- Gameplay & Rules |
- Card Meanings |
- Cheat Sheet |
- Video |
- Tips |
- Warnings
King's Cup is a popular drinking game that is perfect for any party or small gathering. There are many different versions of the game, and it goes by alternate names such as "Circle of Death," "Ring of Fire," or simply "Kings." Read below for all the King’s Cup rules you need to know, as well as the meaning (and variations) of every card you might draw.
King’s Cup Rules
- Spread a deck of cards face down around an empty cup and give every player a drink. Take turns drawing cards from the circle and following each card’s directions.
- For example, 3s (“Me”) mean you have to drink, 5s (“Guys”) mean male players must drink, 7s (“Heaven”) mean that the last player to point to the sky drinks, etc.
- If a player draws a King, they must pour a bit of their drink into the center cup. When a player draws the fourth (and final) King, they must drink the resulting concoction!
Steps
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Put a big cup in the center of the table and spread a deck of cards around it. Spread the cards facedown in a circle around the cup so there are no gaps between cards. Gather your players in a circle around the table and give everyone a drink. [1] X Research source
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Take turns picking up and completing cards. On each player’s turn, they draw a card from the circle—if they create a gap in the circle between two cards, they must drink. The player must turn their card over quickly and follow its assigned meaning: [2] X Research source
- Ace = Waterfall. Every player drinks and can only stop when the person on their right does, beginning with the cardholder.
- 2 = You. The cardholder can make another player drink.
- 3 = Me. The cardholder must drink.
- 4 = Floor. The last player to touch the floor drinks.
- 5 = Guys. All male players drink.
- 6 = Chicks. All female players drink.
- 7 = Heaven. The last player to point up drinks.
- 8 = Mate. The cardholder chooses a player who has to drink every time they do.
- 9 = Rhyme. The cardholder says a word and everyone else must say a rhyming word. Whoever hesitates or fails to come up with a word must drink.
- 10 = Never Have I Ever. Everyone puts up 3 fingers. Starting with the cardholder, each player says something they’ve never done. Other players lower a finger if they’ve done it—the first person out of fingers drinks.
- Jack = Make a Rule. The cardholder must make a rule to be followed for the rest of the game.
- Queen = Question Master. The cardholder can now ask questions to other players. If they respond with anything but another question, they must drink.
- King = King’s Cup. For the first three kings, the cardholders must pour a bit of their drink into the center cup. On the fourth king, the cardholder must drink the center cup.
Expert Q&A
Video
Tips
- Make your own cheat sheet ahead of time, or at least talk over the rules quickly before beginning.Thanks
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Thanks
- If playing with a new crowd, let everyone submit a rule or suggestion to spice the game up.Thanks
Tips from our Readers
- To get a game started quickly, you can download one of the "King's Cup" apps. The app explains all the rules, walks you through the game, and gives you ideas for dares, questions, etc.
Warnings
- Always drink responsibly. King's Cup is a game, not an excuse to drink dangerously. If you or someone you know is drinking because of the "rules," but should not be drinking, you should cut them off.Thanks
- King’s Cup should only be played if you're over the legal drinking age in your country (18 in most of the world, 21 in the US).Thanks
References
- ↑ https://punchdrink.com/articles/kings-cup-rules-kings-drinking-game/
- ↑ https://collegepartyguru.com/games/pages.php?link=Kings_Cup
- ↑ https://985thesportshub.com/2020/06/02/how-to-play-kings-cup-the-drinking-game-2/
- ↑ https://punchdrink.com/articles/kings-cup-rules-kings-drinking-game/
- ↑ https://collegepartyguru.com/games/pages.php?link=Kings_Cup
- ↑ https://manofmany.com/lifestyle/drinks/official-kings-cup-rules
- ↑ https://punchdrink.com/articles/kings-cup-rules-kings-drinking-game/
- ↑ https://collegepartyguru.com/games/pages.php?link=Kings_Cup
- ↑ https://manofmany.com/lifestyle/drinks/official-kings-cup-rules
About This Article
King’s Cup is a fun drinking game where players drink or hand out drinks depending on the cards they draw. Start by placing an empty cup in the center of the playing area. Then, spread a deck of cards around the cup face-down. Sit around the cards in a circle and make sure everyone has a drink. Choose one player to go first. They draw a card from the circle and reveal it to the group. Each card has a different meaning in King's Cup. Aces are "Waterfall." Whoever draws an ace starts drinking. Then, the player to their left starts drinking. This continues around the circle and everyone keeps drinking until the player to their right stops. Twos are "You." Whoever draws a 2 chooses another player to take a sip of their drink. Threes are “Me.” The player that draws a 3 takes a sip of their drink. Fours are “Floor.” Everyone has to touch the ground, and the last player to touch the ground takes a sip. Fives are “Guys.” All of the male players take a sip. Sixes are “Chicks.” All of the female players drink. Sevens are “Heaven.” Everyone puts their hands in their air, and the last player to do so drinks. Eights are “Mate." Whoever draws an 8 choose another player to be their partner. The partners drink whenever each other drinks until another 8 is drawn. Nines are “Rhyme.” Whoever draws a 9 chooses a word. Going clockwise, each player must rhyme with that word. Whoever stumbles first takes a sip. Tens are “Never have I ever.” Each player puts 3 fingers up. Starting with the player that drew the card, they say “Never have I ever…” followed by something they’ve never done. If another player has done that thing, they put one of their fingers down. This continues clockwise until one players puts all of their fingers down and drinks. Jacks are “Rule.” Whoever draws a jack makes up a rule, like everyone has to talk with an accent, that stays in place until another jack is drawn. Anyone who violates the rule drinks. Queens are “Question Master.” Whoever draws a queen is the question master until another queen is drawn. If the question master asks a question and another player answers it, that player drinks. When a king is drawn, the player that draws it pours a little bit of their drink in the empty cup. The game ends when the fourth king is drawn. Whoever draws the fourth king drinks the middle cup. Keep reading for a sample sheet of actions for each card!