Kings (also known as Ring of Fire) has a lot of rules, but don’t worry—they’re easy. Basically, all the cards in a deck are fashioned in a circle around a beer can or cup of alcohol. People take turns drawing cards and perform the action dictated by the card. The game ends when there are no more cards left to draw. Here’s what each card means:
Ace: Waterfall
Everyone starts drinking at the same time as the player to his or her left, starting with the person who drew the card. No one is allowed to stop drinking until the person to their left stops.
Two: You
The drawer picks someone to take a drink.
Three: Me
The person who drew the card drinks.
Four: Floor
Everyone has to touch the floor in “not it” or “shot not” fashion. The last person to touch the floor has to drink.
Five: Guys
All the dudes take a drink.
Six: Chicks
All the ladies take a drink.
Seven: Heaven
Everyone has to point up to the sky (or ceiling, more likely). The last person to do so drinks.
Eight: Mate
Choose a partner to drink with you. That person now has to drink every time you drink and vice versa, until one of you chooses a new mate.
Nine: Rhyme
The drawer says a word. The next person to the left has to say a word that rhymes with that word, and so on around the circle. The person who fails to rhyme has to drink.
Ten: Categories
Pick any category of things (states, spirits, classic cocktails, primary colors if you hate the fourth person from you). Everyone then has to name something within that category. When someone can’t think of anything or runs out of options, that person drinks.
Jack: Never Have I Ever
Everyone puts up three fingers and plays a mini game of Never Have I Ever, taking turns naming things they haven’t done, especially acts which they suspect (or know) others have done. Every time someone has done something named, he or she puts a finger down. The first person out of fingers has to drink.
Queen: Question Master
Whoever draws a queen is the question master. During the time as question master, he or she gets to ask anyone a question at any time. That person has to respond with another question to avoid drinking. If the person responds with anything other than a question or fails to respond at all, he or she has to drink. The next person to draw a queen becomes the new question master.
King: Make a Rule
The king of Kings gets to make up a rule that everyone has to follow. If anyone dares to disobey the rule, he or she has to drink. The Person to draw the last king has to drink the center cup and game is over.
