Rules
Players are arranged in a circle, facing inwards. The game begins with one player calling the direction of play by saying, "I propose a game of XXXX! To my left..." or "To my right..." followed by a sequential series of numbers beginning with one. Variations exist for the proposal of the game depending on personal rules; this is due to some variants calling for any person who says the number "21" to drink. For example:
- "I propose a game of 21!"
- "I propose a game of 20...22!"
- "I propose a game of twenty plus one!"
- "I propose a game of the unspeakable number!"
The game is never under any circumstances referred to as "twenty plus".
As the game progresses, each player in turn must recite one to three numbers, counting in sequence from where the previous player left off:
- Saying one number (e.g. "one") passes the game to the next player in the circle in the initial direction.
- Saying two numbers (e.g. "one, two") passes to the next player, but reverses direction.
- Saying three numbers (e.g. "one, two, three") passes in the initial direction, but skips a player.
If a player makes a mistake, then they suffer a small to moderate drinking penalty (e.g. 2 fingers of drink) and then restart the game from 1. Mistakes include:
- Hesitating to continue the game.
- Calling the wrong number.
- Calling a number out of turn.
- Breaching any original or instated rule.
Assuming there are no mistakes, the game will continue in sequence up to 21. The player who calls 21 suffers a heavy drinking penalty (e.g. finishing their drink), creates a new rule, then restarts the game from 1.
Read more about this topic: 21 (drinking Game)
Famous quotes containing the word rules:
“The young break rules for fun. The old for profit.”
—Mason Cooley (b. 1927)
“There is no country in which so absolute a homage is paid to wealth. In America there is a touch of shame when a man exhibits the evidences of large property, as if after all it needed apology. But the Englishman has pure pride in his wealth, and esteems it a final certificate. A coarse logic rules throughout all English souls: if you have merit, can you not show it by your good clothes and coach and horses?”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“Playing games with agreed upon rules helps children learn to live by rules, establish the delicate balance between competition and cooperation, between fair play and justice and exploitation and abuse of these for personal gain. It helps them learn to manage the warmth of winning and the hurt of losing; it helps them to believe that there will be another chance to win the next time.”
—James P. Comer (20th century)