You’re tired of playing the King’s Cup at every social event with your friends. Thankfully King’s Cup doesn’t have to be the only drinking game that you can play in a large group. Enter: Ride the bus.
The game Ride the Bus involves a mixture of logic and luck to prevent becoming the unfortunate player who must ‘ride on the bus’. The rules are easy to understand once the game starts. People can also watch the game and learn from it.
Ride the Bus is easy to play. All you need are a dealer (driver), a passenger (we’ll cover that later), and a pack of cards. The minimum number of players is two, but the more, the better.
What is Ride the Bus?
The card-drinking game Ride the Bus can be enjoyed by large groups of people. The game Ride the Bus is a combination of logic and luck. Participants try to avoid getting drunk by not being the person who ends up “riding the bus”.
Objective
The dealer must turn over each card in the pyramid one at a time. As the drinking game continues, any player who has a matching deck of cards can place it on the table and force another player to drink. This is a laid-back drinking game that you can learn from as you play.
Game Setup
It’s easy to set up Ride the Bus. You only need:
- Deck of Cards
- Alcoholic beverage
- Two or more players
The dealer is the player who receives the deck of cards that has been randomly shuffled. This is the player who knows the most about the game and can help explain it to others as the game proceeds.
The players should be seated in a round or at a table. Everyone should have their favorite booze ready.
How To Play Ride The Bus Drinking Game
It’s easy to play and even beginners can learn while playing. After a few games, they will become experts and the game becomes more competitive.
Players must decide who will be the dealer before they can begin a game. Assigning someone the role of a dealer is a simple way to choose a player. When choosing a dealer make sure the person you choose is familiar with the rules and mechanics of the game.
You can add an extra twist to the game by having the players play a chance-based alcohol game that is in line with the Ride the Bus theme. Play a mini-game in which players all drink beer or alcohol at the same time. The dealer is the person who drinks their last drink! Prepare enough alcoholic drinks.
Ride The Bus Rules
Phase One: Dealing With the Card
Rule 1: Choose a dealer, and ask them to shuffle
Choose among your friends, a group of four to eight players, who will deal the cards throughout the entire game. After selecting your dealer, ask them to shuffle or cut the deck before beginning the first part of the game.
Ride the Bus does not give the dealer any special powers, so it can be anyone in the group. If there are players in your group that aren’t going to drink, you can choose them as the dealers so they keep track of the game and make sure everyone drinks responsibly.
Rule 2: Play “Red or Black?”
The dealer should distribute one card face down to each player. Each player must guess whether the card will turn out red (a heart or diamond card) or black when it is flipped. After a player makes their guess, the dealer will flip the card. If the player guesses correctly, nothing happens. If they have an incorrect answer, then they will drink. If you want a more intense game of “red or Black”, players who guess correctly will be able to assign their drink to a different person instead of getting nothing.
Rule 3: Play “Higher or Lower?”
The dealer should then distribute a second card face down to each player after everyone has received their card (including the Dealer if he is playing). The players will need to guess whether the value of this card will be higher than or lower than that which they currently hold. If they guess correctly, nothing happens. If they are wrong, you can drink again.
The dealer can’t play, so players should only reveal their card flip to the dealer. This way no one else will know what they have in their hands. Ace is high on Ride the Bus.
Rule 4: Play “in between or outside?
After each player has two cards, the dealer should distribute a third card face down to all players. The players must now guess whether the face-down value of the card will be between the two values of the cards they already have once the card is flipped. If they are right, then nothing happens. If they are wrong, guess what happens? They drink.
Rule 5: Play “Guess which suit”
The dealer now distributes a final card face down to each player. The players must guess whether the card is a club, diamond heart, or spade. If it is any other suit, the players must drink. You can increase the stakes by having the players drink 2 drinks, or take a shot of alcohol instead of only 1.
Phase Two: Building the Pyramid
The players collect and hold their four cards. The dealer builds a pyramid with face-down cards. Five cards are placed at the bottom, followed by four cards in the next row, and so on, until only one card is left. As you move up the pyramid the drink values increase. The pyramid cards in the bottom row count for one drink, while the top card counts for five drinks, or one shot of liquor if you’re feeling extra.
One card at a time is flipped starting at the bottom of the row. If you have a card that matches the row, you can place it on top of the card. This gives the player the right to punish the other player by giving them the number of drinks associated with the row. The player can place multiple cards per row on the same card. Drinks can then be distributed as they please. The pyramid continues to be played.
The players can save their cards and hope to be able to match them with a higher-value pyramid. It’s a risky decision because having the most cards in your hand at the end of Phase Two will force you to ride the bus.
Phase Three: Riding on the Bus
The player who has the most cards is out. The dealer will choose a card for each player with the same amount of cards. The player who has the highest card loses, and must take the bus. If both players have the same card they must choose another to break the tie.
The player who must ride the bus still hasn’t finished. The player who has to ride the bus is not done yet. They have to go back and answer all 4 questions again. If they answer wrong, they have to repeat the question ‘Red or Black?’
Once the player has answered all four questions correctly in a line or when the deck is empty, the game ends. The person on the bus will usually be pretty drunk at this point. Drink responsibly and be cautious when playing this game. It’s best to stop the game if they seem drunk.
Variations and Additional Rules
Variations and additional rules can add depth and excitement to the already entertaining game of Ride the Bus. By introducing new elements, players can enjoy a fresh experience each time they gather to play. Here are some variations and additional rules to consider:
- Matching Card Variation: In this variation, players must match the rank or suit of the previously played card. If they fail to do so, they face a penalty. This adds an extra layer of challenge and keeps players on their toes.
- Identical Card Twist: In this rule variation, when an identification card to the one played appears, all players must race to touch the pile of cards in the center. The last one to do so receives a penalty. This brings a fast-paced and competitive element to the game.
- Pyramid Modification: Instead of the traditional pyramid structure, players can create their unique pyramid formations. Experimenting with different pyramid shapes and sizes can provide a refreshing gameplay experience.
- Entire Deck Penalty: Rather than stopping the game after the pyramid is completed, players can choose to continue drawing cards from the entire deck. This prolongs the game and increases the automatic penalties, intensifying the fun and challenge.
Tips and Strategies for Winning
While Ride the Bus involves an element of chance, implementing strategies can increase your chances of winning. Consider the following tips:
- Observation is Key: Pay close attention to the cards that have been played and use this information to make informed decisions throughout the game.
- Manage Risk: Be strategic with your card choices, considering the penalties associated with each level of the pyramid. Minimize your risks by carefully selecting the cards you flip.
- Psychological Tactics: Employ mind games to deceive opponents. Utilize bluffing, misdirection, and reading body language to gain an advantage during the guessing game.
- Stay Calm and Focused: Maintaining a calm and focused mindset will help you make rational decisions, increasing your chances of success.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to win the Ride Bus Drinking Game
The winner is the player with the fewest cards and the highest number of correct answers.
How Many people can ride the bus?
The game Ride the Bus is played by four to eight players.
Can the game Ride the Bus also be played without drinking?
You can modify the game to make it a non-drinking game. You could play Ride the Bus with a bet instead of drinking.
Wrapping Up
Overall, this fun drinking game is great for large or small groups. Please drink responsibly as always! The goal of Ride the Bus is not to make the players sick by drinking too much alcohol on such game nights.
Stop the game if the player who is riding the bus appears to be too intoxicated. You shouldn’t let them play until they are too drunk to stand.