Beer Pong (also known as Beirut) is a drinking game that involves propelling a table tennis ball across a table with the goal of making the ball land in one of several cups of beer. The game generally involves two teams, each composed of two people. Once a player is scored upon, he/she is supposed to consume the entire amount of beer (or other alcoholic beverage) that resides in the cup where the ball landed. When one of the teams has scored in all of their opponents' cups, the game is won.

While having a remarkably simple premise, the game has a great depth of skill and strategy with different kinds of shots, cooperative planning, and a large element of confrontational psychology. These elements combined with the debilitating effects of alcohol creates a complex alluring game, or as some say, a sport. Beer Pong also has a remarkable number of variations and styles, which can depend on the area of the country, state, or even what house at which the game is being played. Today, beer pong has become a staple of American high school and college subculture, and along with Quarters, is one of the most played drinking games in the country.

Etymology

The meaning of the terms Beer Pong and Beirut vary depending on locality to which the game is played: Beirut is unambiguously accepted to be the version of the game where players throw the balls and do not use paddles to hit the ball, while Beer Pong can mean either the same game as Beirut, or the similar game where players use paddles to hit the ball toward the cups of their opponents. Beirut is generally a term used in the northeastern United States while 'Beer Pong' is the most commonly used in the southern and western regions. Beer Pong, in its paddle variation, is rarely played in the South.

The name "Beirut" is said to derive from an irreverent, and some would deem offensive, allusion to the civil war in Lebanon in the 1980's in which mortar shells were lobbed at Beirut, the country's capital city. Calling the game Beirut is said to have originated at Lehigh University or Bucknell University .

Setup

Players and officials

Beer pong is usually played with two teams of two persons each, two teams of one person, or a two-on-one handicap match. Each team begins the game standing at either end of the table behind their rack of cups. There may be up to two officials observing one game. These officials should be unbiased individuals competent in the rules of the game. Officials should stand at the side of the table as to not interfere with gameplay. The job of the official is to determine any violation(s) of the rules that follow.

Playing field

The original, simplest and most common place to play beer pong is on a ping pong table. However the game can be played on any flat surface with enough space to hold the two formations of cups, although it is typically preferred to be played on a surface that is 4' x 8' or larger. An effective table in emergency situations can be a closet, or friend's door.

Many frequent players will create a personalized table for use by friends and visitors. In general, this will be a plywood board cut to proper size, painted with sports, school or fraternity symbols and then given a coating to liquid-proof.

To compensate for smaller playing fields, additional rules can be created forcing players to shoot from several paces away, establishing the minimum 6' separation distance between the point of shooting and the opponent's cup formation necessary for correct gameplay.

The cups

The most common and preferred cups used are Solo or Dixie 16 ounce cups. These cups have ridge-lines which can be used to precisely measure the amount of beer to be poured. Smaller cups greatly vary the aim necessary in order to score; often more exprienced players agree to use smaller cups because they require better aim to score. Smaller cups can also be beneficial in situations where the teams playing are unevenly matched or when using a smaller/lower playing field. However, the 16-ounce cup is the most common and most universally accepted size.

On each side of the table, an equilateral triangle formation of cups is assembled, with the convergence point focusing on the other team. Different variations allow for different numbers of cups, although ten (4-3-2-1) and six-cup (3-2-1) are the most common. Some other practiced, although less common arrangements, are seven-cup (2-3-2) in a hexagonal pattern and nine-cup (1-2-3-2-1) in a nine ball pattern. When playing on a larger field or with larger teams, ten or more cups are more frequently used.

Also on each side is a water cup or holy cup, which is a cup of tepid or slightly hot water. This is used to clean the ball of dirt, grime, or beer that accumulates when it accidentally hits the floor, table, etc. It is proper etiquette for the player to wash the ball before shooting, to generally promote good hygiene. The act of dunking the ball in water can also serve as a pre-shot ritual for players intended for concentration purposes.

