Spring Break
Beirut Or Beer Pong: Can You Decide?
Tara Maroney
Issue date: 4/21/06 Section: Focus
On a recent trip to Texas, Pickett tried to convince friends that the game was called Beirut. She said she was largely unsuccessful.
Another difficulty and challenge of the game is the rules involved for playing it. According to all the parties interviewed, the rules change by location and house rules should always be observed.
Most individuals play with 10 cups, but some people change that to six for parties or when they are running low on cups. Some also vary the rules depending on who is playing. Smith's rules were the only that didn't allow women to blow the ball out of the cup. Sortito does and has funny regulations for men who try to do it.
"Females can blow a ball out of a cup if it hasn't hit the beer yet," Sortito said. "Men aren't allowed to do that and must play the game on their knees if they try it"
Sortito and Smith agreed that any ball that was bounced could be blocked by the opponent, and if it made it into a cup, it was worth two cups instead of one. Even the rule of re-racking the cups caused discrepancies. The cups can be realigned when a team is down to six, three, two and one according to Smith. Sortito offers re-racks at six, four, three and two. Sortito had one other notable rule that may not be universal at every table.
"Sometimes we play overthrows, where if a team throws over the table and hits no cups then they are penalized a cup," Sortito said. "And overthrows caught, where a member of the opposite team must catch an overthrow with one hand to call the penalty."
Regardless of location, it seems that picking a name and picking rules depends on the house.
"The Beirut/beer pong debate ... it's regional," said Ashley Pritchett, a 1st-semester Emerson student. "Location, location, location."
This weekend, and always, watch out for rule changes between tables. The 16-ounce cups are an indication only that a game is being played. Check for posted house rules and obey them. The house always solves the disagreements in play.
Another difficulty and challenge of the game is the rules involved for playing it. According to all the parties interviewed, the rules change by location and house rules should always be observed.
Most individuals play with 10 cups, but some people change that to six for parties or when they are running low on cups. Some also vary the rules depending on who is playing. Smith's rules were the only that didn't allow women to blow the ball out of the cup. Sortito does and has funny regulations for men who try to do it.
"Females can blow a ball out of a cup if it hasn't hit the beer yet," Sortito said. "Men aren't allowed to do that and must play the game on their knees if they try it"
Sortito and Smith agreed that any ball that was bounced could be blocked by the opponent, and if it made it into a cup, it was worth two cups instead of one. Even the rule of re-racking the cups caused discrepancies. The cups can be realigned when a team is down to six, three, two and one according to Smith. Sortito offers re-racks at six, four, three and two. Sortito had one other notable rule that may not be universal at every table.
"Sometimes we play overthrows, where if a team throws over the table and hits no cups then they are penalized a cup," Sortito said. "And overthrows caught, where a member of the opposite team must catch an overthrow with one hand to call the penalty."
Regardless of location, it seems that picking a name and picking rules depends on the house.
"The Beirut/beer pong debate ... it's regional," said Ashley Pritchett, a 1st-semester Emerson student. "Location, location, location."
This weekend, and always, watch out for rule changes between tables. The 16-ounce cups are an indication only that a game is being played. Check for posted house rules and obey them. The house always solves the disagreements in play.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 12
Anonymous
posted 4/21/06 @ 12:29 PM EST
The first version of the game that I played was called Beirut for the reasons specified by Miss Pickett. However, the rules are as such:
1) 10 Cups in pyramid shape, must use one standard size pitcher per side per round to fill the cups. (Continued…)
Anonymous
posted 4/21/06 @ 1:24 PM EST
Just a comment about the name Beirut. How would you like it if someone from the middle east called his drinking game 9/11? The insentitivity and cluelesness of american youth is quite dumbfounding. (Continued…)
Anonymous
posted 4/22/06 @ 2:33 AM EST
I would just like to let you know that during the first Golf war the US did not bomb Beirut...actually in the early 80's it was your embassy in Beirut that was blown to pieces. (Continued…)
Sarahk
Sarahk
posted 4/22/06 @ 3:05 AM EST
And then you ask... "oh but why do they hate us???? What did we do to them we just allow our government and president to kill them under the stupid pretext of democracy!!!" Is imposing your view on others a democratic move???
And how about your stupid names of "freedom fries" ahahahah don't you all have better things to do????
But I'm pretty impressed that American youth actually know where Beirut is. (Continued…)
Anonymous
posted 4/24/06 @ 12:53 PM EST
Beirut is technically played with bottle caps, NOT ping pong balls. There really isn't a 'right' name for the game we all love to play, but I argue that since beer pong as least includes ping pong balls, the name is more appropriate. (Continued…)
Anonymous
posted 7/01/06 @ 2:13 PM EST
just for you information that the gulf war had nothing to do with beirut ,check your history record.Beirut is the capital of lebanon ,its called Beirut Bombs because there was civil war in lebanon and Bombs where all around , so it has nothing to do with the gulf war smart ass. (Continued…)
sb
posted 2/06/07 @ 11:33 AM EST
Beirut vs. Beer Pong
See the results from schools nationwide
http://www.collegehumor.com/pongmap
What do you call throwing a ping pong ball into a red solo cup. (Continued…)
Beer Pong Tables
posted 7/10/07 @ 5:14 PM EST
Beirut is a city in lebanon!
I call it Beer Pong, I've always called it that nobody in my home town ever called it Beirut, and up here at Suny Albany I don't hear anybody call it that. (Continued…)
Wildman
posted 1/05/09 @ 8:12 AM EST
You say Beer Pong, I say Beirut...
http://www.beerpongguru.com/you-say-beer-pong-i-say-beirut.html
Dimo
posted 5/09/09 @ 7:15 PM EST
I grew up calling it Beirut and since I'm from NYC the game is called Beirut end of discussion. This is confirmed in the movie Beerfest as well.
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