The Beer Olympics make their triumphant return! A certain pandemic stole some of our thunder, but we're back baby! It has been TEN YEARS since we first Beer Ponged and Pitcher Raced our way toward drunken oblivion, so while it's the 8th Games in total, this is a special anniversary edition!
The 2023 Beer Olympics are heavily tournament based, meaning you will play several rounds of each game!
There will be six teams of 4-5 players per team. Not all games will need all 4-5 players. So, rotate out (mid-game even) if you need a break!
Games that are labeled Tournament will place the teams in a single elimination tourney. Two teams will be given two first round byes. The remaining four teams will play the opening round. Winners progress to face the Bye teams. Winners of that round move on to the championship.
Each tournament round victory is worth points:
Opening Round: 30 points
Second Round: 50 points
Championship: 75 points
If you lose in any round, you gain 0 points for that round - even the Opening Round! If you win the Opening Round (non-bye), your team gets 30 points. If you win the Second Round, you earn an additional 50 points. If you win the Championship, you earn another 75 points. This means the champion coming from the bye round will earn fewer points than those coming from the opening round (125 vs 155). So, choose your byes carefully!
Games that are labeled Race will be determined by the place in which teams finish:
1st: 125 points
2nd: 100 points
3rd: 80 points
4th: 60 points
5th: 40 points
6th: 20 points
The team that nets the most points by the end of all eight events will be the winners of the 2023 Beer Olympics!
That's right, you get to CHOOSE your byes. Feel weak at Beer Darts and want an advantage? Take the bye. Feel unbeatable at Beer Pong and want more points? Don't take the bye there, get those points!
The opening game, Scavenger Hunt, will determine who gets what bye. First team to finish gets first choice. Second team to finish gets second choice. Third team gets third choice. And so on.
Discuss with your team for which game you would like a first round bye. There is a catch, however. You can only pick one game in which you get a first round bye. Your second bye will be determined based off that choice. And yes, you're completely in the dark for what that other game may be! So use your choice wisely and pick a game where you really feel you need the advantage!
There is a price to pay for winning....
In 2013, the losers of an event would bend the knee and do a beer bong. This turned out to be a hilariously bad idea, as the worst team eventually became drunker and drunker as the events progressed, as their inebriation derailed their performances and they'd finish last in just about every event. In 2014, the role was reversed (permanently) to "reward" the winners.
In 2014, winners paid tribute with the Beer Bong.
In 2015, teams chugged together.
In 2016, players reached into The Victory Mystery Box.
In 2017, Drinko Plinko determined the winner's fate.
In 2018, we reinvented the wheel with The Wheel O' Victory!
In 2019, we had the Victory Beer Cards-o-Destiny!
What will 2023 bring? You'll find out!
This indicates the style or amount of drinking you can expect in a game. Beer in Hand is encouraged for any games that don't require both hands to play, and some games REQUIRE a beer in hand to make them more challenging. Social Drinking means you may not drink at all as part of the game, so cheers to your teammates and take a few sips if you feel like it! Otherwise, you'll see things like "Moderate drinking", "Minimal drinking" and so on.
The gametype determines how the outcome of a round or event is determined. Points means you'll be keeping score and most points wins. Elimination means you'll be knocking out opponents targets, like in Beer Pong or Beer Darts. Race means you will be racing against an opposing team. And Timed means you'll be racing against the clock!
The event type determines what kind of even that game is used for. Most will be Tournament and a couple will be Race. With a Tournament, you will play 1-3 games of that event to emerge victorious. With the Race event, you will do the event just one time and the fastest time wins!
Not all games require all 4-5 players to participate and some games require even teams for balance. Feel free to sit out or rotate players in and out as you see fit. There are unlimited substitutions, but a player subbed in must step in at the start of the turn and must complete a full turn.
Players that are not participating should just have a social drink and relax, but do not interrupt the games. Don't be that guy.
NO DRINKING SUBS: Subbing in another player to take your drinks for you is not allowed, unless you're pregnant. Otherwise, take the L and drink any drinks required of that game.
NO CROSSTEAM SUBS: You may not bring in a player from another team as this would be an unfair advantage. Also, that's not really how teams work.
A Substitution Example:
Your team is playing Beer Darts and you need to go to the restroom. In Beer Darts, one turn is each team throwing. Say your team is receiving throws first. The turn is over after your team has returned fire. If you need a sub, sub your teammate in before the other team throws (start of the turn) and they must remain until they've thrown (end of the turn).
Drinking: Minimal drinking
Gametype: Points
Event: Race
Players: Even teams!
Teams will march through the trees and find beers. When they return, they'll reveal how many points their beer is worth.
Drinking: Beer in hand encouraged
Gametype: Elimination
Event: Tournament
Players: Any (3 throws per team per turn)
It's Beer Pong (if you don't know Beer Pong, why are you even here?) but with FIFTEEN cups instead of ten! But don't worry, each team will get three throws. Lukey House rules apply, so bug Colin or Kristin for details. However, any kind of rule where 'both players make it' from regular, two-person, ten-cup Beer Pong will be scaled up to 'all three players make it'! Eliminate the other team's cups to win!
Drinking: Beer in hand REQUIRED
Gametype: Points
Event: Tournament
Players: Even teams!
Toss a frisbee at a pole holding a beer bottle. If you hit the pole, get points. If you hit the ground, get points. If you hit the bottle, get points! If the other team catches the frisbee before it hits the ground, you get nothing! First team to 15 wins the round!
Drinking: Moderate drinking
Gametype: Race
Event: Tournament
Players: Even teams!
Teams will face opponents in a best-of-three, down-and-back Flip Cup race. Drink it, flip it, land it, cheer like crazy. First team to finish wins the game, first team to win two games wins the round!
Drinking: Social drinking
Gametype: Timed
Event: Race
Players: Even teams!
Teams will be tasked with completing several 'mini games' as fast as possible.
Drinking: Beer in hand REQUIRED
Gametype: Points
Event: Tournament
Players: 2 players per team (rotate out after turn, if desired)
Toss a frisbee at your teammate at the opposite kan. If the frisbee is deflected by your teammate into the top or slot of the kan, 3 points. If the frisbee hits the kan, 2 points. If your teammate deflects the frisbee and it hits the outside of the kan, 1 point. Make it untouched into the slot (and the kan stays upright), automatic win, otherwise the first team to 21 points wins!
Drinking: Beer in hand encouraged
Gametype: Points
Event: Tournament
Players: Even teams!
Another classic! Teams take turns tossing bean bags at targets. 3 points if you make it in the hole, 1 point if you land it on the board (without bouncing it). Opponent points cancel your points. Team with the most points at the end of the round (after cancelling) gets those points. First to 21 points wins!
Drinking: Moderate drinking
Gametype: Elimination
Event: Tournament
Players: 1 can per teammate
Teams set beer cans at their feet, all touching like dominoes, and take turns throwing darts at their opponents cans. When a can is punctured, a person is designated to drink it and cannot throw again until they've finished the beverage (10 second count-off if their team's turn is over). First team to eliminate the other team's cans wins!