The Origin and Evolution of Drinking Games

Drinking games have been recorded in human history as far back as Ancient Greece and have continued to show up throughout time around the world. Drinking was often an important component of social gatherings, and partaking in drinks while being able to handle your liquor well was an essential social nicety.

Drinking games came into existence to facilitate drinking, create a social atmosphere, and provide entertainment. To this day, drinking games still serve these purposes for those who participate, though current games look a little different. Here, we'll look at the progression of drinking games, starting with the Ancient Greek Kottabos and ending with well-known games played today.

Kottabos (1100s BCE)

Ancient Greece gave us more than just Olympic competitions and significant contributions to math, philosophy, art, and science; it also provided us with the first recorded drinking game, Kottabos. The game involved throwing the wine residue or dregs at a disc balanced on top of a pole or into a dish floating in water. These targets were situated in the center of a room, and the wine tosser would sit or lounge on pillows to make the toss.

Naturally, tossing the wine required precision, and as people drank more, it became more difficult. The game would be bet on, though with far fewer rules and regulations than you'd find betting through the sites analyzed on casinos.com.

Jiuling (1000s BCE)

During the Zhou Dynasty, Jiuling was the drinking game of choice in China. This game involved participants pulling an object, like a card, from a dish with inscribed instructions, requiring certain people to drink based on factors like age or social status. Sometimes, there would be no instructions, giving everyone a break from drinking and adding to the game's suspense. Some consider this game an early version of King's Cup, where players use cards with assigned actions for the game's participants.

The Puzzle Jug (1300s)

From the 16th to the 19th century, the puzzle jug was a popular form of drinking entertainment in France and other European countries, though its roots can be traced as far back as the 14th century. The drinking jug would have multiple holes near the spout and require a precise technique to drink from without spilling the beverage all over the drinker.

Like Kottabos, the ability to be successful at this game became more difficult the longer it was played and the more alcohol was consumed. Adding to the game's entertainment were the poems added to the jugs, often taunting or teasing how difficult it would be to use.

Automatons (1600s)

During the Renaissance, aristocrats and royalty, particularly in Germany, enjoyed a popular drinking game involving a mechanical bottle known as an automaton. The game relied on a bottle attached to a clockwork mechanism, which moved it around the table and made it stop before a participant who would then have to drink its contents. The bottle would be disguised, resembling a decorative statue of a person, animal, or object. Examples of these can be found at the British Museum and other historic collections.

Sconcing (1600s)

In the 17th century, another drinking game became popular. This game, believed to have originated at Oxford University, involved drinking as a form of "punishment" or "hazing" for making a mistake, like mispronouncing a word, during a social gathering. Those who had the misfortune of stumbling over words would have to drink a full cup of their beverage; this, in turn, would increase the possibility of the drinker making even more missteps as the event went on.

Passatella (1700s)

The drinking game Passatella is one that some have described as cruel or socially sanctioned bullying. It involved each participant contributing enough money for a round of drinks for the whole group but not necessarily getting a drink out of it.

The game designates two people as bosses who can decide whether or not each participant gets to drink, typically based on how much they like you. If you were denied your drink, the boss would consume it. The boss would also insult you in the process. It's rumored that this game led to angry outbursts and violence by those who took serious offense to it.

Passatella was popular during the 18th century in Italy, though it's possible it was played before this time.

Beer Pong (1950s)

Beer pong was born in the 1950s, and many attribute its development to fraternity members at Dartmouth University. The game started with using ping-pong paddles, but as the game became more widespread and popular, the paddles were removed. Instead, players started throwing the ping-pong ball.

The game divides players into two teams, with each person aiming to get the ping-pong ball into a full cup on their opponent's side of the table. When a player successfully lands a ball into a cup, their opponent must drink the contents. It's simple in its premise and is now an iconic game seen in movies and TV shows and a rite of passage for college partygoers.

Flip Cup (1980s)

A few decades after beer pong was created, another drinking game, flip cup, became popular. This game also involves two teams, and each member, one at a time, finishes their drink, places their cup face down on a table, and then flips it upright. The first team to flip all their cups wins. It's another simple game that hasn't received as much attention as beer pong but is still a party favorite.

Conclusion

From the days of Ancient Greece to the college dorms of today, drinking games have been a part of our social interactions that encourage people to drink more and provide a casual social experience and entertainment.