Beirut or beer pong game has continued to gain popularity in the United States. You can find it anywhere from college fraternity houses to tailgate parties. This game is believed to originated in the 1950′s at Dartmouth College and more closely mirroring ping pong than it does now.
The name beer pong is typically reserved for the version which utilizes paddles, while the name Beirut was adopted in the 1980′s for the paddle-less variation. Debate still rages about who created the specific nomenclature, however the rules are shockingly similar.
Setting up the game itself is simple. There are two teams, usually with two players each, both starting at the end of a long table. Both start at the end of a table, preferably a ping pong table. Next, set up eith 6, 10, or 15 cups filled, about half way, with a beverage. As the name implies many people opt for beer.
Beer pong, obvious by the name, uses an alcoholic beverage such as beer. Light beers are the best, because of the speed and quantity of beer that can be consumed. Dartmouth College actually banned beer pong. This has forced students to play this game with root beer or alternative beverages.
Since the game is considered a house game rather than an official game, rules vary quite a bit. These rules include number of cups, styles of shots permitted or mandated, and strategies used.
Some games require a bounce before entering the cup, just like ping pong.
For most rule sets when a cup is hit, the opposing team must drink the contents and then rearrange or re-rack the cups. The game ends when one team forces the other team to drink all of their cups. However, some rules such as redemption or death cup are set so that the losing team can stay alive if they hit two shots in a row into the same cup.
It doesn’t matter what rules or names are used, beer pong is still gaining popularity across the United States. Always take some precautions while playing any game that involves alcohol. However, if the players are careful, beer pong can be a great way to take a party to the next level. Bragging rights of being beer pong champion can make a big man on campus out of anyone.
Danny Fitzgerald is beer enthusiast and writes articles on number of subjects like Haier Kegerators, homebrew kegging systems and cleaning beer lines.
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