Mahinda’s Little World

Twenty-One, as referred to in my last entry, is a common drinking game. The rules are simple (well, they start off simple, anyway):

Basic Premise

Going round in a circle (or thereabouts), you aim to get to 21 by taking turns to say one, two or three consecutive numbers. Numbers must always go up consecutively, i.e. if your neighbour says “1″, you must then start your turn with “2″.

Eventually, someone will have to say “21″…in which case they:

1. Drink.
2. Specify a new rule.
3. Start the game off again, from 1.

More about new rules later. As far as the drinking goes, it depends how hardcore you’re being - often either two fingers, your whole pint, or a swig of the penalty drink is required.

If someone messes up on the way (and there are many ways to mess up), he/she must:

1. Drink.
2. Start the game off again, from 1.

Note that this drink is usually less severe, e.g. just two fingers’ worth. Also, you don’t get to add a rule.

Starting the Game

Whoever starts the game must specify a direction, and then say one, two or three numbers, starting from “1″, e.g. “To my left…ONE, TWO”.

The next person, in the specified direction, must then continue. Of course, exactly who is the next person depends on how many numbers the starter has said…

One, Two or Three Numbers

Whether someone says one, two or three numbers has a direct influence on who goes next:

• One number - play passes along smoothly, going in the original direction on to the next person.
• Two numbers - the order of play is reversed.
• Three numbers - same direction, but skipping the next player.

Naturally, speaking out of turn, or saying the wrong number, results in a penalty drink and the game restarting from 1.

A cunning rule that was introduced to me last night was the one that you must say a different number of numbers to your predecessor, e.g. if he/she said “1″, you must continue with either “2, 3″ or “2, 3, 4″ - saying just “2″ would entail drinking.

New Rules

The most important part of the game!

Once someone has had to say “21″ (and then drunk something), they get to specify a new rule. These can be just about anything within reason, and can include substitutions, actions, etc. For example:

• When saying “3″, you must stand on one leg.
• Instead of “12″, you must say “Wibble”.
• For all numbers divisible by 4, you must touch your nose.

It’s usually up to either a nominated gamesmaster, or group discussion, as to whether or not a rule should be allowed. For example, in some circles, “all numbers divisible by 3 must be said in binary” would be considered fine. However, most people regard (quite rightly) the sort of people who’d play that particular rule as freaks.

Rules can act concurrently, e.g. using the new rules specified above, when you get to 12, you’d have to say “Wibble” and touch your nose.

Naturally, if you get it wrong, you drink, and the game starts again from 1.

Ending the Game

After an hour or so, the rules usually get far too complex to follow, expecially given that all players should now have consumed a fair quantity of alcohol. At some point, players will just decide that they can’t be arsed any more, and play a different game.

The exact complexity of the rules at this point is a fair indicator to how successful your game has been.

Example Game

The game that we played in The Friendship Inn, the evening before this post, ended up with the following rules (in number order, rather than order of introduction):

• Instead of “1″, you must say “Ecky!”
• Instead of “2″, you must say “Ecky! Pitang!”
• Instead of “3″, you must say “Ecky! Ecky! Pitang!”
• For all numbers divisible by 4, you must pinch your nose.
• For all numbers divisible by 5, you must instead say “Quack!”
• The numbers 6 and 8 are swapped, but their actions stay as-is.
• When saying “11″, you must stand up.
• When saying “11″, the players to your left and right must give you bunny ears.
• When saying any number with two syllables (i.e. 7, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20), you must cup your hand to your ear.

So, as far as order of numbers goes, you’d have to do this:

1. Say “Ecky!”
2. Say “Ecky! Pitang!”
3. Say “Ecky! Ecky! Pitang!”
4. Say “Four” while pinching your nose.
5. Say “Quack!”
6. Say “Eight”.
7. Say “Seven” while cupping your hand to your ear.
8. Say “Six” while pinching your nose.
9. Say “Nine”.
10. Say “Quack!”
11. Say “Eleven” while standing up, and having your neighbours each give you a bunny ear.
12. Say “Twelve” while pinching your nose.
13. Say “Thirteen” while cupping your hand to your ear.
14. Say “Fourteen” while cupping your hand to your ear.
15. Say “Quack!” while cupping your hand to your ear.
16. Say “Sixteen” while cupping your hand to your ear AND pinching your nose.
17. Say “Seventeen”.
18. Say “Eighteen” while cupping your hand to your ear.
19. Say “Nineteen” while cupping your hand to your ear.
20. Say “Quack!” while cupping your hand to your ear AND pinching your nose.
21. Say “Twenty-One”…then swear loudly, drink, and add a new rule.

So, fun.