Quarters stands as a quintessential coin drinking game, a timeless classic that blends elements of skill, chance, and creative rule-making into an engaging social activity. Whether you’re looking for a casual way to unwind with friends or a more competitive challenge, Quarters offers a dynamic experience that evolves with each successful shot and new rule introduced. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about setting up and playing this popular coin drinking game, including its various exciting variations.
Understanding the Appeal of Quarters as a Coin Drinking Game
At its core, Quarters is a deceptively simple yet endlessly entertaining coin drinking game. Its appeal lies in its accessibility – requiring minimal equipment – and its capacity for spontaneous fun. The game encourages interaction, quick thinking, and often, boisterous laughter. The combination of precision required to bounce a quarter into a glass and the social penalties or rewards associated with success or failure creates a unique dynamic that keeps players engaged.
Setting Up for Quarters: Your Essential Supplies
Before diving into the gameplay, proper setup is crucial for any successful coin drinking game. For Quarters, you’ll need just a few key items:
- A Sturdy Surface: A table or any hard, flat surface is essential. The surface must be stable enough to allow for consistent quarter bouncing without wobbling.
- The Quarter (or Similar Coin): While a standard US quarter is ideal due to its weight and size, any similar-sized coin will work. Ensure it’s clean for hygienic reasons.
- Drinking Glasses: The type and number of glasses will depend on the specific variation of the coin drinking game you choose to play.
* Central Glass: A standard drinking glass, like a pint glass, milk glass, or even a shot glass, is needed for the central target. The size will influence the difficulty.
* Individual Player Glasses: Each player will need their own glass for their chosen beverage.
- Beverages of Choice: This is a drinking game, so beverages are a given. While often played with alcoholic drinks, it can easily be adapted for non-alcoholic options, making it a versatile social activity for all. Always remember to drink responsibly and in moderation.
Arranging the Glasses: Different Setups for Different Experiences
The arrangement of glasses sets the stage for the specific version of Quarters you’re playing. Each setup offers a distinct pace and challenge for this classic coin drinking game.
Standard Quarters Setup
This is the most common and foundational setup for the coin drinking game.
- Central Glass: Place a single drinking glass in the absolute center of the table. It’s crucial that this glass is positioned at least 10 inches away from each player to ensure a fair bouncing distance.
- Player Glasses: Each participant should have their own glass filled with their preferred drink positioned in front of them.
Super Quarters Setup
For a more intense and communal drinking experience, Super Quarters elevates the stakes.
- The “Big Chug” Glass: A large glass, often referred to as the “big chug” or “death cup,” is filled with a significant amount of alcohol and placed prominently in the center of the table. This is the ultimate target.
- Individual Player Cups: Surrounding the “big chug” are individual cups for each player, also filled with alcohol. These act as secondary targets and personal drink reservoirs.
Speed Quarters Setup
This variation of the coin drinking game is designed for rapid-fire action and competitive play.
- Central Drinking Glass: A single drinking glass, usually a standard size, is filled and placed in the center.
- Starting Players: Two players, positioned directly opposite each other around the table, each start with a quarter and their own individual cup.
- Even Spacing: All players should be spaced equally around the table to maintain fairness and flow.
How to Play Standard Quarters: The Core Coin Drinking Game Rules
Once your setup is complete, it’s time to learn the fundamental rules of this engaging coin drinking game. Standard Quarters provides the blueprint for most variations.
1. Taking Turns: Play proceeds in a clockwise direction. Each player, when it’s their turn, attempts to bounce the quarter off the table and into the central glass. The quarter must hit the table first before entering the glass.
2. Success – The Drink and the Re-shot: If you successfully land the quarter in the glass, you have the power to choose another player to take a drink from their personal glass. As a reward for your skill, you also earn another turn to shoot. This can lead to impressive streaks and strategic drinking assignments.
3. Missing – Passing the Turn: If your quarter misses the glass entirely, your turn concludes, and play passes to the next player in sequence.
4. “Chance” – A Risky Redemption: After a miss, a player has the option to declare “chance.” This allows them to attempt one more shot immediately.
