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:
“There are two great rules in life, the one general and the other particular. The first is that every one can in the end get what he wants if he only tries. This is the general rule. The particular rule is that every individual is more or less of an exception to the general rule.”
—Samuel Butler (1835–1902)
“Children can’t make their own rules and no child is happy without them. The great need of the young is for authority that protects them against the consequences of their own primitive passions and their lack of experience, that provides with guides for everyday behavior and that builds some solid ground they can stand on for the future.”
—Leontine Young (20th century)
“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)