21 (Twenty-One)

21 is the simplest drinking game there is, and one of the best. All you need is a group of people who can count. Players go round the circle counting from one to twenty-one, and whoever has to say “21” drinks. The twist is that the person who says 21 then gets to add a new rule, so every round gets harder, and by the fifth or sixth round nobody can remember which numbers they are allowed to say any more. It is perfect for a pub table, a train, a queue or anywhere else you cannot set up cards or cups.

What You Need

• A drink for each player, alcoholic or not

• At least three players; five to ten is ideal

• A good memory (at least at the start)

Setup

1. Everyone sits or stands in a circle.

2. Pick someone to start. Traditionally, it is the person who most recently had a birthday, or whoever volunteers first.

3. Agree on the direction of play (usually clockwise to begin with).

How to Play

1. The first player starts counting from 1. On your turn you can say one, two or three numbers in a row. For example, the first player might say “1, 2”, the next “3”, the next “4, 5, 6”, and so on.

2. How many numbers you say changes the play. In the most common version: one number passes to the next player in the same direction, two numbers reverses the direction, and three numbers skips the next player.

3. The count carries on until someone is forced to say “21”. That player takes a drink.

4. The player who said 21 then makes a new rule and starts the next round from 1.

5. Rules stack up round after round. They stay in place until the end of the game.

New Rule Ideas

• Swap two numbers: 7 and 14 change places, so the count goes “…6, 14, 8…” and later “…13, 7, 15…”.

• Replace a number with a word: instead of 9, everyone has to say “Banana”. Instead of 12, you have to say “Cheers!”

• Add an action: on 5 you have to clap, on 11 you stand up, on 16 you touch your nose.

• Change the direction: saying 10 always reverses play, however many numbers you say on that turn.

• Ban a number: nobody may say 3 at all. You skip straight from 2 to 4.

• Name a player: every time someone says 13, a chosen player has to take a sip.

What Counts as a Mistake

• Saying the wrong number, or forgetting a swapped or replaced number

• Saying a number when it is not your turn

• Forgetting an action, or doing the wrong one

• Hesitating too long (the group decides how long is too long)

• Saying more than three numbers in one turn

Anyone who slips up takes a drink and the count goes back to 1, started by the player who made the mistake. Saying 21 is different: that player drinks, but they are rewarded with the chance to make a rule.

Tips for a Better Game

• Keep the first rules simple: one swap or one word is plenty early on. The fun is in the slow build-up.

• Write the rules down: a note on someone’s phone or a beer mat settles arguments about what the rules actually are.

• Count ahead: with a bit of quick thinking you can steer the count so 21 lands on someone else. Good players start working it out from about 15.

• Make the rules about the group: in-jokes, nicknames and silly actions make the game funnier and much harder to play.

Variations

• Bizz Buzz 21: every multiple of 3 is replaced with “Bizz” and every multiple of 5 with “Buzz” before the game starts, then new rules are added on top.

• Hard mode: numbers and words that have been replaced cannot be skipped. Make a mistake and everyone else drinks instead.

• Reset round: when there are too many rules for anyone to cope with, the next person to say 21 can scrap them all and start fresh.

• Soft-drink version: swap drinks for points. The first player to collect five points loses and has to buy the next round of crisps.

Drink Responsibly

21 is about laughing at people forgetting their own rules, not about how much anyone drinks. Agree on small sips, keep water and soft drinks on the table, let anyone play with a non-alcoholic drink, and stop when people have had enough. Never drink and drive, and make sure everyone has a safe way home.