Beer pong 275510 226107697 2008-07-16T21:18:11Z 86.164.200.93 /* Shot techniques */ {{for|the similar drinking game involving table tennis paddles|beer pong (paddles)}} {{Infobox Game | subject_name = Beer pong | subtitle = | image_link = [[Image:Beer Pong Scene.jpg|center|300px]] | image_caption = | players = typically 2 teams of 2 | ages = | setup_time = 2 minutes | playing_time = 10-20 minutes or less | complexity = Medium | strategy = Medium | random_chance = Easy | skills = aiming, taunting and alcohol tolerance }} '''Beer pong''' (also called '''beirut''', '''lob pong''', and other names) is a [[drinking game]] in which players throw a [[table tennis|table tennis]] ball across a table with the intent of landing the ball in one of several cups of [[beer]] on the other end. The game typically consists of two two-player teams, one on each side of a table, and a number of cups set up on each side.<ref name ="Shott">{{cite web |last=Shott |first=Chris |title=The Pong Arm of the Law |work=The Washington City Paper |date=[[October 7]], [[2005]] |url=http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/tell/2005/tell1007.html |accessdate=2007-07-27}}</ref> There are no official rules, so rules may vary widely, though usually there are six or ten plastic cups arranged in a triangle on each side. The number of players on a team can vary as well, from one to three or more. When a ball lands in a cup, the defending team must consume all of the beer inside that cup. The game is won by eliminating all the other team's cups before one's own cups are eliminated. The losing team must then consume all the beer remaining in the winning team's cups.<ref name ="Shott">{{cite web |last=Shott |first=Chris |title=The Pong Arm of the Law |work=The Washington City Paper |date=[[October 7]], [[2005]] |url=http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/tell/2005/tell1007.html |accessdate=2007-07-27}}</ref> The order of play varies &ndash; both players on one team shoot followed by both players on the other team, or players on opposite teams can alternate back and forth.<ref>[http://www.bpong.com/beer-pong-rules#throwing_patterns Bpong.com]</ref> Today, beer pong is played at parties, North American colleges and universities<ref>{{cite web |last=Rolph |first=Amy |title=Harried students walk a tightrope |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |date=2007 |url=http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/343834_retain17.htmll |accessdate=2007-12-27}}</ref><ref name=Corbett>{{cite web |last=Corbett |first=Jill |title=Beer Pong! |work=[[UWeekly]] |date=2005 |url=http://uweekly.com/story.php?iidart=1109 |accessdate=2007-07-27}}</ref> and elsewhere, such as tailgating or other sporting events.<ref>Peter Fimrite, [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/18/BAFE10OMG3.DTL Hordes run, walk or stumble at Bay to Breakers], ''San Francisco Chronicle''</ref> The game is also played by high school students, despite the fact that furnishing alcohol to persons under the age of 21 is [[Legal drinking age#Americas|illegal]] in the United States.<ref name=Flynn>{{cite web |last=Flynn |first=Courtney |coauthors=Wang, Andrew |title=Parents guilty of permitting underage drinking |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=2007-07-22 |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/chi-070721hutsell-story,0,1330109.story?coll=chi-pod-rail |accessdate=2007-07-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Larkin |first=Daphne |title= Facebook party photos result in sanctions, discussions at U-32 High School |work=Montpelier Barre Times-Argus |date=2007-12-14 |url=http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071214/NEWS01/712140395/1002/NEWS01 |accessdate=2007-07-27}}</ref> Although the preceding guidelines are common, the rules may be subject to a wide variety of modifications and additions that often vary based on the area of the country, the state, or even the house in which a particular game is played. ==Origin== The game is a [[spin-off]] of a similar game, also called [[Beer pong (paddles)|pong]], which uses ping pong paddles and was said to have been created at [[Dartmouth College]].<ref name=DailyPrincetonian>{{cite web |last=Berner |first=Laura |title=On language, Princeton style: The history of 'Beirut' |work=Daily Princetonian |date=2004 |url=http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2004/11/19/opinion/11525.shtml |accessdate=2007-07-27}}</ref> The most common modern version of the game is played without paddles and has a murkier beginning. The ''[[Daily Princetonian]]'', the student newspaper of [[Princeton University]], attributed the naming of the paddle-less game where balls are thrown into cups to the early 1980s at [[Bucknell University]] or [[Lehigh University]].