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Beer darts is a fun and simple backyard game that can be played with 2 players or teams. The object of the game is to hit your opponent's beer can with a dart before they hit yours. When your beer is punctured, you have to drink it! To play beer darts, you'll just need darts, some cans of beer, and a couple chairs.

Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Setting up the Game

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  1. You need at least 2 players to play beer darts. If you have more than 2 players, break off into teams of 2. [1]
  2. Your chairs should be facing each other. If you’re playing on teams, set up a chair for each player so that teammates’ chairs are about 3 feet (0.91 m) apart and facing in the same direction. [2]
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  3. The cardboard will shield you and your opponent's legs from the darts. When you start the game, each player should move the cardboard in front of their legs. [3]
  4. If you’re playing on teams, you only need 1 beer can per team. In that case, place the beer in the middle of the 2 team members’ chairs. [4]
  5. You can flip a coin, play rock-paper-scissors, or see who drinks a beer fastest to decide. Once you’ve decided, divide the darts up evenly among all the players.
    • It's up to you how many darts you play with, but try to give each player at least 2 darts.
  6. Beer darts is played sitting down. If a player plays while standing up, their shot doesn’t count. [5]
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Part 2
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Playing the Game

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  1. They must remain seated while throwing the dart. Once they throw the dart, their turn is over. If you’re playing with teams, teammates should take turns throwing a dart at the other team’s beer can.
  2. Now it’s the second player’s (or team’s) turn. They have to do the same thing — throw a dart and try to hit their opponent's beer can.
  3. Once your unopened beer is punctured with a dart, you have to crack it open and chug the whole thing. Replace it with a new unopened beer when you’re finished.
  4. The player or team who drinks 3 beers first loses the game. When a team wins, set out a new beer can for the losing team and start the score back at zero to play again.
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Part 3
Part 3 of 3:

Trying Variations

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  1. If you don’t have chairs around, or you just want to switch things up, playing beer darts standing up is a fun variation on the game. The rest of the rules are the same, but you’re standing instead of sitting. [6]
  2. Instead of drinking the whole beer, open it up and drink it down so it’s level with the puncture hole the dart left. Then, place the beer back down in front of you and keep playing. The beer stays until your opponent knocks it over with a dart or punctures it at the very bottom of the can.
  3. If beer darts is getting too easy for you, increasing the distance between you and your opponent can make it more challenging. Instead of leaving 10 feet (3.0 m) in between you, try moving your chairs back 1–2 feet (0.30–0.61 m) and see if the game is any harder.
  4. Sometimes in beer darts the dart will strike the beer can but not puncture it. Make it a rule that if you strike your opponent’s beer can without puncturing it, they have to take a sip out of a separate, opened beer.
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      Warnings

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      Things You’ll Need

      • Cans of beer
      • Chairs
      • Darts

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      Beer darts is a fun drinking game where players try to hit their opponent’s beer with darts. Beer darts can be played 1 on 1 or with 2 teams of 2. Players sit facing each other 10 feet (3 m) apart. For teams, players sit on the same side as their teammate, 3 feet (1 m) apart from each other. Each player starts with a piece of cardboard in front of them to protect their legs and an unopened beer can on the ground in front of it. Players flip a coin to see who goes first. On the first player’s turn, they try to hit their opponent’s beer with a dart. Players have to remain seated while shooting. If a player punctures their opponent’s beer, their opponent has to drink the entire thing and then replace it with a new one. If a player misses, the other player or team goes next. The game continues until one player or team finishes 3 beers. Whoever finishes 3 beers first loses! To learn other variations of beer darts, scroll down!

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