King's Cup Rules
Every card explained, Ace to King (2026 Edition)
King's Cup, Circle of Death, Waterfall… whatever you call it, here's how to play it properly.
King's Cup, Circle of Death, Waterfall… whatever you call it, here's how to play it properly.
🇬🇧 Fun fact: in the UK this game is called Ring of Fire — and we made
the official illustrated deck with these exact rules printed on every card.
Setup
Put a big cup — the King's Cup — in the middle of the table and spread a deck of cards
face-down in a circle around it. Go around the group taking turns to draw a card, and do
what it says below. That's it. The rules are the game.
What Every Card Means
- Ace: Slap Your Face – Everyone slaps their own face; the last player to do it drinks.
- Two: Fuck You – Point at any player; they down their drink.
- Three: Toilet Card – Your bathroom pass. Nobody leaves the table without one; play it whenever you need it.
- Four: Fuck Me – Bad luck: down your own drink.
- Five: High Five – Hands up! Last hand in the air drinks.
- Six: Make a Fix – Invent any rule you like; everyone must obey it for the rest of the game. Don't let the power corrupt you.
- Seven: Categories – Name a category; go around the circle naming things in it until someone blanks. They drink.
- Eight: Pick a Mate – Choose a drinking buddy. They drink whenever you drink, all game long. Cheers, mate!
- Nine: Bust a Rhyme – Say a word; go around the circle rhyming with it until someone fails.
- Ten: Waterfall – Everyone drinks in a chain: you can only stop once the player before you stops.
- Jack: Thumb Master – Any time you like, put your thumb on your face or the table's edge. Everyone copies; last one to catch on drinks.
- Queen: Question Master – Answer any question the Question Master asks you and you drink. Their job is to catch you out. Title passes with the next Queen.
- King: King's Cup – Every King drawn, pour some of your drink into the cup in the middle. Whoever draws the fourth King drinks the King's Cup. Good luck.
King's Cup FAQ
Is King's Cup the same as Ring of Fire?
Yes — same game, different accent. King's Cup is the American name; in the UK (where the game is a student rite of passage) it's Ring of Fire. The card meanings drift from house to house, which is exactly why we printed the rules on the cards. No more arguments.
How many players do you need?
Ideally 4–10. Three works at a push; more than ten and the waterfall gets dangerous.
What do you need to play?
A deck of cards, a big cup, drinks, and people you trust. Any deck works if everyone agrees on the rules — or skip the debate with the official Ring of Fire Cards deck, rules illustrated on every card. There's also a free app if you're travelling light.