short list of rules posted near the area of play such as: "Rerack on 3, Elbows behind the table, No re-rack after a rollback".

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 toward 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. Unlike basketball, 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. Often the team with the first shot will only get to shoot one ball that turn instead of two.

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.

The typical path for the different kinds of shots

Fastball

Some players prefer or occasionally use a "laser", "fastball", or "chen" 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 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.

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

Most commonly used formations when reracking

Reracking or consolidation 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 - straight line perpendicular to the edge of the table "I-Form"
• 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 (forward facing triangle).

In a ten cup game, consolidation occurs at (in quantities of cups remaining):

• 6 - A (3-2-1) triangle
• 3 - A (2-1) triangle
• 2 - Either a "Runway" formation, with the two cups lined up vertically, or a "Highway" formation, with the cups lined up horizontally. This formation can be changed at the beginning of each turn(but like all other rules, this is determined by the house).

However, there are also "house rules" that take precedence over general rule, including reracking only at 6 and 3 cups or allowing 2 reracks but allowing the team to choose when they want to rerack. 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 straight 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", "brought it back", "balls back", or "Ralbacks", which is a common term used on Long Island. 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.

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 accidentally 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.

The phrases "guys finger" and "bitches blow" refer to who is allowed to use which 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 and is also used in Delaware. [2].

The act of blowing, while technically legal, is heavily frowned upon in many circles. Many styles, such as "Virginia Pong" specifically deny men the ability to blow into the cup [3].

A referee making a call during a game.

""Satellite""
If the opposing player does not finish his/her beer, the other team can shoot it into this cup to win the game. This is called a "satellite". POD then comes to your house and plays the song live for you.

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 provocative 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". Northeastern players are known to call this cup the "Dingo Cup," named famously for Dean "Dingo" Bumbaca, an unrully player known to only aim for this cup and consquently "finish the other team off," as he would say.

Trifecta
A "trifecta" is a name given to the event that the ball lands in the triangular shaped gap found at the union of three cups. Some variations of the game have rules stipulations in the event that this occurs, which is rare. Some rules include, scoring of the three cups the ball touches, instant game-over for the receiving team, or a simple do-over.

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, taking a naked lap around the house, or sitting under the table for the length of the next game. 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.

Triple
If both players on the same team make it in the same cup three cups get taken away. The cup that was made and two other cups which the defense gets to pick.

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 highly encouraged to recognize and remedy this foul before the guilty player commits to the shot.

Redemption/Rebuttal honors/ "Shoot till you miss"

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 games.

Hygenic practices and manners

• All participants involved in the first game of the session should help in setting up the table; splitting duties for cup arrangement, water cup filling, and beverage pouring. Correspondingly, the group playing the last game of the session should clean up the table, throw away cups, etc.
• Empty cups should always be placed individually on the outskirts of the table, away from the formations, or on another table entirely. They should never be stacked upon each other, as dirt and dust from the bottom of the cups can contaminate the cups for the next game. Newbies to beer pong are notorious for committing this act.
• If the ball falls on the floor, or merely bounces, it should always be dipped into the watercup again.
• The watercup should be refilled if it is noticeably occlusive or dirty.
• The team that is about to play next on a certain table should fetch the beer needed for the upcoming game; this may involve the re-filling of a pitcher from a nearby keg.
• Cigarettes should only be smoked if it is agreed upon by the participants or is allowed by the local rules.
• It is considered bad sportsmanship for one team to constantly badger another one in order to psyche them out. Even if the rules technically allow this to occur, constant attacks or distractions can severely reduce the quality of the gaming experience.
• One should never spit in an opponent’s cups.

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 teenagers 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. Then again I play it every day. Last night I ran the table, and my partner got a satellite on this kid, it was intense! 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:

• Most (American) teenagers have not built a high level of drinking tolerance.
• Peer pressure can lead teenagers to consume more than they safely may handle.
• Participants in drinking games may not be fully cognizant of the rate at which they are consuming alcohol.
• The competitive nature of the game causes the participants to take risks.[4]
• Many teens may wish to emulate older, college-age people, by engaging in drinking culture without the same degree of collective experience and support that make it more socially acceptable among older students.
• Teenage drinking is statistically linked with the development of several diseases.[5]

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.

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. [6] [7][8] [9]

Additionally, there has been another World Beer Pong Tournamentin existence and has been for quite a while before the Mesquite tourney. Starting in 1976, a few friends in California started an informal tournament of their own. This event grew over the years to extended friends and acquaintances through an invite-only process. Currently, there are over 115 teams participating that compete in this doubles World Beer Pong Tournament, which has been in Las Vegas for the past 8 or 9 years. This summer the 30th annual tournament will be held. What distinguishes this tournament from the one mentioned above is this game evolved directly from Ping Pong and thus paddles are required and competitors must sink the balls over 36" nets.

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.[10]

Game variations and related games

Main article: Beer pong variations

Battleship Beirut

This variation is a meld of Beirut and the classic game Battleship, as the name indicates. Each team sets up a eight by eight grid of cups. Cups filled with beer denote empty spaces, and cups filled with any mixed drink (e.g. white russian) denote the ships. Typically, each team has an aircraft carrier (5 cups), a battleship (4), a destroyer (3), a submarine (3), and a patrol (2). These ships may be placed anywhere on the board, with care taken to ensure that the other team does not see their locations. After a hit on a ship, the player shoots again. No re-racks are given until all of the ships have been completely destroyed. After that point, the remaining cups of beer are re-racked at every pyramid formation (45, 36, 28, 21, 15, 10, 6, 3, 1). Battleship Beirut should be played with teams of two to four people.

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

Main article: 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.

A slam pong table, with approximate measurements given in meters.

Slam Pong

Main article: 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

Main article: 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.

Full Contact/Live Ball

A common variation found at several midwestern colleges which allows for the offensive team to recover a loose ball after shooting it. The only stipulation is that neither member of the offensive team may come around from behind their end of the table until after the ball has been released. While not commonly seen in tournament play, Full Contact Beer Pong is a common variation for recreational matches, usually implemented later in the evening.

Surprise Cup

Surprise Cup rules are the same as regular Beirut rules, with one exception. Eight of the cups are filled with water, and two with vodka. The catch is that the player is not allowed to determine a cup's contents before downing them in one swift motion.

External links

• The National Beer Pong League, nbpl.net, 2006.
• Beirut League rules, PlayBeirut.com, 2003.
• BeerPong.org Rules, Beerpong.org, 2001.
• Glossary of Beirut terms, Beirut-guide.com, 2006.
• "Dropping Balls" The Beer Pong Documentary, BeerPongVideo.com, 2004.
• Beer Pong video game using Macromedia Shockwave
• The Original World Beer Pong The Original World Beer Pong Tournament
• Plans to Build Your Own Beer Pong Table
• WimblePong Annual Beirut Tournament