The alcohol

Any type of beer, or other alcohol, can be used to play beer pong. Usually a light beer is used as large quantities may be consumed during the course of several games. Light beer tends to be less filling, allowing participants to play more games. Cheap beer, such as Pabst Blue Ribbon, Keystone Light, Milwaukee's Best Light, or Natural Light is used as the players are less concerned with what they are drinking and more concerned with the game. It has been said that the rich sometimes play with Dom Perignon (wine) and Louis Roederer Cristal. Typically, approximately 4 oz. of beer is poured into each cup in the formation, which is equivalent to the first or second ridgline up from the bottom in an 16 ounce cup. This works out to be two 12 oz. cans of beer per team in a regular six cup game, or three beers per team for a 10 cup game.

The Rules

Offense

The two basic offensive options a player has are the shot and the bounce; however, the bounce is not universally accepted as legal. The shot is referred to as tossing or pitching the ball across the table without having it hit the table, ground or other surface first. A bounce is performed by bouncing the ball, generally at a point at least at the midpoint of the table. The ball can bounce multiple times torward the cups, but this should be minimized as the bounce shot can be swatted away or deflected by the opposing team's hands. Because of the increased difficulty of this shot, it is worth two cups; the one in which it lands is pulled, and then an additional cup chosen by the scored-upon team.

The edge of the table is used as common boundary, particularly when playing on a short table or the players involved are tall in stature. The shooter's hand holding the ball, when outstretched, may not pass over the edge of the table nearest to the shooter upon release. In many cases, if the rule is broken, the shooter would be forced to re-take the shot and forfeit any cup scored during the infraction.

An "Elbows" rule may present a limit to how far towards the opposing team's cups a throwing player's elbow may go. On a typical table configuration, the elbow limit is midway through the initial triangle formation. This stipulation is generally relaxed in the context of a bounce shot.

In general there are no stipulations on the order in which a team's players take their turns; however rules vary on whether or not a strict alternating order must be followed. Generally a team determines their own order and may "switch it up", if their performance is not acceptable. Much like baseball, there is no "shot clock" and players generally prefer to take the time needed to prepare the shot properly.

Determining initial possession

The team who won the previous game is automatically given possession first, enabling the team to set a scoring precedent. If the two teams are new to the table, or it is the first game played on the table during that session, or is during a tournament, the teams must determine who shoots first. The typical way of achieving this is by shooting "eye to eye". That is, one player on each team holds eye contact with each other, and shoots the ball simultaneously. Not being able to see the cups while shooting presents a greater difficulty. The player who shoots the ball into a cup closest to the front of the formation wins possession for his team. If the shots have equal distance or both players miss, the "eye to eye" repeats with the other players.

Other forms determining initial possession include: shooting normally and alternating possession and playing rock, paper, scissors.

Shot technique

Arc Shot

The most common throwing technique is to grasp the ping pong ball with the tips of the thumb and forefinger of the player's good hand, and hold the arm at an angle with the ball upwards, then throw by using gentle elbow motion, holding the upper arm parallel with the table. Wrist movement may also occur in an effort to create a greater arc. A good player may also push off with the knees as they throw to create an upward arcing motion.

The arc motion allows one to put enough force on the ball to get it to the other side of the table, while conserving velocity and slowing it down so that it is not as likely to bounce off the rim of the cup but gently roll into the cup.

Fastball

Some players prefer or occasionally use a "fastball" style throw (named for its speed, it is not thrown like a baseball!) which uses more of a hard chopping motion to send the ball in a more direct line to the intended target cup. This can be done with the hand in the usual "pistol grip" orientation or in an overhand "slam-dunk" orientation. The fastball is especially favored by taller players, as it is easier to throw from a higher position.

Due to the straighter path the ball will follow, the player may feel more confident in hitting using the fastball. However, caution must however be used if a "no elbows over the table" rule is in use, as it is much easier to violate that guideline with a less controlled throw. Fastballs are also much more likely to knock down a cup, which may have positive or negative consequences depending on house rules. As noted above, the higher velocity of the ball will also cause less-precise shots to bounce off the rim rather than gently bounce into a cup.

Nicknames for this technique include "The Rocket," "The Laser," "The Frozen Rope," "The Dart," and "Sniping."

Finger Roll

Other players prefer to grasp the ball with the thumb, index and middle-finger and release the ball in a somewhat "finger-roll" fashion. Throwing in this manner is very accurate once mastered but it is difficult to use on relatively large table. It also takes time to perfect so it is not recommended for beginners. Therefore, this form is most often employed by veteran players.