* Success on “Chance”: If the quarter goes in on the “chance” shot, play continues as if it were a regular successful shot (choose someone to drink, take another turn).
* Failure on “Chance”: If the quarter misses again after declaring “chance,” the player must take a penalty drink from their own glass. This adds an element of risk and reward to the coin drinking game.
5. Making Rules – The Power of Three: This is where Quarters truly shines as a creative coin drinking game. If a player successfully lands three shots in a row (either three consecutive turns, or a combination of successful regular shots and “chance” shots), they earn the right to create a new rule for the duration of the game.
* Common Rule Examples:
* “No saying ‘drink,’ ‘drank,’ or ‘drunk’.” (A classic, often leading to humorous circumlocutions)
* “No pointing with fingers.” (Players must point with elbows, feet, or other body parts)
* “Take a drink before each shot attempt.” (Increases the challenge and consumption)
* “Last person to put their hand on their head after a success drinks.” (A reaction-based rule)
* “No swearing.” (A test of self-control)
* “Players must use their non-dominant hand to shoot.” (Adds difficulty)
* “All players must stand on one leg while shooting.” (Tests balance)
* “Every time someone says a certain word (e.g., ‘the’), they drink.” (A tricky, pervasive rule)
* Rules can be as simple or as complex as the group desires, adding layers of strategy and silliness to the coin drinking game.
6. Breaking Rules – The Penalty: If any player, at any point, breaks an established rule, they must immediately take a penalty drink. Enforcing rules is part of the fun, and often, players will be eager to catch others slipping up.
7. Challenging – The Rim Shot Tussle: This rule adds a layer of interaction and consequence. If a player’s quarter hits the rim of the central glass but fails to go in, other players have the option to “challenge” the shooter.
* Accepting the Challenge: If the shooter accepts the challenge (which they usually must), they take another shot.
* Successful Challenge Shot: If the shooter makes the shot, all players who challenged them must take a drink.
* Failed Challenge Shot: If the shooter misses the shot, they must drink for EACH player who challenged them. This can lead to significant penalties, making the decision to challenge a strategic one.
Exciting Variations of the Coin Drinking Game
Beyond the standard rules, Quarters has spawned numerous variations, each offering a unique twist on the classic coin drinking game.
Speed Quarters
As the name suggests, this version of the coin drinking game is all about pace and quick reflexes.
- Objective: Players race to be the first to land their quarter in their own individual cup.
- Passing the Cup: Upon successfully landing the quarter, the player immediately passes their cup (with the quarter inside) to the player on their right.
- The Double-Cup Dilemma: If a player receives a cup from their left while they still have their own cup (meaning the player to their right hasn’t yet made their shot and passed their cup), that player now has two cups.
- The Stack and Shoot: With two cups, the player must stack them one on top of the other. They then attempt to bounce their quarter into the top cup.
* Success (into stacked cups): If they make the shot, the player who passed them the second cup (the one to their left) must take a drink. The player then passes both cups to their right.
* Failure (into stacked cups): If they miss, the player must drink both cups, then unstack them and continue playing with their original single cup.
- Elimination/Penalty: Often, if a player receives a third cup, they are eliminated from the round or face a significant penalty. Speed Quarters is a fast-paced and often chaotic coin drinking game that keeps everyone on their toes.
Super Quarters
This variation focuses on strategic targeting and communal drinking, often leading to a more intense experience.
- Targets: Players aim their quarter at either the individual cups surrounding the “big chug” or the “big chug” itself.
- Missing a Target: If a player misses all cups, they must drink from their own personal cup.
- Landing in an Opponent’s Cup: If a player successfully lands their quarter in an opponent’s individual cup, that opponent must drink their cup.
- Landing in the “Big Chug”: This is the ultimate goal. If a player lands their quarter in the central “big chug” glass, everyone playing must immediately start drinking from their own personal cups. The last player to finish their drink must then drink the entire contents of the “big chug.” This can be a significant penalty, making the “big chug” shot a high-stakes moment in this coin drinking game.
Coin Toss / Chuckies
A simpler, less skill-intensive but equally fun coin drinking game.
