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This article is about a drinking game. For the card game also known as 21, see Blackjack. For the basketball game "twenty-one", see Variations of basketball.

Part of the series on Popular drinking games

Pong games Beer pong | w/ paddles Slam | Dartmouth Image File history File links Wikitext. ... Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... This article is about the gambling game. ... Variations of basketball are games or activities based on or similar to the game of basketball, in which the player utilizes common basketball skills. ... Drinking games are games which involve the drinking of beer or other alcoholic beverages. ... Drinking games are games which involve the drinking of beer or other alcoholic beverages. ... Image File history File links Beer_mug. ... For the similar drinking game involving table tennis paddles, see beer pong (paddles). ... When referring to the game using table tennis paddles, the rules of Beer Pong are relatively close to those of table tennis and thus presumably emerged as an adaptation of table tennis into a drinking game. ... A slam pong player at Dartmouth Colleges Phi Tau Coeducation Fraternity. ... Dartmouth pong is a drinking game played at Dartmouth College that is loosely based on ping pong. ... Table games Flip cup | Boat race Quarters Land mine | Chandeliers 7-11-doubles | Moose Flip Cup, also known as Flipper, Flippy Cup, Taps, Tippy Cup, Flippity Whippity, Cups, Canoe, Turbos or Turbo Cups, is a team-based drinking game. ... A boat race is a drinking game between (usually) two teams of equal numbers. ... For other uses, see Quarter Quarters is a popular drinking game which involves players bouncing a quarter off of a table in an attempt to have the quarter land, usually into a shotglass (or cup) on that table. ... This article is about the drinking game. ... Chandeliers is a drinking game that is a spinoff of Quarters. ... 7-11-doubles is drinking game that uses dice. ... Moose is the name of a drinking game that involves players bouncing a quarter off of a table in an attempt to have the quarter land, without another bounce, in an ice cube tray on that table. ...

Word games I Never | 21 I never, also commonly known as 10 fingers or Never have I ever, is a common drinking game, where players are arranged into something resembling a circle. ...

Card games Kings | Asshole Ride the bus | Horserace Connections | Pyramid Fuck the dealer Kings (also less commonly known as Kings Cup, Circle of Death, or Ring of Fire) is a popular drinking game. ... This article is about the drinking game version. ... Ride the bus is a drinking game played through using a standard pack of cards and enough alcohol to support the required players. ... Horserace is a drinking game in which players place bets on a particular suit of cards, cheer their selected horse on as it races, and drink according to the outcome. ... Connections is a card game that is used for a drinking game. ... Pyramid is a card game that is used for a drinking game. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

Binge drinking games Keg stand | Funneling Shotgunning | Case race Yard of ale | Edward Fortyhands Centurion Drinking too much alcohol may qualify as binge drinking if it leads to at least two days of inebriation and the drinker neglects usual responsibilities The British Medical Association states that there is no consensus on the definition of binge drinking. ... Typical form for a keg stand Keg stand (sometimes known as getting vertical ) is often considered a drinking ritual using a beer keg, but it is not always competitive. ... “Beer bong” redirects here. ... Shotgunning is a means of consuming a canned beverage, especially beer, very quickly by a particular technique involving punching a hole in the side of the can. ... A Case Race is an American Drinking game involving a competition to see which team or individual can finish a case (most commonly a case of beer) first. ... This article is about the measurement of beer known as the yard. ... Fortyhands Participants Edward Fortyhands (also known as 80 Ounces to Freedom or The 40 Challenge) is a drinking game in which each player duct tapes a 40 oz. ... Centurion is a drinking game that involves downing 100 shots of beer in 100 minutes (i. ...

21 is a drinking game typically played by players sitting in a circle. Numbers are called in sequence from one to 21. However, each player can decide how many numbers of the sequence he wishes to call. This determines who the next player to call will be. The player to call "21" must finish his beverage, before a new round starts. The loser may add one new rule to the game, and starts the new round. Drinking games are games which involve the drinking of beer or other alcoholic beverages. ...

Rules

The game begins with one player calling the direction of play by saying, "I propose a game of twenty, twenty two to my left" or "To my right". That player will then also say a number, the initial round of the game is played without rules; players may only say one number, in all other rounds players may say one number or string of numbers. The choice of numbers will dictate the direction of the game from then on.

Saying one number (i.e. "one") will cause the game to pass to the next player in line (and in the direction initially declared). Two numbers (i.e. "one, two") will reverse the direction of the game from that initially declared. Three numbers will continue the game in the original direction but will skip one player.

The onus of calling out the next number in the sequence will pass according to the string of numbers declared by the preceding player.

For example, an initial call of "...to my left, one", will mean that the player to the immediate left of the starter must say the next number, which in this case is "two". Alternatively, a call of "...to my left, one, two", will mean that the player to the immediate right of the starter must say the next number, which in this case is "three". Finally, a call of "...to my left, one, two, three", will mean that the player to the immediate left but one must say the next number, which in this case is "four".

The player with the onus of calling the next number has the same option; he may call one, two or three numbers. The direction of play will chop and change accordingly. The one exception to this is the restriction on calling two numbers following a two-number call. This is referred to as 'doubling a double', and in some versions of the game is prohibited so as to make sure that play does not get stuck between two players. Some versions also prohibit calling two numbers after a string of three numbers, i.e. so the next person to call is the person that was missed out; this is known as "reversing into a hole" or, in some circles, "rogering the chaplain's daughter".

