Caps

In Caps, two teams of two sit facing each other about six to thirteen feet apart, each with a glass holding a small splash of beer in front of them. Players take turns throwing a bottle cap, trying to land it in the other team’s glass. When someone sinks one, the other team has to answer right away – whoever misses first in that back-and-forth drinks their glass, and the other side scores a point.

All you need are two sturdy glasses or beer mugs and plenty of bottle caps, ideally ten per person. The glasses go on the floor or a low table right in front of each team. Rock, paper, scissors decides who starts. After that, the four players alternate: someone from team A, then team B, then the other player from team A, and so on.

• Throwing: Flick the cap or toss it from the wrist, it doesn’t matter – you just have to stay seated, butt behind your own glass.
• Hit: If your cap lands in the other team’s glass, that team gets to answer. Their next thrower has to sink one too.
• Rally: If the answer goes in, the first side has to hit again. It goes back and forth until someone misses.
• Losing the rally: Whoever misses during a rally drinks their glass together with their teammate. The team with the last hit scores a point, and the glass gets refilled with a splash.
• Rim shot: If the cap only rattles off the rim without dropping in, there’s no point – but the glass that was hit gets topped up with a small splash.
• Winning: Play to five points, and you have to win by two.

With two players, the rules are the same, just without partners.

Variations

• Social: If all four players hit in a row, both teams drink a sip together.
• Beer fetcher: If three players hit in a round and one misses, that player fetches the next drinks.
• Long distance: Partners sit diagonally across from each other about fifteen feet apart, with a beer mug against the wall. Games go to eleven.
• Bottle version: In France, instead of a glass you aim at the other team’s bottle, with an upside-down cap resting on the opening.

Tips

Heavy glasses with a wide base won’t tip when a cap bounces off the rim. Start collecting caps a few days ahead – a night of Caps uses more than you’d think. For an alcohol-free round, water or soda in the glass works just as well.