- Gameplay: Players take turns simply tossing or “chucking” coins towards a central drinking glass (or even into individual player drinks).
- Consequence: If a player manages to land a coin in a specific drink (either the central glass or another player’s drink), the person whose drink it is must immediately “down” or finish that drink. This is a quick and direct coin drinking game that relies more on luck than precision.
Flip, Sip, or Strip
This is a more adult-oriented variation of a coin drinking game that should only be played with willing participants and in an appropriate setting.
- Gameplay: A player flips a coin and calls “heads” or “tails.”
- Guessing: Another player (or the group) guesses the outcome.
- Consequences: If the guess is incorrect, the guessing player faces a consequence. The severity of the consequence increases with repeated incorrect guesses:
* Sip: A small drink.
* Shot: A full shot of alcohol.
* Strip: Removing an item of clothing.
- Consent is Key: It is paramount that all players are fully consenting adults and comfortable with the “strip” aspect. This variation is less about skill and more about chance and willingness to engage in lighthearted, risqué fun.
Strategic Tips for Dominating the Coin Drinking Game
While luck plays a role, skill and strategy can significantly improve your performance in Quarters.
- Master the Bounce: Experiment with different quarter angles, release points, and force to find the sweet spot for a consistent bounce into the glass. Practice makes perfect!
- Strategic Drinking: When you make a shot, don’t just pick anyone. Target players who are close to making a rule, or those who have been particularly successful, to slow them down.
- Rule Creation: When it’s your turn to make a rule, think strategically. Can you create a rule that benefits you, or one that disproportionately affects a strong opponent? Consider rules that are easy to forget or tricky to follow.
- Challenge Wisely: Only challenge a “rim shot” if you’re fairly confident the shooter will miss, or if you’re willing to risk a heavy penalty yourself.
- Observe Opponents: Pay attention to how others shoot, what rules they tend to break, and their drinking pace. This information can inform your strategy throughout the coin drinking game.
Important Considerations for Any Coin Drinking Game
While Quarters is a fun and engaging social activity, it’s crucial to approach it responsibly.
- Legal Drinking Age: This coin drinking game is intended for adults of legal drinking age only.
- Drink Responsibly: Alcohol consumption should always be in moderation. Know your limits, stay hydrated, and never drink and drive.
- Consent and Comfort: Ensure all participants are comfortable with the rules and the level of drinking involved. For variations like “Flip, Sip, or Strip,” explicit consent for all aspects is absolutely necessary.
- Designated Driver: If alcohol is being consumed, always have a designated driver or plan for alternative transportation.
- Hydration: Interspace alcoholic drinks with water to stay hydrated and mitigate the effects of alcohol.
- Food: Eating before and during the game can help slow alcohol absorption.
Conclusion
Quarters, in its many forms, remains a beloved coin drinking game for good reason. Its blend of skill, chance, social interaction, and evolving rules creates a dynamic and memorable experience. Whether you prefer the classic challenge of standard Quarters, the rapid-fire excitement of Speed Quarters, or the high stakes of Super Quarters, this versatile game promises hours of entertainment. Just remember to play responsibly, prioritize safety, and most importantly, have fun! Gather your friends, grab your quarters, and prepare for an evening filled with laughter, strategy, and perhaps a few memorable new rules.
How to play coinage drinking game?
Keep going till you miss if you miss you can chance it and go again but if you miss a second time you drink the beer. And it’s the next player’s. Turn now that’s a cheap drunk cheers.
What are the rules for the coin game?
Thanks for asking. Goes. If the penny moves to the same space as the dime then the penny. Wins. If the penny fails to move to the same space as the dime by the end of the seventh. Turn then the dime player wins.
What is the challenge coin drinking game?
I can help with that. The person you’re challenging has 15 seconds to produce their coin. If the person you’ve challenged cannot produce their coin in the allotted time, they must buy you a drink. If, on the other hand, they do produce their coin, you must buy them a drink instead.
How to play clock drinking game?
From my experience, Continue clockwise. The jack go in the 11. Spot the queens in the 12 spot. And the kings in the middle. The game starts by flipping up the top card of the middle pile.