<ref name=DailyPrincetonian>{{cite web |last=Berner |first=Laura |title=On language, Princeton style: The history of 'Beirut' |work=Daily Princetonian |date=2004 |url=http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2004/11/19/opinion/11525.shtml |accessdate=2007-07-27}}</ref> Many students at [[Lafayette College]], rivals of Lehigh, insist modern, paddle-less Beirut was invented at their school, but ''[[The Lafayette]]'', the college's student newspaper, says there is no proof to back up the assertion.<ref>{{cite web |last=Shoemaker |first=Jeff |title=Lafayette: The Birthplace of Beer Pong |work=The Lafayette |date=2006 |url=http://media.www.thelaf.com/media/storage/paper339/news/2006/11/10/Ae/Lafayette.The.Birthplace.Of.Beer.Pong-2450583.shtml |accessdate=2007-12-21}}</ref> ==Nomenclature== The meaning of the terms ''Beer pong'' and ''Beirut'' may vary depending on where the game is played. Beer pong is the more common name of the game, with a [[CollegeHumor]] survey showing that 77% of respondents called it "Beer pong," versus 23% for "Beirut".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.collegehumor.com/pongmap |title=Beer Pong vs. Beirut: What is the game called? |work=[[CollegeHumor]] |date=2007 |accessdate=2007-07-25}}</ref> The naming of "Beirut" is disputed. The ''Daily Princetonian'' suggests that the name was coined at Bucknell or Lehigh around the time of the [[Lebanese Civil War]], [[Beirut]] being the capital of Lebanon and scene of much fighting.<ref name=DailyPrincetonian/> ==Setup== [[Image:Beerpong.png|thumb|This diagram illustrates a standard set up for a game of beer pong, with either 6 or 10 cups being used.]] ===Teams=== Beer pong is usually played with two teams of two persons each, though it can be played with 2 teams of 1 person each. Each team begins the game standing at either end of the table behind their rack of cups.<ref name="Shott"/> ===Playing field=== According to the World Series of Beer Pong, the regulation table size is {{nowrap|8 × 2 feet}} ({{nowrap|2.44 × 0.61 meters}}), and it stands 27.5&nbsp;inches (69.8&nbsp;centimeters) above the ground.<ref>[http://www.bpong.com/wsobp/iii/rules/wsobp3-quick_rules.pdf Beer pong rules], World Series of Beer Pong</ref> Although the game is typically played on either a ping pong table or a folding banquet table, beer pong enthusiasts may create a personalized table for use by friends and visitors. In general, this will be a [[plywood]] board cut to proper size, sometimes painted with sports, school, or fraternity symbols and given a liquid-proof coating.<ref>{{cite web |title=Advice on building Beer Pong Tables |work=Terrapin Tables |url=http://www.terrapintables.com/tables.html |date=2005 |accessdate=2007-07-27}}</ref> ===Equipment=== The most common cups used are [[Solo Cup Company|Solo]] or [[Dixie cup|Dixie]] 16 ounce cups. These cups have ridge-lines which can be used precisely to measure the amount of beer to be poured.<ref>http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20040188942.html</ref> On each side of the table, teams assemble equilateral triangles, with the convergence point focusing on the other team.<ref name="Shott"/> Games typically use either six, ten, or fifteen cups.<ref name="Shott"/> 38&nbsp;mm or 40&nbsp;mm [[table tennis]] (ping pong) balls are typically used for game play.<ref>http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20060065665.html</ref> ===Alcohol=== Usually an inexpensive [[pale lager]] or [[light beer]] of 3.2-5% [[alcohol by volume|abv]] (for example, [[Bud Light#Bud Light|Bud Light]], [[Natural Light]], [[Keystone (beer brand)|Keystone Light]], or [[Coors Light]]) is used since large quantities may be consumed during the course of several games.<ref name=Corbett>{{cite web |last=Van Westen |first=Brandon |title=College Connoiseur Talks About Beer |work=The Collegian |date=2007 |url=http://media.www.sdsucollegian.com/media/storage/paper484/news/2007/12/12/Juice/College.Connoiseur.Talks.About.Beer-3142879.shtml |accessdate=2007-12-27}}</ref> The game may be played without beer, as is done at [[Utah State University]], a [[dry]] campus, where [[root beer]] is used instead.<ref>[http://www.kutv.com/content/news/topnews/story.aspx?content_id=d7521600-7f40-4602-91b2-c1bcac65c86f "Students At Utah State Play 'Drinking Game' With Root Beer Instead"], ''KUTV-TV''</ref> ==Game play== [[Image:beerpong reracks.png|thumb|upright|Teams have many possibilities for reracks.]] There are very few universal beer pong rules. Typically, players abide by a uniform set of "house rules", which are often consistent within one university or region of the country (e.g., "Ivy League rules" or "West Coast rules"), or may vary on a house-by-house basis.<ref name="com">[http://www.beerpong.com/beerpong_rules.htm Beer pong rules], Beerpong.com</ref> Number of cups, bouncing, amount of alcohol, the distance shots must be taken from, etcetera, all may vary. In some house rules, players must immediately drink any cup that has been hit. Failure to do so incurs a penalty, such as drinking more beer or losing the game.