Bounce Shot

Bounce shots are much harder to accurately throw, due to the addition of factors outside the thrower's control. The ball may follow an unpredictable path after bouncing based on the table surface, ball wetness, ball spin, etc. Since the bounce shot counts for two cups, the other team is allowed to swat the ball out of the court. The best time to attempt a bounce is when the opposing team is not paying attention to the game, as the risk of deflection is zero. The current rack must be taken into consideration as well — there is obviously a much higher chance of sinking a bounce on an unspoiled ten cup rack than on an inconsistent rack which is all over the table. Serious defenders should also always keep one player on alert for bounce shots to their cups.

In addition to being able to count for two cups, the bounce also allows the possibility of scoring a shot even though it initially missed its target. For example, if the ball hits the side of a cup, bounces on the table, and then manages to get in a cup, it counts for only that cup in which it conclusively landed. If the ball was intentionally bounced and hit only the table and the cup in which it landed, it will count for two cups. This shot style can be more effectively used if the ball is bounced simultaneously while the player's partner is performing a traditional shot. This creates an element of surprise and is also harder to defend against, as the player does not want to commit goaltending on the pitched shot.

Reracking

Rollbacks/Bringing it back

When each member of one team each makes his shot during a single team turn, they are said to have accomplished "Rollbacks." or have "brought it back." This means that the team on offense regains possession of the balls and has two additional chances to score. A team can repeatedly gain Rollbacks until the conclusion of the game. There are common stipulations regarding re-racking after a team gets Rollbacks. Some local rules stipulate that there is no re-rack after a rollback, while others allow the opposite. These variations of the rules are permitted on a game-by-game basis as long as they are properly disclosed and agreed upon prior to commencement of the first volley.

In some variations, the defense must remove any cup that has been made as quickly as possible. If in that time the offense can sink the second ball into the same cup as the first ball, the game is over with no rebuttal. This is based on the principle that if a player hits an opponents drinking cup, the game is over.

Defense

Beer distribution and formations
Players have some strategy regarding the amount of beverage poured in their cups. If the player(s) are getting to the point of inebriation or are running out of beer they may desire to lessen the amount of beer in the cup. Less beer increases the risk of the cup being knocked over by a shot, especially the fastball type. This can even detrimentally affect the traditional arc shot, as the cup has less stability than it would normally have. If a team is found to be in violation, a foul is called or the other team is allowed to repeat their attempt once the problem has been remedied. A common cliche of the game is the phrase "Is there any beer in that cup?"

It is to the defensive players' benefit to subtly mess up the formations, usually by having the edges of some cups be over or under the other edges. This can highly affect arc shots, causing the ball to bounce out. It is the responsibility of the team on offense to recognize an improper formation and then instruct the defending players to remedy this. In some areas these minor adjustments are referred to as "kissing" the cups. Once instructed, the opposing team must remedy this situation or risk a penalty or disqualification.

Ball blocking
If bouncing the ball is allowed, then players may swat away a ball that has hit the table, a cup, or anything else not in play. They must, however, be careful not to knock over any cups and commit a foul. If the player hits the ball away before the ball hits anything, unless it is on a path that is very obviously not towards scoring a cup, a goaltending violation occurs. Depending on rules, goaltending either results in a re-try, or a pulled cup.

Blowing/fingering
If the ball is spinning inside a cup, players may blow into the cup in an attempt to make it fly out; this generally has to be done rapidly, as the ball quickly spirals down inside the cup. In tournament play, this is generally not allowed at all. A variation of this rule is that a player may use one finger, usually the index finger to pop the ball out of the cup while it is still spinning. Once the ball stops spinning, it is considered 'dead' and no further defensive actions will count. The act of 'fingering' introduces the danger of knocking over one's own cups, causing a foul, and thus the removal of the knocked over cup.

In most cases, the common euphemisms "guys finger" and "bitches blow" define the rules determining who is allowed to use each defensive maneuver. To clarify, males in these situations are allowed to use a finger to pull out the ball while females may blow into the cup in a similar situation. This rule is implemented in "New Jersey Pong", among other variations .

