Card drinking games: rules for pyramid, horse race and more

A simple 52-card deck is enough to liven up a whole night. Card drinking games mix luck, bluff and a bit of memory: anyone can win, even those who don't know the rules at first. Here are the full rules of the five most played.

Pyramid

Players: 2 to 9. Equipment: a 52-card deck.

Pyramid has two phases: first you win cards by guessing, then you use them to make the others drink.

Phase 1: the deal

In turn, each player answers four questions and gets a card after each one:

1. Red or black?
2. Higher or lower than your previous card?
3. Inside or outside your first two cards?
4. Which suit: hearts, diamonds, clubs or spades?

A mistake costs 1 sip on the first question, then 2, 3 and 4. A tie counts as a mistake. Remember your four cards and their order well: they are then placed face down.

Phase 2: the pyramid

Lay out 15 cards face down in a five-row pyramid, then turn them over one by one starting from the bottom. A card on the first row is worth 1 sip, the one at the top is worth 5. If you hold a card of the same value, you can give it to a player: they drink.

Bluffing

You can also give a card you don't have. The target has two choices: drink without a word, or call the bluff. Then you have to find the card among your face-down cards. If you told the truth, the target drinks double; if not, you do.

The game ends when the whole pyramid has been turned over.

Horse race

Players: 2 or more. Equipment: a 52-card deck.

1. Line up the four aces: these are the horses. Next to the track, place five face-down cards that mark the stages.
2. Each player picks a horse and bets 1 to 5 sips.
3. Turn over the cards of the deck one by one: the horse of the same suit moves forward one step.
4. As soon as all horses have passed a stage, turn over that stage's card: the horse of its suit moves back one step.
5. The race ends when three horses have crossed the finish line. Those who backed the winner hand out their bet, those who backed the last horse drink it. Second and third are even.

The rules and variations are on the Horse race page.

The river

Players: 1 to 10. Equipment: a 52-card deck.

Also known as ride the bus. The goal is to cross a "bridge" of five face-down cards without falling.

1. Each player gets a starting card, face up.
2. Five face-down cards are placed in front of them: the bridge.
3. At each step, the player calls "higher" or "lower" than their current card, then turns over the next one. The ace is the highest; an equal card makes you fall.
4. If they're wrong, they drink as many sips as the step number (1 to 5) and the turn passes. On their next turn, they start again with a new bridge.
5. After three falls, a player can give up. The game ends when everyone has crossed or given up.

See the rules of The River.

Red or black (and higher or lower)

Players: 2 or more. Equipment: a 52-card deck.

The quickest game to explain. The player whose turn it is calls "red" or "black", then turns over the top card of the deck. Wrong, they take a sip; right, they give a sip to whoever they like. Then it's the next player's turn.

"Higher or lower" variation: the player calls whether the next card will be higher or lower than the one already turned over. Ties make you drink.

King's cup (the circle)

Players: 3 or more. Equipment: a 52-card deck.

Spread all the cards face down in a circle. In turn, a player draws a card and applies the rule of its value:

• Ace: you give a sip.
• 2: you give two sips.
• 3: you take a sip.
• 4: everyone says a "never have I ever"; those who have done it drink.
• 5: the last to raise a hand drinks.
• 6: the last to touch their nose drinks.
• 7: take turns counting, saying "Buzz" on every multiple of 7; whoever gets it wrong drinks.
• 8: you pick a mate, who drinks every time you drink until the next 8.
• 9: you say a word and everyone has to find a rhyme; whoever runs dry drinks.
• 10: you name a category (car brands, countries…) and everyone names something in it; whoever runs dry drinks.
• Jack: you make up a rule that lasts until the end of the game.
• Queen: until the next queen, anyone who answers one of your questions drinks.
• King: you ask the whole group a question like "Who's most likely to…?", and whoever is pointed at most drinks.

Which game to choose?

• For a group that loves bluffing: pyramid.
• For a big group: horse race, where everyone bets at the same time.
• For few players: the river or red or black. See also our drinking games for two.
• For a night full of silly rules: king's cup.

Frequently asked questions

No cards? Use the Partizo app

No deck to hand? The Partizo app replaces it for Pyramid, Horse race and The River: it shuffles, deals, applies the rules and counts the sips. For more ideas, see our 15 best drinking games.