We all know and love this game and it is pulled out at every fresher’s pres I know. There is however a lot of contention on the rules, some people say one thing another says another. So here’s to lay rest to the debate. What are the real rules in ring of fire. You’ve got the large cup in the middle and a pack of cards around. The value of the cards should then be:

If you pull a… 2

ring of fire 2 rules
Source: Wikimedia Commons
You: the player who drew the card picks someone in the circle to drink

If you pull a… 3

ring of fire 3 rules
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Me: the player who drew the card drinks

If you pull a… 4

ring of fire 4 rules
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Wh*res: All those who identify as female drink

If you pull a… 5

If you pull a... 5
Source: Canva
Thumbmaster:  the player who drew the card must put their thumb on the table at a chosen time (before the next five gets picked though, or they lose the right). The last person to put their thumb on the table must drink

If you pull a… 6

ring of fire rules 6
Soure: Wikimedia Commons
D*cks: All those who identify as a male drink

If you pull a… 7

ring of fire 7 rules
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Heaven:  the player who drew the card must point to the sky (at any chosen time before the next 7 is drawn). The last person who points to the sky must drink

If you pull an… 8

Ring of fire 8 rules
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Mate:  the player who drew the card picks a drinking mate, who must drink every time they drink. As a secondary rule, you can decide whether that means you always have to drink when they drink, too.

If you pull a… 9

If you pull a... 9
Source: Canva
Rhyme: the player who drew the card says a word, and you go around the circle rhyming with that word until someone messes up, and has to drink

If you pull a… 10

If you pull a... 10
Source: Canva
Categories:  the player who drew the card thinks of a category (e.g. dogs, cars, types of alcohol), and you go around the circle naming words in that category until someone messes up, and has to drink

If you pull a… Jack

ring of fire Jack rules
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Make a rule: The player who drew the card makes a new rule (e.g. must drink with your left hand, or you can’t call people by their first names) and anyone who breaks the rule at any time throughout the rest of the game has to drink

If you pull a… Queen

ring of fire Queen rules
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Question master: the player becomes the question master, and if anybody answers a question asked by the player who drew the card, they have to drink. This applies to ANY question.

If you pull a… King

If you pull a... King
Source: Canva
The player who drew the card must pour some of their drink into the King cup (the one in the middle). The person to draw the last King has to drink whatever is in the cup in the middle.

If you pull an… Ace

If you pull an... Ace
Source: Canva
Waterfall:  Starting with the player who drew the card, every player continually drinks their drink, and can only stop when the person to their right has stopped drinking. Now, that is quite a mouthful but hopefully should settle any future arguments on the matter.

What is the real spirit of ring of fire?

Now, we’ve laid to rest any arguments in the group of what the rules and values actually are. What we will say though is that ring of fire is a game of chaos; it’s a game where at the end you are basically drinking the most brutally alcoholic concoction known to man. This isn’t a game where you follow the rules. So what we would now like to share with you is some of the most rogue ring of fire rules that we have ever heard. 5- alive, whoever can run the full length of the room the fastest gets to give out 5 sips. Joker – Including this card opens up so many new opportunities, the most bizarre that we’ve ever heard is that you pick this card up and start laughing the last person to catch on and laugh must drink. The D rule – you can’t say drink, drunk or drank. Good luck as you get more drunk (damn it!) it gets trickier! Most importantly, have fun and stay safe but also remember the rules are to be broken, maybe start classic and see how you can spice it up as you go along. Add to the rules and create your own that’s what the spirit of ring of fire is all about.
Aminah Barnes
Aminah Barnes – Manchester Metropolitan University
Topic expertise: University & Degree choice, Applications, Travel and Student life

FAQs on Ring of Fire Rules

Ring of Fire is a classic student drinking game played with a standard deck of cards arranged in a circle around a central cup. Players take turns drawing cards, each of which corresponds to a specific rule or drinking action, creating a chaotic and hilarious experience.

Each card has its own rule: 2 = “You” (pick someone to drink), 3 = “Me”, 4 = “Whores” (females drink), 5 = “Thumbmaster”, 6 = “Dicks” (males drink), 7 = “Heaven”, 8 = “Mate”, 9 = “Rhyme”, 10 = “Categories”, Jack = “Make a Rule”, Queen = “Question Master”, King = pour into the cup (last King drinks it), and Ace = “Waterfall”.

Each time a King is drawn, the player adds some of their drink to the central “King cup”. The person who draws the fourth and final King must drink whatever mix has accumulated—often a brutal combination of multiple drinks.

Yes, part of the fun of Ring of Fire is customising it with your own group rules. Some players assign special actions to Jokers or introduce twists like the “D rule” (where no one can say "drink", "drank", or "drunk") to make the game even more entertaining.

The main aim is fun, laughter, and social chaos. Rules are followed loosely, creativity is encouraged, and the game often ends with someone reluctantly downing the King cup mixture. It's all about bonding, banter, and embracing the unexpected.

Authors

  • Aminah is a dedicated content expert and writer at Unifresher, bringing a unique blend of creativity and precision to her work. Her passion for crafting engaging content is complemented by a love for travelling, cooking, and exploring languages. With years spent living in cultural hubs like Barcelona, Sicily, and Rome, Aminah has gained a wealth of experiences that enrich her perspective. Now based back in her hometown of Manchester, she continues to immerse herself in the city's vibrant atmosphere. An enthusiastic Manchester United supporter, Aminah also enjoys delving into psychology and true crime in her spare time.

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