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.collegeotr.com/ohio_state_university/official_osu_rules_beer_pong_4071 |title=Official OSU Rules: Beer Pong |work=[[Ohio State OTR]] |date=2007 |accessdate=2007-10-12}}</ref> Some houses allow for re-racking, which is also known as rearranging or consolidation. This is when teams can get their cups rearrangements into different formations once or twice and even more as dictated by the rules of the house.<ref name="nbpl">http://www.nbpl.net/rulesno.html</ref> For example, a team with three remaining cups may ask the other team to "re-rack" their multiple targets into a single triangle formation. In the event that a "lone cup" is left one the table, a player can call lone cup infinetely and upon hitting the cup is awarded a bonus cup. After shooting, teams may dunk the ping pong balls into cups of water in order to wash the balls off. However, research showed that the wash cups still hold bacteria, such as [[E. coli]].<ref>Clay Travis, [http://www.sportsline.com/spin/story/9981066 "The essence of beer pong bacteria"] ''CBS Sportsline''</ref><ref>Nour Hammour, [http://media.www.gwhatchet.com/media/storage/paper332/news/2006/12/11/Life/Beer-Pong.Bacteria-2531832.shtml?norewrite200612261402&sourcedomain=www.gwhatchet.com "Beer pong bacteria"], ''[[GW Hatchet|The GW Hatchet]]''</ref> Some other house rules consist of: *Swatting the ball away if it bounces *If the ball spins around the cup, male players may finger the ball out and females may blow the ball out ===Shot techniques=== [[Image:beerpong shots.png|right|300px|thumb|The typical path for the different kinds of shots.]]There are three key ways to shoot in beer pong: the arc, the fastball, and the bounce. The most common throwing technique is the "arc", where one grasps the ping pong ball with the tips of the thumb and forefinger, holds the arm at an angle with the ball upwards, then throw by using gentle elbow motion, holding the upper arm parallel with the table.<ref name="com"/> Some players throw "fastball" style, which uses more of a hard chopping motion to send the ball in a more direct line to the intended target cup.<ref name="com"/> A "bounce" is performed by bouncing the ball toward the cups. Since the other team has the opportunity to swat away a bounced ball, a bounce is usually worth two cups. The "muck" bounce is a low trajectory shot achieved by bouncing the ball in a sideways motion as opposed to overhand.<ref name="com"/> ===Winning the game=== If the opposing team makes the last cup, the other team must usually make either all remaining cups or simply one cup, depending on "house rules", or the opposing team wins - this is called a rebuttal or redemption.<ref name="nbpl"/><ref name="com"/> A shutout rule is a house rule usually stated before a game or during the game in the midst of a [[shutout]]. If the shutout does occur the losing team must do whatever the two teams decided on, such as going [[streaking]].<ref name="nbpl"/> This rule has colloquially been referred to as the "naked lap."<ref>http://www.pongstuff.com/beer-pong-rules.php</ref> ==Legal restrictions== [[Image:Swann In Philly 08.25.2006.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Former [[Pittsburgh Steelers|Steeler]] and [[Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 2006|2006 candidate]] for [[Governor of Pennsylvania]] [[Lynn Swann]] plays beer pong with and courts voters before a football game.<ref>{{cite news | last = Ritter | first = Kara | coauthors = | title = Ex-Steeler looks to sway support of Eagles' fans | work = [[Philadelphia Inquirer]] | pages = | language = | publisher = | date = 2006-08 | url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_kmtpi/is_200608/ai_n16967992 | accessdate = }}</ref>]] Some municipalities and states have attempted to ban beer pong, either from bars or in general. In [[Oxford, Ohio]], where [[Miami University]] is located, the city council tried to ban the game from being played outdoors,<ref>{{cite web |last=Strader |first=Sean |title=Council vote freezes beer pong ban |work=The Oxford Press |url=http://www.oxfordpress.com/hp/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/02/22/op022307drinking.html |date=[[February 23]], [[2007]] |accessdate=2007-07-27}}</ref> and in [[Arlington, Virginia]], bar owners were told to stop allowing the game to be played in their establishments.<ref name ="Shott">{{cite web |last=Shott |first=Chris |title=The Pong Arm of the Law |work=The Washington City Paper |date=[[October 7]], [[2005]] |url=http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/tell/2005/tell1007.html |accessdate=2007-07-27}}</ref> In the fall of 2007, [[Georgetown University]] officially banned all beer pong paraphernalia, such as custom-built tables and the possession of many ping-pong balls.<ref>[http://www.thehoya.com/news/082407/news2.cfm News | The Hoya<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Some writers have mentioned beer pong as contributing to "out of control" college drinking.