Drinking Games In The UK

Mharvey · Jun 2, 2010

Okey dokes - been wondering exactly where to post this question... figured this forum may give the best chance.

I'm writing a novel currently based in the UK, and I'm at a scene where the main characters (a group of 17-18 year old university students) are playing a drinking game. I was originally going to have them play Kings or Asshole - but then I realized I had no idea if that game was actually played in the UK, or if they have one that's much more common.

A few Google searches hasn't given me the kind of certainty I'd like - I think there's a variation of Asshole called Kings & Servants over there, but I'm not 100% sure.

Anyone who lives in the UK or has knowledge of UK drinking games, please let me know of one that's commonly played. It doesn't need to be a card game, just popular and well-known. Thanks!

bertrigby · Jun 2, 2010

Firstly, it would be unusual for a university student to be 17, unless they'd somehow been skipped up a year at school.

A card based game I've often played is Ring of Fire. The cards can be assigned any rule you like, although there are some common ones listed here: http://www.fundrinkingames.com/content/view/45/80/

Thumbmaster/shoemaster are popular ones, as well as 'bust a rhyme' and the 'dirty pint', where a certain card means you pour some of your drink into a central pot and when the fourth of that card is drawn you must down the whole thing.

Another game we played at university dinners was 'pennying' - basically throw a penny in someone's drink and they have to down it. If you miss, or penny an already pennied drink, you must down. Sometimes people pennied the gravy boat, which was...fun... Also if the person doesn't have their hand on the drink you can't penny. But these are Oxford rules and I believe Cambridge has a different tradition (of course) where it's the opposite.

International Drinking Rules is good for the pub. Again there are many variations and the tasks are similar to Ring of Fire: http://everything2.com/title/International+Drinking+Rules

NoGuessing · Jun 2, 2010

Damn. Was hoping this was an invite. :tongue

MissMacchiato · Jun 2, 2010

I know we play kings in Australia, so i wouldn't be surprised if it was played in the UK.

You could always just have one of the characters explain it to the others at the beginning of the scene - ones related to tv shows are pretty universal

Mharvey · Jun 2, 2010

bertrigby said:
Firstly, it would be unusual for a university student to be 17, unless they'd somehow been skipped up a year at school.

A card based game I've often played is Ring of Fire. The cards can be assigned any rule you like, although there are some common ones listed here: http://www.fundrinkingames.com/content/view/45/80/

Thumbmaster/shoemaster are popular ones, as well as 'bust a rhyme' and the 'dirty pint', where a certain card means you pour some of your drink into a central pot and when the fourth of that card is drawn you must down the whole thing.

Another game we played at university dinners was 'pennying' - basically throw a penny in someone's drink and they have to down it. If you miss, or penny an already pennied drink, you must down. Sometimes people pennied the gravy boat, which was...fun... Also if the person doesn't have their hand on the drink you can't penny. But these are Oxford rules and I believe Cambridge has a different tradition (of course) where it's the opposite.

International Drinking Rules is good for the pub. Again there are many variations and the tasks are similar to Ring of Fire: http://everything2.com/title/International+Drinking+Rules

Thanks so much for this!

The main character is 17 and celebrates his 18th birthday in the first month of classes. He has a similar situation to my old roommate - was sorta inspired by that. Also a few of my buddies entered freshman year of high school as 13 year olds for the first month or two.

Are the rules stricter over there, as in a firm: "must be 18 by X date in a new school year, or admittance won't be allowed."

More for my own curiousity than anything else. I'd have no problem making him a year older. Thanks again.

bertrigby · Jun 2, 2010

Not firm rules, but the way the years are structured you would be turning 18 during the last year of secondary school and 19 during the first year of uni. Intake in the first year of school is September birthday - August birthday, so in that first year (reception) you turn five, in year one you turn six, in year two seven and so on.

It would be more usual for people to be older than 18, having had a gap year, than to be younger.

Mharvey · Jun 2, 2010

bertrigby said:
Not firm rules, but the way the years are structured you would be turning 18 during the last year of secondary school and 19 during the first year of uni. Intake in the first year of school is September birthday - August birthday, so in that first year (reception) you turn five, in year one you turn six, in year two seven and so on.

It would be more usual for people to be older than 18, having had a gap year, than to be younger.

Got it. Looks like my MC just got his birthday presents 6 months earlier.

Thanks again.

Marzipan · Jun 2, 2010

Um. They play beer pong like us right?

eyeblink · Jun 2, 2010

There are occasional younger teenagers in Universities, but they tend to be child prodigies.

shaldna · Jun 3, 2010

bertrigby said:
Firstly, it would be unusual for a university student to be 17, unless they'd somehow been skipped up a year at school.

or went to secondary school in ireland where most people start a year earlier, and so finish a year earlier, going to uni at 17.

we have a trevor mcdonald drinking game. one shot if he smiles, two if he coughs and three if he has to repeat himself.

bertrigby · Jun 3, 2010

The Kidd said:
Um. They play beer pong like us right?