The act of blowing, while technically legal, is heavily frowned upon in many circles. In this sense, the common insult "bitches blow" carries the connotation that the one blowing is, in fact, a "bitch." Many styles, such as "Virginia Pong" specifically deny men the ability to blow into the cup .

Psychological defense
A major element of defense is "shit talking", or psyching out the other team. The defending players will hurl insults, statements of reverse psychology ("you got this shot", "this should be no problem"), distracting visual cues (such as pointing to some spot on the table or the water cup). Generally any form of this is accepted, as long its not gratuitously distracting and/or annoying. Women often use their sexuality to aid in defense, through the use of provacative poses and actions.

Dead Cup One frequently used rule is the "Dead Cup" or "Death Cup" which is used to negatively reinforce players to drink their unconsumed alcohol, and thus keep the game fair. The "Dead Cup" is any cup that was previously scored upon but not yet had its contents consumed. This rule can be easily defended by just placing one's hand over the cup when the opposing team is shooting. If a shot is made into this cup, the game is undisputedly over and the cup holder's team does not receive redemption/rebuttal honors.

Fouls and misconduct

If a player or players knocks over one or more of their own cups, each cup that has been knocked over is removed from the game, and for most purposes counts as a score against the team who performed the foul. If a player's elbow is deemed to be too far over the table, it can be ruled as a foul. In this situation, there are two possible remedies: a re-do of the shot, or a loss of shot.

Redemption/Rebuttal honors

Most variants utilize the set of redemption rules, which allow a potentially losing team to allow them to come back and tie the game for an overtime round. The game transitions into redemption rules as soon the final cup of one team is scored upon.

Each member of the redeeming team can shoot as many times as possible, as long as they make each cup consecutively. As soon as one team member misses a shot, the next member must continue to attempt to score the remaining cups. If all the remaining opposing cups are scored upon, the game is considered tied and proceeds to overtime. Rules vary from location, but usually the normal re-racking rules apply to redemption scenarios.

Overtime

Overtime is played with a subset of the original number of cups, usually three. All normal rules, including redemption and reracking, apply in overtime. Although, a popular overtime rule is to disallow reracking whatsoever. A game can continue on to as many overtime rounds as necessary in order to conclude the game.

Hygenic practices and manners

• All participants involved in the first game of the session should help in setting up the table; splitting duties for cup arrangement, water cup filling, and beverage pouring. Correspondingly, the group playing the last game of the session should clean up the table, throw away cups, etc.
• Empty cups should always be placed individually on the outskirts of the table, away from the formations, or on another table entirely. They should never be stacked upon each other, as dirt and dust from the bottom of the cups can contaminate the cups for the next game. Newbies to beer pong are notorious for committing this act.
• If the ball falls on the floor, or merely bounces, it should always be dipped into the watercup again.
• The watercup should be refilled if it is noticeably occlusive or dirty.
• The team that is about to play next on a certain table should fetch the beer needed for the upcoming game; this may involve the re-filling of a pitcher from a nearby keg.
• Cigarettes should only be smoked if it is agreed upon by the participants or is allowed by the local rules.
• It is considered bad sportsmanship for one team to constantly badger another one in order to psyche them out. Even if the rules technically allow this to occur, constant attacks or distractions can severely reduce the quality of the gaming experience.

