A deck of cards is the most portable party kit there is. Fifty-two cards fit in a pocket and unlock dozens of games, from all-in-one classics like Kings Cup to fast bluffing games and full-on card carnage. Here are the best drinking card games we have full rules for, with a quick reason we rate each one and a link to how it is played.
Best drinking card games at a glance
| Card game | Players | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|
| Kings Cup | 3+ | One deck runs the whole night and every card fires its own rule. |
| Ride the Bus | 3+ | Pure luck and dread, the loser rides the bus through a brutal final round. |
| Irish Poker | 3+ | Four guesses with a drink on each, teachable in under a minute. |
| F*ck the Dealer | 3+ | The dealer is on the hook all game, so the whole table roots against them. |
| Kemps | 4+ | Secret partner signals turn a card game into a bluffing contest. |
| Cards Against Humanity | 4+ | Bolt drinking rules onto the party favourite and it turns messy fast. |
| Drunk Uno | 2+ | Every colour and action card maps to a drink, so a game you know becomes a session. |
| Circle of Death | 3+ | A Kings Cup cousin with a fresh rule set for when you have played Kings to death. |
| Asshole | 4+ | A ladder game where the winner bosses the loser around all night. |
| Waterfall | 3+ | The relentless group chug that kicks off most card decks. |
| Pyramid | 3+ | Build a pyramid and call bluffs to hand out drinks, big on mind games. |
| FUBAR | 3+ | A stacked-rules card game that gets more chaotic as the pile grows. |
| Card games for two | 2 | A whole set of two-player card games for a quieter night in. |
Pro tips
- Keep a spare deck. Cards go missing and get ruined, so a backup keeps the night alive.
- Agree the rules up front. Kings Cup especially varies house to house, so settle it before the first card.
- Light pours. Card games run long, so small measures keep everyone in it.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Endlessly portable, one deck does it all
- Huge variety from one bit of kit
- Easy to scale pours up or down
- Great for both big groups and just two
Cons
- Rules can confuse first-timers
- Cards get wrecked by spills without a plastic deck
- Some games drag if the group is too big
Frequently asked questions
What is the best drinking card game?
For a big group it is hard to beat Kings Cup, since one deck runs the whole night. For pure chaos, Ride the Bus and Rage Cage take some beating.
What card games can you play with two people?
Plenty. Drunk Uno plays great head to head, and we have a full guide to card drinking games for two.
