Drinking Card Games
Drinking games that run on one standard deck of 52 cards. Rules, player counts and the variations people actually play, from King's Cup to Ride the Bus.
Fuck the Dealer: Rules & How to Play the Drinking Game
Learn how to play Fuck the Dealer, the classic card drinking game. Complete rules, strategy tips, popular variations, and everything you need for your next party.
Horse Race: The Drinking Game Inspired by Horse Racing
Discover Horse Race, an original drinking game inspired by horse racing. Learn the rules, variations, and tips to organize memorable parties with friends using this festive card game.
King's Cup: Complete Party Drinking Game Rules & Guide
Learn how to play King's Cup, the ultimate party drinking game! Discover card rules, variations like Ring of Fire, and everything you need for this classic drinking game that's perfect for parties and gatherings.
Pyramid Drinking Game: Rules, Setup & How to Play
Pyramid drinking game rules explained step by step. Learn how to set up, play, bluff, and win this classic card drinking game for 3-10 players.
Ride the Bus Drinking Game Rules: Complete Party Guide
Learn how to play Ride the Bus, the ultimate card-based drinking game perfect for parties. Includes detailed rules for all 3 rounds, gameplay tips, and variations for 2+ players.
What you need to play
One standard deck of 52 cards covers every game on this page. A few need a table big enough to lay cards flat, and all of them need something to drink. No app, no board, no printing, which is why card drinking games survive in places where nothing else fits.
Player counts vary more than people expect. Horse Race works with two and with twenty. King's Cup starts to drag above ten, because the deck empties slowly and each turn is short. Pyramid sits in the middle and is at its best around six.
Which card drinking game to pick
King's Cup, also called Ring of Fire, is the default if you have four to ten players and forty minutes to spare. Horse Race is the fastest to teach, so it works for a group that will not sit still for rules. Pyramid rewards bluffing, which makes it better for people who already know each other.
If half the group has never played a card drinking game, open with Horse Race. Everybody bets sips on one of the four kings, the kings race up a track of face-down cards, and the whole thing is over in five minutes. By the time it ends the room is warmed up enough for something with more structure.
House rules are part of the game
Almost every card drinking game is really a family of house rules. King's Cup in particular has a different meaning for the same card in every group, and arguing about whose version is correct is half the entertainment. Agree on the list before you deal, or the first disputed card will stop the night.
The rules in the guides above are the versions we see most often. Treat them as a starting point rather than an authority, and write down whatever your group settles on.
Frequently Asked Questions
What drinking games can you play with cards?
King's Cup, Pyramid, Ride the Bus, Horse Race and Fuck the Dealer are the most common. All five run on a single standard deck, and none of them need anything beyond a flat surface and drinks.
How do you play a drinking game with a deck of cards?
Most follow the same shape: cards are dealt or spread out, each card or suit carries a meaning, and players drink based on what they draw. The rules differ, but the deck does the randomising, which is why one deck covers so many games.
What is the easiest card drinking game?
Horse Race. The four kings come out of the deck as horses, everyone bets sips on one of them, and cards are flipped until a king reaches the end of the track. Whoever backed a losing king drinks, which is a rule you can explain in two sentences.
How many players do you need for card drinking games?
Two is enough for Horse Race and Fuck the Dealer. King's Cup and Pyramid are better with four to eight. Above ten players most card games slow down, because each person waits a long time between turns.
Can you play card drinking games without alcohol?
Yes. Replace the drink with a forfeit, a point or a dare and the game plays the same way. The deck and the rules do the entertaining, the drink is only the stake.