Make drinking more fun with beer pong

MANILA, Philippines – What’s your favorite drinking game? 

We’ve all heard of drinking games for the Superbowl, the Golden Globes, and almost any awards show and TV series. Such games are often a hit that they take a life of their own during parties.

We Filipinos love to drink, and we go to such lengths to create an occasion for it. So it’s no wonder that such drinking games have become widely popular in the Philippines. And when it comes to popularity, “beer pong” has got to be the winner.

The worldwide fame of this drinking game reached Manila a few years back and has caught on like a bug with some bars in the metro dedicating beer pong tables and even rooms where customers can play with their friends. (READ: Experiment! 7 easy drinks you can make at home)

Beer pong is said to have originated in Dartmouth College in the US anytime between the 1950s and 1960s. Back then, they even played it with a net and used paddles, which is quite different from the beer pong that we now know today.

The game’s popularity here in the country also spawned the Philippine Beer Pong Championship (PBPC), which just finished it 5th leg last January 30 in Malate. The contest organizers want to discover the best beer pong teams and players in the country and get quality players who can compete at the World Series of Beer Pong.

The game’s rules vary. But for those who are not so familiar with it,  here are the basics that will allow you to play the easier version and make drinking with your friends more fun and a bit competitive:

• First, you will need a long, narrow table, 20 classic red party cups, two ping pong balls, and – of course – beer.

• Form two pyramids on each side of the table using 10 cups for each side. Fill each cup with beer about a quarter full. 
• Decide whether it’ll be a solo match or if you’ll be playing as a team. 
• The game’s objective is to get rid of all your opponents’ cups first. You do this by alternately taking shots at the other team’s cups using your ping pong ball. If it falls into one of their cups, they must drink the beer in it and remove it from the table.
• Want to finish your opponents off faster? Try shooting your ball into the cup by bouncing or deflecting it off the table first. A successful “bouncing shot” is worth two cups.

Easy enough? Next time you go drinking with your friends, why not try it out? But if you feel that you’re ready to go “tournament level.” check out the PBPC’s contest dos and don’ts. The next leg of the tournament will be happening this February.

Give us updates on your beer pong adventure in the comments section below! – Rappler.com