Kings Cup Rules: How To Play The Kings Cup Drinking Game

Party people, be ready! There is a new ‘King’ of drinking games, and we are here to tell you all about it! This wacky game, a.k.a. The King’s Cup, is the perfect recipe for an incredible party. But if you ask us how to play Kings Cup, then it’s as simple as it sounds. All you need for this is your closest buddies, the drinks you prefer, a regular deck of cards, and the Chalice of Doom, a.k.a. The King’s Cup (Kings Card Game or Kings Cup Drinking Game). 

The game combines strategy, luck, reflexes, and so much more, but above all, it is one of the most entertaining and riotous drinking games you will ever learn. Does it sound like a game you want to introduce at the next party? Read on!

How To Play Kings Card Game?

As mentioned above, the list of things needed for this game is shorter than your drinking cup. You will need a regular deck of cards, drinking cups or glasses, a table or a flat surface, and a bunch of people who don’t mind chugging drinks and learning a game simultaneously. 

The cards are placed around a cup at the centre of the table. After the players are in position and have filled their cups with drinks, each player is to draw a card turn by turn. Every card in the deck has a particular assignment, which we will explain later in the article. The players (one or all) have to follow these instructions or be penalized.

Objective

The game’s objective is to have more fun than you can handle! There are no winners in this game, so play to make memories and avoid having the drink that accumulates in the center cup at the end (or aim for that Cup if that floats your boat).

Kings Cup Rules

A game like Kings Cup/Kings Card Game is designed to entertain and penalize the players with more drinks – sounds fun! However, what makes it more fun is the rules of the game. Each card stands for an action; when players draw these cards, they must complete them. Here are the Kings Cup Rules: 

• Lay the deck of cards face down around the cup/bottle in the center of the table, with the cards encircling the Cup.
• You can pick a player to go first or make up a rule for selecting the player to draw the first card. These can be the house rules of the King’s Cup.
• The first player draws a random card from the fanned-out card pile and flips it. 
• Then, the player who draws the card has to perform the action that the card signifies. If any other player is involved in that turn, they must also perform their respective actions. 
• The game continues till the fourth King card (the last King card) is drawn.

King’s Cup Card Assignment

Who knew a regular deck of cards could be responsible for so many memorable nights? Kings Cup is a game where regular cards have special powers/actions that make the game fun and leave you drunk. Here are the different card assignments:

• Ace (Waterfall) – The player who draws this card must start drinking from their cup. Then, the player to their left starts following and drinking, and then the player to their left. This continues until all the players drink from their cups, which is like a chain reaction. No one can stop drinking until the first player (the player who drew the card) stops drinking. Then, just in the order that the drinking started, the players to the left can one by one stop drinking only after the player before them has stopped drinking, like a waterfall.
• Two (You) – The player who draws this card gets to choose another player. This chosen player has to drink from their Cup. It is basically like a Give 2, where the player who draws the card can order another player to drink.
• Three (Me)—The number 3 card has a similar function to card number 2 except that the player who draws the number 3 card has to drink from their cup. 
• Four (Floor) – When a player draws this card, all players must quickly touch the floor. The last person to touch the floor must take a drink from their cup.
• Five (Guys) – When a player pulls this card, all the male players or all the guys in the group must drink from their respective cups.
• Six (Chicks) – When a player pulls this card, all the female players or all the girls in the group must drink from their respective cups.
• Seven (Heaven) – If a player draws the 7 numbered cards, all players must quickly raise their hands to attempt to touch the sky. The last person to ‘touch the heavens’ with their hands has to take a drink from their Cup.
• Eight (Mate)—When a player draws this card, they must choose another player from the group as their ‘mate.’ For the rest of the game, until another 8-numbered is drawn, every time the player who drew the 8-numbered card drinks, their ‘mate’ drinks also.
• Nine (Rhyme) – If this card is pulled, the player who drew it has to say a word quickly. Then, every player around the table has to say a word that rhymes with that word. The first person to fumble or the player who fails to say a rhyming word has to take a drink from their Cup. 
• Ten (Categories) – The player who draws the 10 numbered cards has to select a category. Then, every player around the table has to mention something that belongs to that category. For example, if the category is cards, each player around the table must name something in that category. The first person to fail or fumble must drink from their cup.
• Jack (Never Have I Ever) – If a player draws a Jack, then a ‘Never Have I Ever’ game is played. During this game, each player must put three fingers up. Then, a regular game of ‘Never Have I Ever’ is played, and each player gets a turn to name something they have never done. For each ‘Never Have I Ever’ actually done, that player must put down one finger—the first player to put down all three fingers drinks from their cup.
• Queen (Question Master) – The player who draws this card becomes a question master. They can ask another player a question. Then, that player (who has been asked the question first) can ask another question to another player, and so on. The first player to answer a question or who cannot think of a question has to drink from their cup. The question master remains the same till another queen is drawn. Then, that player becomes the question master.
• King (King’s Cup) – The game is named after this card and its action. When players draw a King, they can make up a rule everyone needs to follow. This action has to be performed till another King is drawn. For example, if you draw a King and ask everyone to speak in a high-pitched tone, they must continue until another King is drawn. The first player to violate the newly made rule has to drink. Whoever draws the final King card has to drink the entire cup/bottle in the middle.