I've never played beer pong and I don't know the rules...but I can't speak for everyone of course.

eventidepress · Jun 3, 2010

The Kidd said:
Um. They play beer pong like us right?

I don't think so. My fiance is a northern Brit (granted, the north sometimes seems like a totally different country from southern England), big on partying and stuff, but he was highly confused when he came to visit me in the US and saw "Beer Pong" advertised in the bar windows :tongue

Glenakin · Jun 3, 2010

@ OP, as long as you ensure your MC is 18 by the time they start uni, thenn you're fine. I was 18 before I entered uni in England. And my flatmate is 18 and she's in her first year. She'll be 19 in her second year. There are plenty of 18 year olds in their first year where I live at (a student accommodation in birmingham). Just don't have a 17 year old in there, unless it's a really, really smart 17 year old, then that means he/she skipped a class.

As for drinking games, I don't know any official drinking game. I know the funnel. Lol. They put the end of the tube in your mouth and pour drinks down the funnel hahaha. Did that loads of time. There's also this card game, but I don't know. I'm not much of the drinking type. Trust me, if you want a solid answer, go on yahoo questions and ask. You'll get a straight answer in seconds. That's what I normally do

Leasie · Jun 3, 2010

Have you ever is always popular... Have you ever .... if they have... take a shot

lewes · Jun 3, 2010

Withnail & I

I've not played it myself but I know people who have.

How to play:

Knock back a drink whenever a screen character does.

bertrigby · Jun 3, 2010

wow lewes, that sounds like a recipe for liver damage...! I must try it sometime!

eventidepress · Jun 3, 2010

I tried to ask the fiance for British drinking game suggestions. His was "whoever passes out first loses." Sigh. >.>

Geek_Pride · Jun 3, 2010

I'm starting University in September (yay

) and I do think you have to be 18, but I'm not 100% sure. Like eyeblink has already pointed out, most students who are younger than that are usually child prodigies.

As for drinking games, I don't think they are as common here. I've never witnessed one. Most of the people don't really need any sort of excuse to get black-out drunk. (Well, the people I go to school with don't.)

Where in the UK is this set?

Paul · Jun 3, 2010

Where I'm from we drink.
The games come later.

shaldna · Jun 4, 2010

Geek_Pride said:
I'm starting University in September (yay ) and I do think you have to be 18, but I'm not 100% sure. Like eyeblink has already pointed out, most students who are younger than that are usually child prodigies.

Or Irish.

Here we usually start school a year sooner and therefore finish a year earlier. Most people in Ireland will be 17 when they start uni and turn 18 in thier first year.

You don't have to be a child prodigy. You just have to have completed A levels. ANd with the new AS level system, you can get cumulative points to attend university based on AS results and never have to complte A levels.Of course, the degree you are accepted onto would probably have a lower points limit.

But, you DON'T have to be 18. You just have to have met the entry requirements.

shaldna · Jun 4, 2010

egoodlett said:
I tried to ask the fiance for British drinking game suggestions. His was "whoever passes out first loses." Sigh. >.>

This is pretty popular everywhere.

There's also a shot for shot game. That can get a bit hairy, and it's really a case of last one standing wins.

Gemnyc · Jun 4, 2010

We used to have a drinking game at Uni called 'Drink why you think' - might be useful if you want to reveal an obsession your MC has with music/film/TV/actors/sport

Basics are you all have a pint and then you go round the table naming lists of things but using the alphabet. All while drinking while you think.

So, for example, if you did music - first person says ‘Green Day’, next person night say ‘Yoko Ono’, next ‘Oasis’ etc etc, going round in a circle clockwise. Unless someone said ‘Stereophonics’ (or any names that start and finish the same way) and you go back the way you came (anti-clockwise). Winner is the person with beer left.

You can do it just with lists and no alphabet - name all teams in the English Premiership, that kind of thing. People played it to show off superior knowledge and pass the time.

johnnysannie · Jun 8, 2010

bertrigby said:
Firstly, it would be unusual for a university student to be 17, unless they'd somehow been skipped up a year at school.

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I was a university student at 17, never skipped a grade ever but there I was.

That said, we used to "play" a drinking game called " drink it down in one" in which two people faced off and did their level best to drink all of a large cup of alcohol in one drink.

Drinking Games In The UK

Mharvey

Liker Of Happy Things

bertrigby

Dysfunctional dystopian

NoGuessing

Buzz

MissMacchiato

Bring on the Sweet, Sweet Coffee

Mharvey

Liker Of Happy Things

bertrigby

Dysfunctional dystopian

Mharvey

Liker Of Happy Things

Marzipan

eyeblink

Barbara says hi

shaldna

The cake is a lie. But still cake.

bertrigby

Dysfunctional dystopian

eventidepress

Glenakin

Leasie

Surrender, Dorothy!

lewes

bertrigby

Dysfunctional dystopian

eventidepress

Geek_Pride

Fight For Your Right To Party

Paul

shaldna

The cake is a lie. But still cake.

shaldna

The cake is a lie. But still cake.

Gemnyc

reading 24/7

johnnysannie