Game variations

• 21-Cup Beirut –In this variation, 21 cups are used on each side of the table. The teams are 3 versus 3, with altered rules on shooting. Players must shoot simultaneously with their "partner" on the other side of the table. This eliminates the turn-based style of typical games, making for a much faster paced match.
• Airball –If a player misses the table and all target cups, they have to pull and drink one of their own cups. This however, does not apply to the last cup. This rule forces players to be more cautious about their shots, particularly for cups in the rear.
• Bonus Guy – Add one more player, the "Bonus Guy," at the middle of the table on the side. Add an extra cup in the middle of the table. The job of the Bonus Guy is to psyche out each team's thrower, similar to the movie BASEketball. This works better slightly inebriated, as the Bonus Guy does not have a team, but is there to increase the excitement level of all participants and spectators. To assist this factor, each throwing team can waste a ball and hit the extra middle cup, thus making the Bonus Guy take a shot of liquor. To win, a team must hit the middle cup at least once. Bonus Guys/Girls can be rotated once the current player can no longer fulfill his duties as Bonus Guy.
• Bottle Caps – Another common variation is the use of bottle caps instead of ping pong balls. The use of caps is often the result of not having balls on hand, or can be the preference of the participants. Local rules may cover whether or not the cap can be bent, if all caps must be of the same type, etc.
• Corks – Corks are used instead of ping pong balls. A variation used when ping pong balls are unavailable and corked beer (such as Trappist ale) or wine is being used.
• Cottage Rules –House rules developed at the University Cottage Club, one of the legendary eating clubs at Princeton University. Cups are set up on two separate, often round, tables with the shooters about ten feet apart. Ten cups are set up in the traditional 4-3-2-1 pyramid. Empties are left on the table with a penalty cup being awarded if a team hits an empty. Reracks occur at six cups, three cups, and two cups but not the four-cup diamond. When one team is down to the final cup, it must remove all empties from its rack so as not to win by default. If a team hits all of its opponent's cups before having to rerack their own cups, the opposing team must perform a naked lap around wherever the game is being played.
• Empties – When a cup is made it must be consumed immediately and replaced in the formation. If you hit an empty cup you are required to drink one of your own cups. Does not apply to last cup. Using clear cups makes this form of play easier. The shooter can ask for the location of the empties at any time and dishonesty would be considered a gross violation. This greatly increases the skill level required of the players. This is a standard rule at Lehigh University.
• Full Contact – In this variation, loose balls thrown from players are up for grabs. Players are permitted to use most any level of force to acquire a loose balls from other players until they return to their end of the table.
• Fun-cup – Often, one cup is filled with a shot of hard alcohol instead of beer. This is referred to as either the "fun cup" or the "power cup." This cup is usually the middle cup.
• Gentlemen's Beirut – Every cup must be called by the shooting team in order to count, similar to calling a shot in billiards.
• Hawaiian Rules – The throwing team must continue to throw as long as the other team is still drinking. In this variation all spectators are required to assist in returning the balls to the thrower so that he or she can throw as quickly as possible.
• Open rebounds – Instead of alternating shots by turns, a team can only shoot by controlling the rebound after an opposing player shoots. This forces players to pay attention to the game at all times. Open rebounding can be difficult in a small, confined space and is best played with a lot of room or on a big table.
• Pyramid Pong – Uses a literal pyramid, involving twenty cups in four levels. The base is a triangle of ten cups; the second level is a triangle of six cups; the third level is a triangle of three cups; and one cup rests on the top. Players sinking the ball in a lower cup forces not only the contents of that cup to be drunk, but also all cups resting on top.
• Special Cup –If the both balls land in one cup, remove cup and replace with a "Special Cup" of vodka. If the team with the special cup wins, they still have to drink their cup.
• Battleship Pong – Much like 'Fun-cup', one team fills up a number of the opposing team's cups with varieties of hard alcohol or other liquids. In a ten cup match, three cups are 'Battleship' cups; in a six cup match, two are 'Battleship' cups. The replaced liquids can be anything from hard alcohol to wine to milk, apart from unhygenic mixtures or fluids. These cups are typically randomly distributed throughout the traditional Beer pong triangle, or may be organized by the opposing team for psychological effect.
• NBA Jam Rule – If a player hits a shot in three of his consecutive turns, he is deemed "On Fire" in reference to the nineties video game NBA Jam. During this stretch of three shots, an opponent may douse the "fire" by making a shot. When a player is "On Fire", the normal turn system stops, and said player shoots until he misses. After he misses, his ascension to Fire begins again with his next hit shot. There are no reracks when a player is On Fire. Normal turn system resumes after the player misses. After the second of three made shots, a player should courteously note that he is "heating up" as to not surprise the other players when his fire shot is made.

Beer pong in American culture

Impact on Highschools

Despite the illegal nature of teen drinking in the United States, Beer Pong is played nationwide by high school students. There is quite a difference in the American cultural attitude concerning alcohol use by high school-aged teenagers versus use by college students (despite the fact that there is significant overlap between the actual ages of the two sets). Parents and school administrators tend to view high-school student drinking as severely dangerous and often treat it with a Zero tolerance mindset, whereas drinking is often seen as an important part of the "college experience" and viewed with nostalgia by older adults.

