Kevin Lasante and Jeremy Martin playing Beer Die at North Street in Farmington, Maine.

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Rules and Regulations

                           Introduction

                           Object

Although it has been said that the object of this game is to get your opponents sodrunk  that they forget their name, this is not the true point of the game. The true object of the game is to get to 7 points before your opponent. Like every game the point is winning. When there are competitors waiting to play, it is courteous to play games to 5 points or 3 points. On the other hand, if no competitors are waiting to play the two teams might decide to play until one team "boots" or until there is no beer left. The length of the game is up to the host of the party or the owner of the table, but officially games are to 7.

                            Equipment

1 - 6 sided white die (colored dice may be used, but the white die is the standard.)

1 table (standard size 2 1/2' by 8' with a height of 2 1/2'.  6' tables are often used where an 8' table will not fit. Ping pong tables are often used also.

4 cups (a standard cup is a 16 oz. Solo keg cup. Twelve oz. cups can be substituted if thereare no 16 oz. cups, but adjustments will have to be made and are not recommended. The dimensions of the Solo cup are essential for the consistent play of all the competitors).

4 people who want to have a good time (an absolute necessity, no sissies here. Both sexes should be integrated into play to optimize "good times")

4 chairs, or some sort of seating for two people on each side of the table (couches, emptykegs, bean bags, a 4 by 4 supported by empty cases of beer, you get the picture)

1 marker, dry erase if using a dry erase board.

1 piece of posterboard. A 4' x 8' dry erase board is sold at Home depot for about $15.

                            The Rules

                            General Rules of the Game

1. A player is not allowed to say any form of 5 or 7 during the game.
2. A game starts when the first game (not practice) die is thrown and it ends when one teamgets 7 points.
3. The winning score can range between 2 & 7. The winning team must win by 2 points (1 point if playing to 2).
4. The limit is 11, whichever team reaches 11 first wins reguardless of the 2 point rule.
4. During the game 5 is pronounced "bizz"
6. During the game 7 is pronounced "buzz"
7. 55 would be pronounced "fifty-bizz"
8. 17 would be pronounced "buzzteen" and 77 would be pronounced "buzzty-buzz"
9. For each time that the above rules are broken a player must take 1 drink.
10. 77 results in multiple drinks (one for each offense, i.e. 2 for 77.)
11. At the start of each game all players have a full cup of beer.
12. The team that loses must finish.

                            Setup

1. Each team of two must be seated at opposite ends of the table.
2. The space available from the edge of the table to each team must be equal (i.e. one team can't be backed up against a wall with no room to catch)
3. Each person's cup should be placed on the table approximately 7 inches from the end of the table and 7 inches in from the side.

                            Drinking

1. A drink is any time beer touches the lips
2. There are 5 drinks per 1 full cup of beer (12oz) (if beer is low, sometimes 7 can be substituted (or if you are a light weight)).
3. A "finish" is the completion of all the beer in one's cup.
4. A "fill and finish" is the completion of all the beer in one's cup, the refill of the cup, and the completion of that cup.
5. After a cup has been emptied, it must be refilled.
 6. This is a team sport, there is no "I" in team. A team always drinks together: (unless you are just drinking on your own, because you are thirsty) ifone teammate has to drink, they both have to drink.
7. Anytime the die is on the table showing 5 the team that last touched the diemust have a drink. Exception in rule Plinks 9.7.
 8. Anyone can free drink during the game if they are no satisfied with the rate of alcohol  consumption.

                            PLUNKS

8.1. When the die goes in the cup (on the fly or bounce) this is called a "plunk."
8.2. When there is a plunk, the team whose cup the die entered must finish their beers.
8.3. Without touching the die with the hand or any other part of the body, the die must enter the mouth of the person who was plunked.
8.4. The die must then be spit out onto the table.
8.5. The spitter must spit the die out from no closer than 1 foot off the surface of the table.
8.6. If the die falls off the table the team that spit the die out must have a drink.
8.7. If the die lands on 5 the team that spit the die must finish another beer.
8.8. If the die lands on another number, play resumes.
8.9. The person who throws the plunk gets his or her nickname on the plunk board.
8.10. A plunk is a plunk is a plunk: this means that as long as the die has entered your cup you must follow the above rules.
8.11. It does not matter if the plunk was a whip or a mis-catch.
8.12. The die must stay in the cup for it to count as a plunk.
8.13. If the die lands in the cup and the numbers on the die are above the beer line, it counts as a plunk but the team who was plunked must fill and chug.
8.14. If the number 5 is showing on the die above the beer line the team who was plunked
must fill and chug twice.
8.15. THE PLUNK BOARD
i. The plunk board is generally a giant piece of poster board.
ii. After a plunk the person who threw the plunk gets a nickname.
iii. This nickname is then placed on the plunk board with 1 slash mark next to it.
iv. Every time this person plunks on that table, 1 more slash mark is added next to his or her name.
v. On the off chance that somebody is so bad that they plunk their own team's cup (self plunk), they will have to drink but this does not get put on the plunk board as a plunk.
vi. Self-plunks can be recorded with special notation on the plunk board to humiliate the person who threw it.
vii. Each table has one plunk board that stays with the table.
viii. The nicknames and slash marks can be written directly on the table if the owner wants it this way.
ix. Only people who are playing in the game can be put on the plunk board.
 