Setup 

The setup for Kings card game is relatively simple. The players must gather around a table or a flat playing surface. Then, a beer bottle or an empty cup (depending on the kings rules you play by) is kept in the center. The cards are laid face down all around the Cup (King’s Cup) in the middle. Then, a player is nominated to start first, and the game proceeds clockwise or anticlockwise. 

Kings Rules Variations

The best part about games like King’s Cup is that you can make your own little modifications to it to get more drunk and have more fun. Listed below are some common Kings rules variations that you can incorporate into your game if you want to take it to the next level:

• Ace (Snake Eyes) – In the regular version of the game, Ace stands for Waterfall. However, the Australian adaptation suggests that Ace means Snake Eyes. This means that when a player draws, an Ace has snake eyes. Another player who makes eye contact with them has to drink until another ace is pulled. 
• Five (Bust A Jive) – If a player draws a 5 card, that player has to devise a dance move. Then, the next player can copy their move and add their own. This is continued until someone messes up the moves. They then have to take a drink.
• King (King‘s Cup) – When a king is drawn, that player pours a little bit of their drink into the empty Cup in the middle after making up a rule of their own. The first rule is removed when the second King is drawn, and a new rule is introduced. That player also pours some of their drink into the Cup in the center. The same rule is followed for the third King.
• Eight (Double Mate) – If the mate of another player draws another 8 numbered card, then they get to pick another player to become their mate. Then, all three must drink if the first player drinks. 
• Jack (Thumb Master) – By this rule, if a player draws a Jack, they become the Thumb Master. After drawing that card, they can put their thumb down on the table at any point during the game. Then, every player has to follow suit discreetly. The last player to understand and put down their thumb has to drink.
• Ending – The game ends when the last King is drawn. However, alternative versions allow you to bend the kings rules a little. For example, you can have a rule that states that the first person to go to the bathroom loses the game. Alternatively, you can put a timer on to end the game if it goes on for too long.

There are some other variations that you can try as well. They are as follows:

• Ace (Race) – The player to draw an ace must pick another player and race them to finish their drinks.
• Jack (Make A Rule) – The player who draws a Jack gets to make up a new rule.
• King (Pour Only) – If a player draws a King, they can only pour some of their drink into the Cup. No new kings rule is introduced.

Winning

There are no winners and losers in this game. The point of playing Kings Cup Drinking Game is to have a blast and make every party memorable. However, a rule says the first person to visit the bathroom loses.

Tips & Strategies

Since the Kings Card game is devised for fun and does not involve winning or competing, no strategies or tips can be applied to it. However, here is some helpful advice:

• Take smaller sips when drinking to avoid making mistakes later in the game. Stay sober by taking smaller sips if you want to play without making mistakes.
• Make sure you keep tabs on what others are doing. For example, if you are playing a game where the Thumb Master rule is abided by, notice the player who pulls that card and ensure you keep an eye on him. You do not want to be the last to put your thumb down.
• Although the idea behind the Kings Cup Drinking game is to get you drunk, if you have that competitive spirit, try to avoid lagging. Don’t be the last to ‘touch the heaves’ or ‘touch the floor,’ and you will have less alcohol in your system.

Did You Know?

• Kings Card game is famous globally and has different names, such as ‘Ring of Fire,’ ‘Circle of Death,’ and ‘Kings.’
• Kings Cup Drinking Game is a perfect holiday season game, and many people add themes to make it more personal.
• The game is also used for educational purposes, namely, to teach new words and increase vocabulary. That game doesn’t involve alcohol.
• Kings Card Game reveals a lot of personality traits in people. For example – the make a rule action.
• Although the game’s origins are murky, there is reason to believe that it was derived from the old drinking games played by sailors in the 17th century.

FAQs

Conclusion

Never have a dull, quiet party again! Friends or people who haven’t become friends yet – King’s Cup works wonders in any circle. It is a social game where you lose your inhibitions to have unlimited fun, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. However, don’t forget to follow Kings Cup Card Rules while following the highly popular and insane game. Now that you know how to Play With Rules – the game of Kings Cup, which game would you like to learn next? 

Read More: It never hurts to know more than one game does it? Do you know how to play Skyjo Card Game? Let’s find out!