While alcohol policy discipline is more often than not a "slap on the wrist" in college, many times high schools will engage in much more disciplinary action against violators. High schools have been known to exert disciplinary action even when drinking or drinking games occurred well outside the nominal jurisdiction of the school itself. This is perhaps an example of the school working in loco parentis to encourage habits that are more socially accepted as healthy.

A number of arguments exist as to why drinking games such as Beer Pong are especially dangerous for younger teens:

• Most (American) teenagers have not built a high level of drinking tolerance.
• Peer pressure can lead teenagers to consume more than they safely may handle.
• Participants in drinking games may not be fully cognizant of the rate at which they are consuming alcohol.
• The competetive nature of the game causes the participants to take risks.
• Many teens may wish to emulate older, college-age people, by engaging in drinking culture without the same degree of collective experience and support that make it more socially acceptable among older students.
• Teenage drinking is statistically linked with the development of several diseases.

With this in mind, players new to Beer Pong or any drinking game should be extremely careful to avoid overconsumption and alcohol poisoning. When moderation is practiced in the presence of a trustworthy social support network, drinking games can be safe and highly enjoyable.

References in TV and film

The main character in the straight to video beer pong movie So You Want to Pong is actually a real person named Michael Dileo who attends Miami (OH). While it has been stated that he is the best pong player in history this is unfounded.

The World Series of Beer Pong™ and "Professional" Tournaments & Leagues

National Beer Pong tournaments are held in the United States. Since the drinking age in the United States is currently 21 in all states, entry into most tournaments is restricted to players who meet this age requirement. Some, however, have held tournaments with other liquids legal to minors, such as milk or water.

BPONG.COM began promoting and organizing The World Series of Beer Pong™ in mid-2005 and held the event in Mesquite, Nevada from January 2 - 6, 2006. The entry fee of $530 per team covered the event's entry fee, a four-night stay, three all-you-can-eat BBQ-style meals, and beer for the competition. Jason Coben and Nick Velissaris of Ann Arbor, Michigan won the event's $10,000 grand prize.

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. After a regular season and playoffs, one team will win a championship and usually some prize, purchased using member dues. Sometimes player statistics are recorded much like in a professional sports setting, and there have even been software products developed specifically for leagues to keep detailed statistics easily.

Related games

Bud Pong

Bud Pong is branded version of Beer Pong that promoters Anheuser-Busch said involved the drinking of water, not 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.

The 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.".

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," 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.".

On October 19, 2005 the company professed surprise that some players were using beer instead of water, and withdrew the game in response to criticism. Francine I. Katz stated that "Despite our explicit guidelines, there may have been instances where this promotion was not carried out in the manner it was intended."

Beer Pong with paddles

This variation is quite popular amongst colleges and universities and is also the source of some contention regarding the associated game with the term Beer Pong.

Slam Pong

Slam Pong is a form of beer pong that has been popular at colleges and universities in the northeastern United States. Unlike many other variants of beer pong, slam pong is a fast-moving game that retains some of the rules of ping pong but borrows many of its rules and game play from volleyball. The name "slam pong" refers to the action of slamming a ping pong ball into a plastic cup with a paddle, the fundamental way of scoring points in this game.

Dartmouth Pong

Dartmouth Pong is a variation of the common paddle version, played with paddles that have the handles removed. The game puts much more emphasis on lobs, rather than the slams of Slam Pong. The table is 5'x9' (some houses have smaller tables). Each team has a predetermined amount of cups completely filled with beer and arranged in a predetermined shape, which may include "shrub", "tree", and "ship" formations. The game is played by serving the ball as in normal beer pong, but the ball is not allowed to hit an opponents cup. If a serve strikes an opponents cup, the serving team must drink half a beer. If a serve lands into an opponent's cup, the serving team must drink a full beer (or only a half, depending on the house). If a serve does not land on the opponents side and does not strike a cup, it is considered "out" and the server receives a second serve. If the second serve is out (some frats allow three serves), the serving team must drink and then keep serving until a valid serve is made.