Games - Beer pong

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	Games - Beer pong

Beer Pong (also known as Beirut) is a drinking game that involves propelling a table tennis ball across a table with the goal of making the ball land in one of several cups of beer. The game generally involves two teams, each composed of two people. Once a player is scored upon, he/she is supposed to consume the entire amount of beer (or other alcoholic beverage) that resides in the cup where the ball landed. When one of the teams has scored in all of their opponents' cups, the game is won.

While having a remarkably simple premise, the game has a great depth of skill and strategy with different kinds of shots, cooperative planning, and a large element of confrontational psychology. These elements combined with the debilitating effects of alcohol creates a complex alluring game, or as some say, a sport. Beer Pong also has a remarkable number of variations and styles, which can depend on the area of the country, state, or even what house at which the game is being played. Today, beer pong 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 country.

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 the 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 irreverent, and some would deem offensive, allusion to the civil war in Lebanon in the 1980's in which mortar shells were lobbed at Beirut, the country's capital city. Calling the game Beirut is said to have originated at Lehigh University or Bucknell University .

Setup

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. 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 as 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. An effective table in emergency situations can be a closet, or friend's door.

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.

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 exprienced 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 a water cup or holy cup, which is a cup 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 generally 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.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Beer pong ]