Author: A Legit Hundo

25. Defense / Shot Blocking

In a nutshell: you can swat a shot away once it bounces on the table. Block a shot before it bounces and it counts as a made cup.

No way! Defense is what separates a real game from a shooting gallery. Hands up, eyes on the ball, and wait for that bounce. Swat one out of the air early and you just gave them a free cup.

No way!

How defense works

1. Wait for the bounce. The ball has to hit the table first.
2. Slap it away. Use a hand or arm.
3. Never block a shot in the air. Touch a ball before it bounces and it counts as a cup; you drink.

Defense tips

• Swat carefully: knocking over your own cup counts as made under the spilled cup rule.
• Defense also applies to trick shots once they hit the table.
• Last line of defense: a spinning ball can still be fingered or blown out.

FAQ

Can you block a bounce shot?
Yes. That’s exactly what defense is for. See bounce shot.

What if I block a shot that hasn’t bounced?
It counts as a made cup.

Keep the arguments off the table. Post your defense rules so every block is clean: house rules signs from the Beer Pong All-Stars shop.

See all the rules in the complete beer pong rules guide.

← #24 Same Cup  ·  All 25 rules  ·  Quick rulings  ·  Next: #1 House Rules →

24. Same Cup

In a nutshell: if both teammates make the same cup, they get balls back and pick two more cups: three cups off the table.

Two balls, one cup, and your opponents are suddenly drinking three. Same cup is the biggest swing in beer pong, and the most fun way to bury a team.

How same cup works

1. Both shooters hit one cup. Same cup, same turn.
2. Three cups come off. The made cup plus two cups of the shooting team’s choice.
3. Balls back. The team also gets balls back.
4. No call needed. You don’t have to call same cup before shooting.

Same cup in one-on-one

In a 1v1 game, a player who makes the same cup twice in a row pulls 3 cups, gets balls back, and is heating up.

Same cup combos

If both players call island and make the same island cup, the defending team pulls 2 bonus cups and the shooters get balls back.

FAQ

What happens if both balls go in the same cup?
Three cups come off: the cup you both hit plus two more of your choice, and you get the balls back. More mid-game answers on our quick rulings page.

Do you need to call same cup?
No.

Is same cup the same as traveling?
No. Traveling is one ball touching two cups.

Keep the arguments off the table. Add same cup to your posted rules: house rules signs from the Beer Pong All-Stars shop.

See all the rules in the complete beer pong rules guide.

← #23 Bounce Shot  ·  All 25 rules  ·  Quick rulings  ·  Next: #25 Defense / Shot Blocking →