                                Cup

9.1. Cup is any time the die hits the cup (on the fly or bounce) but does not plunk.
9.2. When the die hits the cup it is just like a plunk in that it may have been a low throw, but it is a good throw.
9.3. The team that got their cup hit must take 1 drink.
9.4. If the die hits both cups in the same throw this is called a double cup and the team who was hit must take 2 drinks.
9.5. If the die goes into the cup and bounces out it is a considered cup.
9.6. If the die hits the cup and the cup tips over the team that had their cup tipped over must fill and finish. The cup that was not knocked over must be drank first.
9.7. If the die hits the cup and then lands on 5, the team that tossed the die must take a drink.
9.8. If the die hits the cup (on the bounce or fly) and the team which is receiving the die catches it before it hits the table after hitting the cup, the team does not have to drink.

                            Order

1. The first person to throw the die in a game of beer die is the oldest person at the table.
2. After the first person has thrown the person seated directly across from him throws the die.
3. The third person to throw will always be the partner of the oldest person playing.
4. The forth person to throw will be the last person playing.
5. The order described in D1-D4 must always be followed.
6. If the order is broken, the team that broke the order must take 1 drink.
7. If the order is broken and it is not called before the other team throws the die, then when the error is discovered the team who has the die must call (out loud) "possession" and the order is resumed.
8. If one team asks the other team what the order is, the opposing team must give them an answer, to the best of their knowledge (they will not be able to call "out of order"if they give a false answer).
9. If neither team is sure of the order (after being asked) the team that possesses the die can call "possession" and restore the order. Either person on the team may restore the order.
10. When "possession" is called this grants the throwing team complete amnesty from any"out of order" calls.
11. Possession can only be called after a break in the game, i.e. any time that a team has to drink, if someone boots, if security comes in, etc.
12. The only exception to rule D11 is when there is a plink and the die rolls all the way back to the other side of the table where the team who threw it sits. In this case the team who threw it can catch the die as it falls off the end (not the side) of the table. When they catch it they can call "possession" and resume the order from their side of the table.
13. "Possession" cannot be called when there is not a valid break in the game.
14. Seats can not be switched during the game.

                            Throwing

1. All throws must be made with one hand
2. All throws must be made with the palm of the hand facing up (underhand).
3. The die must be thrown at least as high as it is long. 6 feet long = at least 6 feet high (exceptions can be made in areas with low ceilings).
4. A low throw must be called in the air and it voids the toss.
5. The die must travel at least half the length of the table in the air. If this requirement is not met the team that threw the die must take 1 drink. It is also customary for the receiving team to heckle the thrower.
6. A die that is thrown and completely misses the table is called "heinous" and the team that threw it must take 1 drink.
7. Low throws must be called in the air before they hit the table.
8. Throws that hit the ceiling are acceptable.

                            Catching

1. All catches must be made with one hand.
2. In order to count as a catch, the die can not hit a horizontal surface after leaving the table.
3. The die can not be trapped against the body (i.e. the die can't be caught byforcing the die against the chest with the hand).
4. The die may touch any number of vertical surfaces and any combination of a teams hands (one at a time).
5. The die must come off the end over the table before it can be touched by the receiving team.
6. Any catch made while the die is still above the surface of the table results in a point for the team that threw the die.
7. Any violation of the above "catching" rules results in a point for the throwing team.

                            Scoring

1. There is an imaginary 45 degree plane projecting out from each corner of thetable.If the die bounces/rolls/etc. off the end of the table and inside these 2 planes and is notcaught, a point is scored by the throwing team.
2. No drinking occurs when a point is scored (hence, in theory it is possible to drink nothing in a game of beer die).
3. It is impossible to score a point for the other team while you are throwing.
4. A point can be scored by the throwing team if the die grazes the back edge of the table and is not caught (a.k.a.. the perfect throw).

                            General Notes

Beer die is a friendly game built on the good sportsmanship of all the participants.
We drink beer because we're seeking to maximize our college experience.
Do not, repeat, do not start a land war in Bolivia.
Coed naked beer die is not only allowed, but encouraged.

I would like to thank Jason "Gunner" Gatlin (Colby '99) for some of this information used in this web page.