What You'll Need
Quarters is the original bar game — no deck of cards, no ping pong balls, just a coin, a glass, and a table. It's been played in bars and dorm rooms for generations, and for good reason: it's instantly competitive, requires real skill, and gets more entertaining as the night goes on.
- A quarter (or any coin)
- A shot glass or drinking glass
- Drinks for all players
- 2 to 8 players (works best with 4-6)
- A hard, flat table surface
Setup
Place one glass in the center of the table. All players sit or stand around the table. Determine a starting player — youngest goes first, or just whoever grabs the quarter.
How to Play
Basic Quarters
The active player holds the quarter and attempts to bounce it off the table so it lands in the glass. The technique: hold the quarter flat, tap the edge on the table firmly, and aim for the glass. Sounds easy. Isn't.
If you make it: You choose any other player to drink. Then you shoot again. You keep shooting as long as you keep making it.
If you miss: The quarter passes to the next player clockwise.
Three in a row: If you make three consecutive shots, you can make a rule that applies for the rest of the game. Classic rules: no first names, no pointing, no swearing, drink with your non-dominant hand. Break the rule = drink.
Blow/Bounce Variation
If the quarter spins inside the glass rim but doesn't fall in, the player can try to blow it out. If they blow it out before it settles in, no make. If it falls in before they blow, they made it.
Losers Drink Variant
Instead of choosing who drinks, the player who made it points at someone. That person must now make it or they drink. If they make it, they pass the challenge to another player. It cascades until someone misses — they drink.
Winning
Quarters isn't really about winning — it's about skill and social dynamics. However, for a competitive version: play to a target score. Each successful shot = 1 point. First to 15 points wins and assigns a big drink to the table.
Tips & Strategy
- Develop a consistent technique. Quarters is 100% skill. Find a release point, bounce angle, and pressure that works for you — then repeat it. Inconsistency is the enemy.
- Smaller glass = harder game. A shot glass requires much more precision than a pint glass. Adjust difficulty to the group's skill level.
- Use the table texture to your advantage. Smoother tables give more predictable bounces. Rough or textured tables add variance. Know your surface.
- When choosing who drinks after a make, be strategic. Targeting a fast drinker costs less damage to the social dynamic than targeting someone who nurses their drink.
Variations
Speed Quarters
Two glasses, two quarters, two starting players on opposite sides of the table. Both shoot simultaneously. If you make yours and the person to your left is still trying to make theirs, you can pass your quarter to them and they must now drink. The goal is to never get caught holding both quarters.
Spicy Quarters
Add a penalty cup in the center. Every miss adds a small pour from your drink to the penalty cup. Eventually someone has to drink the penalty cup — usually after a set number of total misses.
Tournament Quarters
Single-elimination bracket. Players face off 1v1 in best-of-3 shooting contests. Winner advances. Loser drinks. Good for larger groups.
Categories Quarters
When you make a shot, you name a category instead of assigning a drink. Players around the table must name items in that category. First to blank or repeat drinks instead of the original assignee.
Quarters involves alcohol consumption. Please drink responsibly. This game is intended for adults 21 and older in the United States.