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Kings Cup

Draw a card, follow its rule. Kings mean pour into the cup. Whoever draws the last king drinks the whole thing.

👥4-12 Players⏱️30-90 min🔞Ages 21+
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Contents

  1. Overview
  2. Setup
  3. Gameplay
  4. Card Rules
  5. Variants and House Rules
  6. FAQ

1 Overview

Kings Cup (also called King of Cups, Ring of Fire, or Circle of Death) is a card-based drinking game for 3 to 10 players. A deck of cards is spread face-down around a central cup. Players take turns drawing cards. Each card rank has an assigned rule or challenge. When a King is drawn, the drawer pours some of their drink into the central Kings Cup. The player who draws the fourth King must drink the entire Kings Cup.

Kings Cup is one of the most popular drinking games worldwide, with hundreds of regional variations. The rules below represent the most widely played version, but house rules vary enormously.

Drink responsibly. Know your limits.

2 Setup

  1. Place a large cup (the Kings Cup) in the center of the table.
  2. Spread a standard 52-card deck face-down around the Kings Cup in a circle.
  3. Each player has their own drink.
  4. Youngest player draws first.

3 Gameplay

  1. On your turn, draw one card from the circle.
  2. Follow the rule for that card (see card rules below).
  3. Place the used card under the Kings Cup (slid under the edge, overlapping the rim).
  4. Play passes clockwise.

In some versions, if you break the circle of cards under the Kings Cup (letting them fall), you must drink a penalty.

4 Card Rules

CardNameRule
AceWaterfallEveryone starts drinking simultaneously. The card drawer stops first; then each person to their left can stop only after the person to their right stops. Last person in must finish.
2YouPick anyone to take 2 drinks.
3MeYou take 3 drinks.
4FloorLast person to touch the floor drinks.
5GuysAll male-identifying players drink.
6ChicksAll female-identifying players drink.
7HeavenLast person to raise their hand drinks.
8MateChoose a "drinking buddy." Whenever you drink for the rest of the game, they drink too (and vice versa).
9RhymeSay a word. Players in order must rhyme with it. First to fail or repeat drinks.
10CategoriesName a category (car brands, countries, etc.). Players list items in the category until someone fails. That person drinks.
JackMake a RuleCreate a rule that applies for the rest of the game. Common rules: no swearing, no saying "drink," no first names. Violations drink.
QueenQuestion MasterYou become Question Master until the next Queen is drawn. Anyone who answers your question (instead of asking one back) drinks.
KingKings CupPour some of your drink into the Kings Cup. The fourth King drawer must drink the entire Kings Cup.

5 Variants and House Rules

Regional Variations

Card assignments vary widely by region and friend group. Common alternatives:

  • Ace: Some play Ace as "give 1 drink" instead of waterfall
  • 7: Some play as "never have I ever" (1 round)
  • Jack: Some play as "Thumb Master" (place thumb on table; last to notice drinks)

Ring of Fire Variant

In Ring of Fire, the card rules are sometimes different and there's often no Kings Cup -- the Kings themselves trigger a communal drink instead.

Digital Versions

Several apps (Picolo, Drink Roulette) offer Kings Cup card draws with the rules displayed, removing the need for a physical deck.

6 FAQ

What goes in the Kings Cup?
Each player who draws a King pours some of their drink into the cup. This typically creates a disgusting mix. The fourth King drawer must drink all of it -- whatever it contains.
Does the game end after the fourth King?
Traditionally yes -- the fourth King ends the game. Some groups reset with a new deck and Kings Cup and play again.

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