Category: Party Games

Rage Cage (aka Stack Cup) is the fastest party game we know. Two players race to bounce a ping pong ball into an empty cup. Make it before the player chasing you and you pass your cup on. Get caught and your cup gets stacked, and you drink one from the middle. It’s loud, it’s fast, and somebody always ends up slamming the table.

Looking for the beer pong rule about the center cup of the rack? That’s the bitch cup rule.

What you need

• A round or square table everyone can stand around
• 15 to 25 plastic cups
• 2 ping pong balls (two different colors helps)
• Beer, seltzer or any drink, poured about a third full; water works for every rule
• 5 or more players; 6 to 12 is ideal

How to set up

1. Fill most of the cups about a third full and cluster them tightly in the center of the table.
2. Fill one cup all the way and put it in the very middle. Depending on the house, this is the bitch cup, the death cup or the king cup.
3. Stand in a circle around the table. Give an empty cup and a ball to two players standing directly across from each other.

How to play Rage Cage

1. Bounce it in. On “go”, both players with balls bounce them off the table, trying to land in their own empty cup. You can try as many times as you need.
2. Pass it on. As soon as you make it, pass your cup and ball to the player on your left (or right, if you agree before starting). They start bouncing right away.
3. First-try bonus. Make it on your very first bounce and you can pass your cup to anyone at the table who isn’t already holding one.
4. Stack. If you make your shot while the player before you is still shooting into the cup right next to yours, stack your cup into theirs. They’ve been caught.
5. Getting stacked. If you’re stacked, take the stack out of play, grab a cup from the center, drink it, and start bouncing into that empty cup. The game keeps going without a pause.
6. Ending the game. When the outer cups run out and someone gets stacked again, they drink the full center cup, and the round is over.

Common Rage Cage house rules

• Accidental center cup: bounce your ball into one of the center cups and you drink it, stack it onto your own cup, and keep shooting.
• Last cup stands: some houses refill the center cup and play another round instead of ending.
• No skip on the first try: a stricter version where a first-bounce make still has to go to the next player.
• Stack Cup / Slap Cup: in Slap Cup you slap the other player’s cup away instead of stacking it. Same table, more mess.

Tips

• Bounce soft and short. A flat little bounce right in front of the cup goes in way more often than a big hero arc.
• Keep the middle cups packed tight so stray balls bounce into cups, not onto the floor.
• Pour small. This game moves fast. A third of a cup is plenty, and keep water on the table.

FAQ

Is Rage Cage the same as Stack Cup?

Yes. Rage Cage, Stack Cup and Stack Cups are the same game. Slap Cup and Boom Cup are close cousins with slightly different catch-up rules.

What is the bitch cup in Rage Cage?

The full cup in the very middle of the table. Whoever gets stacked after the outer cups are gone drinks it, and the game ends.

How many people do you need?

At least 5 for it to work, and it’s best with 6 to 12. Fewer than that and the cups come around too fast.

Can you play without alcohol?

Yes. Fill the cups with water or soda. The bouncing and stacking work exactly the same.

More party games: Circle of Death (Kings Cup), Power Hour, Slap Cup, Chandeliers, Quarters, flip cup, Boat Race, Beer Die, Beer Ball, Dizzy Bat. See them all on our party games page, or play the classic with the full rules of beer pong.

Circle of Death (aka Kings, Kings Cup or Ring of Fire) is the card game that shows up at every party eventually. Spread a deck face down in a circle around one big cup, take turns drawing, and do whatever your card says. Draw the fourth King and the King’s Cup is all yours. It’s our favorite game for when the pong table is taken.

Free printable: Kings Cup rules sheet (PDF). Every card on one page, so nobody has to look it up mid-game.

Looking for the beer pong rule called “ring of fire”? That’s a different thing: see Ring of Fire in beer pong.

