Please remember that there are many different versions of this game. The Rules below are offered as examples. Many claim to know the universal rules; there are none. Please see the bottom of the page for a more complete listing of possible rules. Certain versions have been known to be called "Nine-Nine-Bust-A-Rhyme."

GETTING STARTED

MATERIALS

  • 1 Deck of playing cards
  • 1 large cup

On a table arrange an entire deck of cards face down around a large empty cup. Each person has a turn drawing a card, and every card drawn corresponds with an action (see key below). Whether it is making a rule, or giving out drinks, each card makes people do something.

Whenever a King is drawn, the person who drew the card pours as much of their drink as they would like into the large cup in the circle of cards.

The goal of the game is not to get the last king, as drawing the last king means you must then chug the King's Cup!

If you break the circle of cards (so they arent all touching) then you must take a drink.

RULES

A respectable gentleman displays king's cup rules.

2 - To You - Point to someone, they have to drink.

3 - To Me - Player who drew the card drinks.

4 - Floor - All must slap the table/floor/roommate's ass; last to slap must drink.

5 - High - All must raise hands; last drinks.

6 - To the Right - Person to the right of the player must drink.

7 - To the Left - Person to the left of the player must drink.

8 - Pick-A-Mate - Player chooses someone and starts drinking. They must drink for as long as player do.

9 - Bust-A-Rhyme - Player says a rhyme, (ie I have a cat. His name is Matt). Next player must add a line to the rhyme. If a player cannot add a line quickly, or at all, they must drink.

10 - Make-a-Rule - Player gets to make a rule that all must abide by.

J - Categories - Player chooses a category (ie, brands of Mexican beer), each player must name an item in that category. The first person who cannot think of an item must drink.

Q - Questions - Player looks at another player and asks a question (any question, e.g. "Are you gay?" "How are you?"). This player looks at another player and asks a question. Questions are posed in rapid succession and the first player to get tripped up drinks.

K - Kings Cup - Pour some of your drink into the middle cup. The player who draws the 4th King drinks the entire cup.

A - Social - All players drink.

The Official King's Cup Card Deck

A deck custom made for King's Cup with the cards right on the rules can be found at Drinking Deck's King's Cup Cards

Other Popular Rules

2 - - 1. Two-to-You (player dishes out 2 drinks to whomever he likes)

3 - -

4 - - 1. Four-to-Whores (females must drink)

5 - - 1. I Never

6 - - 1. Six-to-Dicks (males must drink)

7 - - 1. Heaven (Point to sky and last person drinks0

8 - -

9 - -

10 - -

J - - 1. Thumbmaster (Player who picks the Jack is the thumbmaster until the next person draws a Jack. The player may put his thumb on the table at any time and the last person to do so must drink.

Q - -

K - - The Kings Cup of Course.

A - - 1. Waterfall (Everyone must chug their drink until the person to their right stops).

This game is exactly the same as Nine-Nine-Bust-A-Rhyme.

Strategy

Strategy in this game is easier to apply early on in the game when there are more cards and more sobriety.

When using categories - pick a category with a limited number of correct responses to make a particular person (this requires knowing how to count), popular categories for this purpose are:

  • Total days in a month (four responses - 28, 29, 30, 31)
  • Members of a band (I.E. Members of Led Zeppelin, four correct responses)
  • Books by a less than prolific or obscure author
  • Harry potter books (useful for a large group of players, 7 correct responses)
  • Courses in the BIS 1 series (3 responses.. hopefully)
  • Songs over 8 minutes long (most people screw this up after a few drinks, expect the first person to answer "freebird" and the prog-heads of your group)
  • Be creative!

If you are a real a-hole, you will pick something difficult to rhyme with when drawing a 9, don't just say "I just ate an orange". seriously. Seriously.

When drawing a 10, be creative in your sanctions, but don't be a dick, this pays off later on when you've drank too much and can't remember your own rules. Alternately, you can create the simple rule that every card is now a create-a-rule card. Within a few minutes, you will be playing a drastically altered game.