Cheers to the Governor

Everyone sits in a circle with a drink. Going round, you count from 1 to 21, one number per person.

Whoever says 21 shouts “Cheers to the Governor!” – everyone clinks glasses and takes a sip. That person then makes up a new rule that stays in place for the rest of the game. The next round starts again at 1.

Typical rules:

• Swap two numbers, for example 7 and 14.
• Replace a number with a word, a sound or a gesture – bark instead of saying 9.
• Reverse the direction on a certain number.
• Skip a number.

Miscount, hesitate or forget a rule and you drink a sip – and the count goes back to 1. Rules stack up, so every round gets harder.

Variations

• Backwards: count from 21 down to 1; whoever says 1 makes the rule.
• Starting rules: fix a few number swaps before the first round.
• Accents: certain numbers must be whispered, shouted or said in another language.

Tips

Treat the first round as a practice round. Keep the rules simple – three swapped numbers and one sound are enough to wreck any round. Rules involving chugging or dares don’t belong in this game.