Thumper

Thumper is one of the great old table games. There are no cards, no cups to bounce balls into and nothing to set up: everyone sits round a table, drums on it with their hands and passes the turn around using silly hand signals. It sounds simple, and it is, right up until you have to remember five other people's signs while keeping the beat and someone points at you. It is loud, fast and works brilliantly in a pub corner or round the kitchen table.

What You Need

• A sturdy table that everyone can sit around (and that can take some thumping)

• A drink for each player, alcoholic or not

• At least four players; six to ten is ideal

Setup

1. Everyone sits around the table with their drink in front of them.

2. Each player picks a sign: a simple, quick gesture that is easy to copy. Think tugging your ear, a thumbs-up, a salute, rabbit ears, a fist pump or stroking an imaginary beard.

3. Go round the table once so everyone shows their sign. No two players can have the same one.

4. Pick someone to start. They are the Thumper for the first round.

How to Play

1. Everyone starts drumming their hands on the table in a steady rhythm. The drumming continues for the whole round.

2. The Thumper shouts, “What’s the name of the game?” and everyone replies, “Thumper!”

3. The Thumper then calls, “And why do we play it?” and the table answers with something like “To have fun!” (groups have their own ruder versions).

4. The Thumper does their own sign, followed straight away by someone else’s sign.

5. The player whose sign was made must immediately do their own sign and then another player’s sign, passing the turn on.

6. Play carries on round the table as fast as people can manage, with everyone still drumming.

7. When someone slips up, the round stops, they take a drink, and they become the Thumper to start the next round.

What Counts as a Mistake

• Hesitating too long when your sign is made (the group decides what “too long” means)

• Doing the wrong sign, or forgetting your own

• Doing the sign of someone who has been knocked out or who is not playing

• Making your sign when nobody passed to you

• Stopping drumming while it is your turn

• Passing straight back to the person who just passed to you (optional house rule, but it keeps things moving)

Tips for a Better Game

• Keep the signs simple: big, obvious gestures are easier to read across a busy table. Tiny eyebrow raises cause arguments.

• Similar signs are a trap: a thumbs-up and a thumbs-down next to each other will catch people out. That is either a problem or the whole point, depending on your group.

• Speed it up as you go: the first round can be slow while people learn the signs. After that, the faster the better.

• Name a referee: if your group argues about hesitation, let one person (or the last player caught) make the call.

Variations

• Swap signs: every few rounds, everyone passes their sign to the player on their left. Memory goes out of the window.

• Elimination Thumper: instead of drinking, players who slip up drop out, and the last player left wins. Anyone who has dropped out can heckle.

• Silent Thumper: no drumming, no chant, just signs. It sounds easier but the silence makes it oddly tense.

• Soft-drink version: swap drinks for points or forfeits. It plays just as well with lemonade.

Drink Responsibly

Thumper is about the noise and the laughs, 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.