Civil War: Official Rules

Beer pong without turns. Eliminate every player on the other team by sinking all of their cups.

Two teams of three stand at opposite ends of an 8-foot table. Each player sets six cups in a small triangle in front of them, three, two and one, pointing at the other team, and fills each half full with beer. Each player holds one ball.

Rule 1. Shooting

Rule 1.1. On the whistle, everyone shoots. There are no turns. Any player may shoot at any time, at any opponent's cups.

Rule 1.2. The elbow rule applies (Beer Pong Rule 2.1).

Rule 1.3. A loose ball, on the table or the floor, belongs to whoever picks it up first, from either team.

Rule 1.4. The rinse rule is suspended in Civil War (Provision 3.2). The Commission is aware.

Rule 2. Sunk cups

Rule 2.1. A ball that lands in a cup sinks it. The cup's owner finishes it and removes it. The ball goes back to them.

Rule 2.2. A bounce shot sinks only the cup it lands in. Defenders may swat a ball once it has touched the table.

Rule 2.3. There are no re-racks. There isn't time.

Rule 3. Elimination

Rule 3.1. A player whose six cups are all sunk is eliminated. They leave the table but may chase loose balls for their team. They may not shoot.

Rule 3.2. The last team with a player standing wins.

• Two water cups per team, which must also be sunk before the team is beaten. Approved.
• Three cups per player, for a small table. Approved.
• Eliminated players may shoot. Prohibited. They are eliminated.
• Two-on-two. Approved. The Commission calls it a skirmish.

A defender sinks one of their own cups while swatting. Is it sunk? Yes. The owner finishes it. Friendly fire is still fire.

May a team hold all the loose balls so the other team can't shoot? No. A player may hold one ball at a time. Hoarding is delay of game.

• Player eliminated. Signal: the Official points at the player, then at the side of the table.
• Hoarding balls. Penalty: the extra balls are given to the other team. Signal: infraction (Provision 7.1).

Civil War is beer pong as it would be played if no one had ever agreed to take turns. It is fast, loud and impossible to officiate fairly. The Official is advised to call what they can and accept the rest.

Fill the cups with any non-alcoholic drink. The chaos is unchanged.