How to Play
Social Pong
Live Life Social
If you know how to play beer pong, you know this one. Turn your backyard into a party zone with a college favorite that's been reimagined with a classy twist. This game combines skill and camaraderie with a dash of friendly competition. Pour your favorite beverages into cups and get ready to toast to good times.
Time
15 minutes
Teams
4 Players | 2v2
Difficulty
Medium Difficulty
Location
Indoor or Outdoor
The Setup
Assemble the targets and find a flat, open space to play, away from wind if possible. Place the targets approximately 8 feet apart. Teammates line up with their partner behind one of the targets.
Place the cups in the appropriate spots, and fill them with *the liquid of your choice* 😉
Rules of Social Pong
Choose your setup
Play either sitting down or standing up. Social pong tables have adjustable heights to accomodate your setup.
Fill your cups
Place the cups in the target and fill each cup approximately 1/3 full of liquid.
Play eye-to-eye
Two opposing players look each other in the eye and shoot at the cups. The first team to make a cup goes first. If both teams make it, play another round.
Start draining cups
Each team get two shots each turn (one per team member). Eliminate cups one by one until one team clears all the cups from the opponent's table.
Sink 'n drink 🍺
When a player makes a cup, the opposing team drinks the cup and removes it from the table.
Claim your crown 👑
Be the first to clear the table to win the game. After the last cup is scored, the losing team has a chance to score the remaining cups, but they must do so without missing any shots! See full rebuttle rules below.
Rebuttle
It's not over yet.
- After the last cup is scored, the losing team has a chance to score the remaining cups.
- Both players from the losing team take turns shooting until they miss.
- Once both players miss their shot, and there are cups left, the game ends.
- However, if the players successfully hit all the remaining cups without missing the game enters a 3-cup overtime round.
- The losing team can use any remaining re-racking calls during rebutle.
Overtime Rules
- In overtime, each team sets up 3 cups in a triangle formation at the front of the table.
- The team that hit the last cup before the rebuttle shoots first in overtime.
- There is no secondary rebuttle in overtime.
Re-racking
Before each turn, each team has the chance to request rearranging the cups to their preferred formation.
Official rules allow teams 2 re-racks per game. Some houses may only allow 1 re-rack. Any house that allows 3 re-racks is pure chaos and you should leave immediately.
Players may re-rack the cups however they choose. Below are a few of the most popular ways to re-rack.
According to some house rules, re-racking cups takes away a team's chance for rebuttle at the end of the game.
The Honeycomb
7-cup rerack
The 3, 2, 1
6-cup rerack
The X
5-cup rerack
The Diamond
4-cup rerack
The Triangle
3-cup rerack
The Gentleman's Re-rack
2-cup rerack
🏠 House Rules 🏠
What makes Social Pong unique is the creative rules you may find at different parties or with new friends. Here are a couple popular 'house rules' that give the game an extra twist.
1. Balls Back! 🔙
If both teammates make their ball in a round, they get balls back and get shoot another round.
2. Death Cup 💀
If a team forgets to pull a cup that has been scored, the other team can be quick and try to score the cup twice. If the cup is made for the second time, "death cup" is called and the game is over.
3. Bouncing Balls 😴
If a ball bounces into a cup, it counts as two cups. The player that bounced the ball will choose the second cup to be removed from the table.
However, if they bounce, you have free reign to swat that shot away. Bouncing is a good strategy to catch the other team sleeping.
4. On Fire! 🔥
If a player makes 2 shots in a row, they declare they are "heating up". If they make their third shot in a row, they are "on fire" and get to keep shooting until they miss.
5. Island 🏝️
Once during the game, each player can select a cup that isn't touching any others, call it 'island,' and take a shot. If the shot is made, the cup is removed, and your opponent removes a second cup of their choosing.
6. Oops, I did it again! 🫢
If a shot accidentally goes into a cup that has already been removed from play, the opposing team gets to place that cup back onto the table.