What you need

• A standard 52-card deck (jokers out)
• One large empty cup for the middle (the King’s Cup)
• A drink for each player, plus water on the table
• 3 to 10 players; 4 to 7 is the sweet spot

How to set up

1. Put the King’s Cup in the middle of the table.
2. Shuffle and spread every card face down in a ring around the cup, edges touching, so the circle has no gaps.
3. Agree on the card rules before the first draw. Every group plays a little differently, so settle it now (or use the list below).
4. Pick who goes first. Play goes clockwise; each player draws one card, flips it so everyone sees it, and the rule happens immediately.

Circle of Death card rules

These are the most common rules. Any card can be swapped for your house version, as long as everyone agrees before the game starts.

Card	Name	What happens
Ace	Waterfall	Everyone starts drinking at once, beginning with the player who drew. You can’t stop until the person to your right stops.
2	You	Pick someone to drink.
3	Me	You drink.
4	Floor	Everyone touches the floor. Last one down drinks.
5	Guys	Every guy drinks.
6	Chicks	Every girl drinks.
7	Heaven	Everyone points to the sky. Last hand up drinks.
8	Mate	Pick a mate. Whenever you drink, they drink, for the rest of the game (or until the next 8).
9	Rhyme	Say a word. Going around, each player says a word that rhymes. First to repeat or stall drinks.
10	Categories	Name a category (beer brands, NFL teams). Going around, each player names something in it. First to miss drinks.
Jack	Make a rule	Make a rule that lasts the rest of the game, like no first names, or drink with your left hand only. Anyone who breaks it drinks.
Queen	Question master	You’re the question master until the next Queen. Anyone who answers a question you ask drinks.
King	King’s Cup	Pour some of your drink into the King’s Cup. Whoever draws the fourth King drinks the King’s Cup, and the game is over.

Don’t break the circle

This is the rule that gives the game its name. The cards have to stay touching, so slide your card out without leaving a gap in the ring. Break the circle and you drink (lots of houses make it a full drink). It’s easy with 52 cards and nerve-racking with ten, so watch the guy with shaky hands.

Circle of Death vs. Kings vs. Ring of Fire

They’re the same game with regional names. The differences are small:

• Kings / Kings Cup: usually no “break the circle” penalty; the game ends when the fourth King is drawn.
• Circle of Death: adds the break-the-circle rule, and some groups play every card until the deck runs out.
• Ring of Fire: the cards go around an unopened can of beer. Players tuck their card under the tab after drawing; whoever pops the can (or knocks the cards off) drinks it.

Popular house rules

• Thumb master: some groups use Jack or 7 for this. Quietly put your thumb on the table; the last person to notice and copy drinks.
• Never have I ever: a common swap for Jack or 6. Everyone holds up three fingers; drop one each time you’ve done what’s called. First to zero drinks.
• Social: a common swap for 4 or 9. Everyone drinks.
• Snake eyes: make eye contact with the snake and you drink.

Hosting tips

• Keep the King’s Cup small. The last King should be a punchline, not a problem. Beer or seltzer only, a short pour.
• Water on the table. Every card works with water or soda, and nobody has to explain why they’re drinking it.
• Settle the rules before the first card. Write them down. That’s the whole reason people hang a house rules sign over the pong table: fewer arguments, more game.

FAQ

Is Circle of Death the same as Kings Cup?

Yes. Circle of Death, Kings, Kings Cup and Ring of Fire are names for the same card game. The only common difference is the “break the circle” penalty.

What happens when you draw the fourth King?

You drink the King’s Cup (everything the first three King-drawers poured in), and the round is over.

How many people do you need?

At least 3. It’s best with 4 to 7, so each player draws often but the deck lasts a while.

How long does a game take?

About 20 to 40 minutes for a full deck.

Can you play without alcohol?

Yes. Swap every “drink” for a sip of soda or a dare. The cards work the same way.

Playing on New Year’s Eve? Try Resolution Kings from our New Year’s Eve drinking games.

En español: Reglas del Kings Cup en español.

More party games: Power Hour, Rage Cage, Slap Cup, Chandeliers, Quarters, flip cup, Boat Race, Beer Die, Beer Ball, Dizzy Bat. See them all on our party games page, or play the classic with the full rules of beer pong.