Assuming there are no mistakes, the game will continue in sequence up to number 21. The player who finds himself burdened with calling number 21 is liable to consume his entire remaining beverage.

The object of the game is to ensure the sequence continues to number 21 - the group objective. At the same time players will not wish to be the one to say 21 and be liable to consume their entire beverage, so skillful use of the numbers will be required to direct the play away from themselves. Clearly this is a game of concentration.

When the sequence reaches 21, the losing player having just consumed their entire beverage is given the consolation of making a new rule to the game, before it begins again. New rules commonly take the form of replacing a number or group of numbers (multiple of 5 are...) with a word phrase, ("TEN is now 'I love Chocolate cake!'") or action (the umpires signals for 4 and 6 for example) or swapping the place of numbers e.g. "swap 3 and 8" so the series would be 1, 2, 8, 4, 5, 6... Twenty-One itself is not normally changed.

21 is a nomic game.^{[citation needed]} Nomic is a game in which the rules of the game include mechanisms for the players to change those rules, usually through a system of democratic voting. ...

Mistakes

1. Failing to call out the next number in the sequence when it is your turn to do so, or only after undue hesitancy.
2. Calling out the wrong number.
3. Calling a number out of turn.
4. Calling out numbers that total 21 (e.g. 6,7,8 or 10,11)
5. Breach of new rules

A mistake will cause the sequence to stop. A penalty will then be issued to the player at fault before the game restarts.

The penalty for a mistake is usually an order to consume two finger's width of one's beverage.

Saying the number "twenty-one" is itself a punishable error; usually with two fingers but occasionally with a whole pint as if the speaker had said it in the course of the game. Instead, the phrase "twenty-plus-one" may be used to refer to the game or to the number which must not be said.

One of the classic mistakes in 21 is for a player to say the number 18 on its own. The next player is then free to call 19 and 20, so that the first player is forced to call 21.

During the game, players will periodically need to visit the bar to replenish their drinks (it is best to buy in large rounds so that the number of trips is minimised). Sometimes, the person at the bar will miss the end of a sequence and its consequent new rule. In some traditions such people must not be told the new rule, but must work it out through observation and trial and error. The same applies to anyone joining the game halfway through.

Additional Rules

All the while the game goes there are other rules that players may enforce. A common example is to outlaw pointing throughout the game; participants who wish to mock failing players must point with their elbows.

Another example is the 'face-master' concept whereby one player each round (from one reaching of 21 to the other) is appointed to make a 'face' which will be indicated by the chosen player before the round starts. The player may make the 'face' at any time and the last person to copy the 'face' is given a penalty. The game then continues until 21 is reached then a new 'face-master' is appointed.

Additional rules can be made whereby one person who reaches "21" can call himself the "question master'. Throughout the game the question master can ask any question to any member in the game. The recipient has to answer with "Fuck Off". Otherwise, if the recipient of that question answers with a real answer they have to consume 2 fingers of their beverage. An example of this is when the person who indicates his position as the 'question master' explains the rules of the 'question master' post to the other members in the game; if this person then further asks "Do you understand what I just said?". Then all the members of the game who answer with anything other than "Fuck Off" will then be liable to the forfeit of consuming 2 fingers of their beverage. Other examples include "Did you actually drink then?" ; "Whose Beverage is that?" ; or even "What time is it?" etc.

A 'Thumb Master' can also be invoked by the person who reaches '21' in a similar manner to the 'Question Master'. The Thumb Master's role is simple but effective to the game play. It ensures the member's of the game remain concentrated throughout. The Thumb Master's role is to place his thumb down on the chair where he is sitting (or on a table if not sitting) at any random moment throughout the game; the other members of the game must realize that the Thumb Master has placed his thumb down on his chair. The last member of the game to place his/her thumb down on his/her chair has to consume 2 fingers of their beverage; in a similar manner to the 'Question Master's' rule.

You must also have realized by now that I keep referring to 'Drink' as 'beverage' and 'consume'. This is due to the additional rule that does not permit any member of the game to say any variation of the word 'drink' (this includes drank, drunk, drinking, etc.). Instead these words can be referred to using any other word that means the same thing as what you are trying to say. For example; instead of saying 'Drink your drink' you would say 'Consume your beverage'. If you get caught violating this rule you must further consume 2 fingers of your 'beverage'.

Variations

A variation of 21 is to use Roman Numerals instead. This is a precursor for a further variation where the Roman Numerals I, V and X are replaced with words or phrases; for example one could replace I with "No", V with "Daddy" and X with "Don't touch me there!". This culminates in a variety of hilarious phrases, especially 18 (XVIII) which would read "Don't touch me there, Daddy! No! No! No!". This variation also requires that the phrases are shouted, especially with the higher numbers. Roman numerals are a numeral system originating in ancient Rome, adapted from Etruscan numerals. ...

International drinking rules

This game is best played according to the International Drinking Rules. The International Drinking Rules (also sometimes called the Standard Rules, or Gentlemens Rules of Imbibage) may be used during any drinking game, or social gathering whose participants are aware of the rules. ...

See also

• 21
• Number 21