Quarters

Quarters is a game of skill that can provide hours of fun and amusement to as little as two players or as many as one hundred. All that is needed to play is at least one quarter, a shot glass big enough to fit the quarter into and a hard surface to play on.

Players can position themselves anyway they like however a circle is usually the easiest way to sit a round a table so try that first. Any player can start the game and future play simply moves around the gaming area to the left of the player who begins the game. If you find a different order to be more to your liking then please feel free to play as such. To play the game all you have to do is bounce the quarter off the table, or whatever surface you are using, and into the shot glass. That's it. Of course this simple task is a bit more difficult to accomplish than it may seem. There is no set way to bounce the quarter off the table and each player usually develops their own technique. Some advanced players can roll the quarter off their nose, onto the table and into the glass. Others can roll the quarter off their forearm, onto the table and into the glass. Develop your own special technique and you will be the envy of your peers.

Once a player manages to get the quarter into the glass they are given the privilege of choosing another player and making them take a drink. The player who got the quarter in the glass then gets to shoot again. If a player misses the glass then they can either a) pass the quarter and glass to the next player without penalty or b) they can 'chance it' and take another shot at getting the quarter in the glass. If they make it then they get to shoot again and make a player drink. If they miss then they have to take a drink themselves. If a player is skilled enough to get three shots in a row in the glass, including taking chances, then they get to make a rule. This rule can be anything within reason that relates to the game or gaming environment. Popular rules include:

If a player hits the rim of the glass then it is called a "rimmer" and depending on how the group wants to play, that can either count as a shot in or else the player has to take a drink.

Some final advice: Don't play on a glass surface or on a good table. Bouncing a piece of metal on wood does have a tendency to cause marks. We have found that formica provides the best surface. Other house rules can be implemented such as; If a player bounces a quarter into an ashtray, or if they bounce it off of the table then they have to drink a certain amount which can be determined by the players involved in the game. One on one games of Quarters can be quite painful, especially if one player is hot and the other is having trouble finding the glass. Just ask one of the authors!