The game involves two teams, each stationed on opposite ends of a table. Cups of beer are arranged in a pyramid shape on each side and the players take turns tossing ping-pong balls aimed at the other team's cups. When a ball is "sunk," the defending (non-shooting) team must remove that cup from the table and drink its contents.

The object of the game is to eliminate the opposing team's cups before they can eliminate yours.

If you have beer pong racks, it's easy. If you don't, arrange the beer pong cups according to the diagram below.

Fill all beer pong cups about 1/4 to 1/3 of the way with beer. Place an extra cup, filled with water, off to the side for rinsing off your balls.

Although there are currently no "official" beer pong rules, this collection of widely accepted beer pong tips should get you off to a great start.

One player from each team is selected to take an initial shot that determines which team goes first.

While looking each other in the eye, players count to three and take a shot at the same time. If only one of them makes the shot, their team goes first. If they both make or miss their shot, players go again.

After the first game, the winning team gets the first shot.

Each beer pong team shoots twice per turn; each player taking one shot.

If both players make their shot, the balls are returned and that team receives an extra turn.

The ball can be tossed or bounced into the cup.

A tossed ball that is sunk is worth one cup (the cup that it lands in). A bounced shot that is sunk is worth two cups (the one in which the shot was made and another from the pyramid).

There is a catch! The defending (non-throwing) team may block a bounced ball once it hits the table, whereas tossed shots are indefensible.

A beer pong cup is "sunk" as soon as the ball touches the contents of the cup.

If a ball is spinning in the cup, you may attempt to blow it out before it touches the cups contents.

Warning: If the ball touches the contents and you blow it out, and it lands in another cup, both cups are considered sunk.

Any cup that is sunk must be immediately removed from the table and the defending team is responsible for drinking its contents. Team members alternate drinking.

Any cups accidentally knocked over are considered sunk.

Although the cups begin in a pyramid, they don't necessarily stay that way, as cups are removed.

A team is allowed to request a "re-rack" of the cups at the end of a turn, in order to maintain a compact shape.

Each team gets two re-racks per game, which can be used at any time. The standard beer pong rule is to take one re-rack with 6 cups remaining, and the other when 2 or 3 cups remain.

Suggested shapes include:

When a team eliminates the last beer pong cup of their opposing team, they haven't won yet. The defending team has a "redemption round" or "rebuttal round," where they are given two shots. Just as in a regular turn, if both shots are made in a row that team receives another turn and a chance to keep the game alive.

If a team hits the remaining cups during the redemption round, overtime is forced. If the team is not able to force the game into overtime, they lose and are responsible for drinking the contents of the remaining team's cups in addition to their own remaining cup(s).

Should the game be forced into overtime, each team sets up three cups in a triangle and fills them with beer. The team who hit the last cup to force the overtime shoots first.

Overtime is played like a normal game, and double or triple overtime may be necessary.