What you need
A standard 52-card deck, a large cup or glass for the middle of the table, and a drink for each player. Three or more players; the game works best with a group of five to ten.
Kings Cup is an adult drinking game. Play it only with people of legal drinking age, drink responsibly, never pressure anyone to drink, and keep the “drinks” small: a sip, not a glass. It also works perfectly well with water, soft drinks or forfeits instead of alcohol.
Setup
Put the empty cup in the centre of the table. Spread the whole deck face down in a ring around it. The group agrees the card meanings before the first draw, since no two groups play exactly the same way. The list below is the most widely used.
How to play
Players take turns drawing one card from the ring and doing what it says. Keep the ring intact: in many groups, a player who breaks the circle while drawing must drink the cup.
| Card | Rule | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Ace | Waterfall | Everyone starts drinking; you may only stop when the player on your right stops, starting with the drawer. |
| 2 | You | Choose someone to drink. |
| 3 | Me | You drink. |
| 4 | Floor | Last player to touch the floor drinks. |
| 5 | Guys | All the men drink. |
| 6 | Chicks | All the women drink. |
| 7 | Heaven | Last player to point at the ceiling drinks. |
| 8 | Mate | Pick a mate: whenever one of you drinks, so does the other, until the next 8. |
| 9 | Rhyme | Say a word; everyone in turn says a word that rhymes. First to fail or repeat drinks. |
| 10 | Categories | Name a category (car brands, fruit); everyone in turn names one. First to fail drinks. |
| Jack | Make a rule | Invent a rule that lasts the whole game (“no first names”). Breaking it costs a drink. Some groups play Never Have I Ever instead. |
| Queen | Questions | You are question master: anyone who answers your question instead of replying with a question drinks, until the next queen. |
| King | King’s cup | Pour some of your drink into the cup. Whoever draws the fourth king drinks the cup. |
Rules created by jacks and roles given by 5s (thumb master, in some versions), 8s and queens stay in force until the game ends or a new card of the same rank replaces them.
Scoring and winning
There is no winner. The game ends when the fourth king is drawn and its drawer empties the cup, or earlier if the group decides to stop. Many groups treat the last king as the finish line and leave the remaining cards unturned.
Common variants
- Ring of Fire (UK). An unopened can replaces the cup; drawn cards are slid under the ring pull. Whoever pops the can drinks it.
- Circle of Death. Same game, different name, usually with harsher penalties for breaking the circle.
- Thumb master. The 5 makes you thumb master: whenever you put your thumb on the table, everyone must copy you and the last to do so drinks.
- Card stack. Drawn cards are balanced on top of a bottle; whoever makes the stack collapse drinks.
- Non-alcoholic. Replace drinks with sips of water, dares, or truth questions. Everything else stays the same.
Tips for first games
- Write the agreed card meanings on a sheet of paper in the middle of the table. It stops arguments.
- Keep drinks small and have water available. The game lasts an hour or less; nobody needs to drink the cup if the group prefers to pour it away.
- Skip the game entirely if anyone is driving. Nobody should ever be made to drink.
Frequently asked questions
What does each card mean in Kings Cup? Ace waterfall, 2 you, 3 me, 4 floor, 5 guys, 6 chicks, 7 heaven, 8 mate, 9 rhyme, 10 categories, jack make a rule, queen questions, king pour into the cup. Groups vary, so confirm the list before you start.
Who drinks the king’s cup? The player who draws the fourth and last king.
Can Kings Cup be played without alcohol? Yes. Use soft drinks, or swap drinks for small dares. The rules do not change.
How many players do you need? At least three. Five to ten is the sweet spot; above that, turns come round too slowly.
What happens if someone breaks the circle of cards? In most groups they drink the cup, and the game continues with a new cup.
