How to Play King's Cup: A Guide to the Classic Drinking Game

If you’re looking for a fun and interactive game to spice up your next get-together, King’s Cup is the perfect choice. In this ultimate guide, we’ll break down the rules and variations of the classic drinking game.

What You’ll Need

To play King’s Cup, you’ll need the following:

• A deck of playing cards
• A large cup or container
• Alcoholic beverages

How to Play King’s Cup

1. Gather a group of friends and sit in a circle around a table. Place the large cup or container in the center of the table.

2. Shuffle the deck of cards and spread them face-down around the cup, forming a circle.

3. Each card in the deck corresponds to a drinking rule. Here are some common rules:

   • Ace: “Waterfall” - Starting with you, everyone starts drinking, and no one can stop until the person to their left stops.
   • Two: “You” - Choose someone to take a drink.
   • Three: “Me” - Take a drink.
   • Four: “Floor” - Everyone must touch the floor, and the last person to do so takes a drink.
   • Five: “Guys” - All men take a drink.
   • Six: “Chicks” - All women take a drink.
   • Seven: “Heaven” - Everyone points towards the sky, and the last one to do so takes a drink.
   • Eight: “Mate” - Choose a drinking buddy. Whenever you drink, they drink, and vice versa.
   • Nine: “Rhyme” - Choose a word and go around the circle, with each person saying a word that rhymes. The first person to repeat or cannot think of a word takes a drink.
   • Ten: “Categories” - Choose a category (e.g. types of fruits) and go around the circle, with each person naming something that falls into that category. The first person to repeat or cannot think of something takes a drink.
   • Jack: “Rule” - Create a rule that everyone must follow for the remainder of the game.
   • Queen: “Question Master” - Whoever draws the Queen becomes the Question Master. They can ask anyone a question, and if the person answers the question, they must take a drink.
   • King: “King’s Cup” - Pour a portion of your drink into the large cup in the center. The player who draws the fourth King must drink the entire contents of the cup.

4. Each player takes turns drawing one card from the deck and following the corresponding rule.

5. The player who draws the fourth King must drink the contents of the large cup in the center, signaling the end of the game.

Variations of King’s Cup

While the basic rules of King’s Cup remain the same, there are countless variations that can add excitement and personalization to the game. Some popular variations include:

• Queen’s Thumb: In addition to the Question Master rule, the person who draws a Queen must place their thumb on the table. The last person to notice and place their thumb on the table must drink.

• Ace of Face: Whenever an Ace is drawn, the person who drew it must place their forehead on the table. The last person to do so must drink.

• Jack of All Trades: In addition to creating a rule, the person who draws a Jack must perform a task or challenge. If they refuse, they must drink.

Play With a Can Instead

Instead of putting a cup in the center of the game, use a can of your choice. After you draw a card, place it under the tab of the can. But be careful! The player to crack the can is the loser and must drink the whole thing!

Pro tip: You can check to see if the can was cracked by flipping it upside down. If it leaks, it’s cracked.

Feel free to mix and match rules or create your own variations to make the game even more exciting!