Zoom Schwartz Profigliano

In Zoom Schwartz Profigliano, you sit in a circle and pass the turn using just three words. What matters is who you’re looking at: “Zoom” goes to the person you look at, while “Schwartz” and “Profigliano” send it back to whoever just zoomed you. Say the wrong word, look the wrong way, hesitate too long or speak when it isn’t your turn, and you take a sip.

Nothing but the three game words gets said. Whoever made the last mistake starts the next round by reciting the name of the game and immediately zooming someone. Two players who have just zoomed each other are in a kind of conversation: they can bounce the turn back and forth until one of them zooms someone new.

• Zoom: You look at someone and say “Zoom” – now it’s their turn. You can’t zoom straight back to the person who just zoomed you.
• Schwartz: You look at the person who zoomed you and send the turn back to them. Looking away while you say it is a mistake.
• Profigliano: Also sends the turn back to whoever zoomed you – but you look at someone else while you say it. The person you’re only looking at must not react, or they drink.

Mistakes include the wrong word, the wrong look, stumbling over a word, saying “um,” laughing mid-word or taking too long. Instead of pointing, the others traditionally aim a bent elbow at whoever slipped up. If there’s an argument, put it to a vote.

Variations

• More words: Experienced groups add extra words such as “Boink” (like Schwartz, but looking down), “Belvidere” (looking at the ceiling, passes to the player on your left) or “Hedge” (passes to the player on your right).
• With gestures: Each word comes with a hand movement that has to match it.
• False alarm: If you call a mistake and the majority disagrees, you drink instead.
• Alcohol-free: Make a mistake and you’re out. The last two play the final.

Tips

Start slowly with just the three basic words – the speed will come on its own. Turn your head clearly when you speak so everyone can see who you mean. Good players fake a direction with their body. Where the game comes from is disputed: some say a college in Maryland, others a US Navy submarine crew.