<ref>{{cite web |last=Granwehr |first=Meredith Austin |title=College Drinking: Out of Control |work=Hartford Courant |date=[[December 1]], [[2007]] |url=http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/op_ed/hc-freshgranwehr1207.artdec07,0,3190868.story |accessdate=2007-12-27}}</ref><ref>[http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/news_cut/archive/2008/01/sink_it_drink_it_1.shtml Minnesota Public Radio]</ref> ==Tournaments and leagues== National Beer pong tournaments are held in the United States. Some of the larger tournaments held in the United States are the World Series of Beer Pong and those hosted by the World Pong Tour. The [[World Series of Beer Pong]] (WSOBP), hosted by bpong.com, is the largest beer pong tournament in the world. WSOBP III, held in January 2008 in Las Vegas, NV, had a $50,000 grand prize and attracted 600 participants nationwide. 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, such as at the [[University of California, Santa Barbara]] with the "Isla Vista Beer Pong League",<ref>{{cite web |last=Smith |first=Ashley Nikole |title=Students Create I.V. Beer Pong League |work=Daily Nexus ([[University of California, Santa Barbara]]) |url=http://www.dailynexus.com/article.php?a=13892 |date=[[April 24]], [[2007]] |accessdate=2007-07-27}}</ref> and at [[New York University]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Kfoury |first=Branden |title=Even at chic NYU, beer pong prevails |work=Washington Square News (NYU) |date=[[November 15]], [[2005]] |url=http://media.www.nyunews.com/media/storage/paper869/news/2005/11/15/FeaturescampusLife/Even-At.Chic.Nyu.Beer.Pong.Prevails-2387272.shtml |accessdate=2007-07-27}}</ref> == Beer pong in the media == The ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'' and other media outlets have reported on the increase is businesses selling beer pong paraphernalia, such as tables, mats, cups, or clothes.<ref>Shelly Banjo, [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118834341517511527.html?mod=hps_us_pageone "Thwock, Gulp, Kaching! Beer Pong Inspires Inventors"] ''[[Wall Street Journal]]''</ref> ''Last Cup: Road to the World Series of Beer Pong''<ref>[http://cinevegas.bside.com/2008/films/lastcuproadtotheworldseriesofbeerpong_cinevegas2008 CineVegas description]</ref> is a documentary which follows some competitive players as they prepare for the WSOBP II and ultimately compete against one another for the $20,000 grand prize. This documentary, directed by Dan Lindsay, recently premiered at the [[CineVegas]] film festival on June 13th, 2008. The AP cited the game and other drinking games as a factor in deaths of college students<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/07/07/drinking.game.deaths.ap/index.html?iref=mpstoryview " Drinking games pose serious threat"], ''Associated Press''</ref> The game also appears in the [[Nintendo]] [[Wii]] games ''[[Game Party]]''<ref>{{cite web |last=Okeefe |first=Billy |title=Want to party alone? Wii game isn't for you |work=The Olympian |date=[[December 21]], [[2007]] |url=http://www.theolympian.com/living/story/306221.html72.shtml |accessdate=2007-07-27}}</ref> and ''[[Frat Party Games: Pong Toss]]''. === Bud Pong === Bud Pong was the branded version of beer pong that brewer Anheuser-Busch said involved the drinking of water, not [[Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch)|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.<ref name=NYTimes>{{cite web |last=Gettleman |first=Jeffrey |title=As Young Adults Drink to Win, Marketers Join In |work=New York Times |date=[[October 16]], [[2005]] |url =http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/16/national/16games.html |accessdate=2007-07-27}}</ref> ''The New York 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."<ref name=NYTimes/> 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,"<ref name=NYTimes/> 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."<ref>{{cite web |last=Finley |first=Adam |title=Beer Pong promotions not so good |work=Ad-Jab |date=[[October 18]], [[2005]] |url=http://www.adjab.com/2005/10/18/beer-pong-promotions-not-so-good/ |accessdate=2007-07-27}}</ref> In May 2008, A Basketball coach at Mason High School named Michael Crotty was charged with Beer pong which involved underage 19 year olds who graduated the previous year and was fired from coaching Basketball. ==External links== *[http://www.nbpl.net National Beer Pong League], contains many sets of rules *[http://www.bpong.com/ Bpong.com], the World Series of Beer Pong *[http://www.pongrules.com Pong Rules], a beer pong rules wiki *[http://www.trajanmagazine.com/content/2008/beerpongbelly.php Trajan Magazine article on calories from Beer Pong] *[http://www.beerpongguru.com Beer Pong], The Original Beer Pong (with Paddles) ==References== {{reflist|2}} {{drinking games}} [[Category:Beer culture]] [[Category:Drinking games]] [[Category:Parties]] {{link FA|la}} [[la:Pong cervisiale]]