Looking for a poker drinking game? You’ve come to the right place. These are the official rules for the EasyPoker drinking game, built on top of ordinary Texas Hold’em, so anyone who knows the game can start straight away.
It’s a party game, so play it like one: over 18s only, know your limits, and drink responsibly. Swapping in a soft drink works perfectly well and nobody at the table will be able to tell.
Basic Rules
You need at least two players and a poker set. If you don’t have one, use the free EasyPoker app instead – it’s a digital poker set that deals the cards and counts the chips, which is genuinely useful once a few rounds have gone by. It’s available for iPhone and Android.
You can also grab it here:
Other than a poker set, you’ll need:
- Beer (or your favorite beverage)
- A loser shot or beverage (We recommend tequila)
Take a sip of your drink every time you fold or lose a hand. When a player goes bust and loses all their chips, they drink the loser shot or finish what’s left of their drink. That’s the whole basic game.
Special Events
On top of the basic rules, these nine events each trigger a drink. They’re what turn a normal hand of Hold’em into a party game – and they escalate quickly, so pace yourself.
- Ace of spades in the community cards – cheers, everyone takes a sip.
- Winning with a pair of twos – the winner picks any player to take an extra sip.
- Split pot – every player involved finishes their drink.
- A three in the community cards – count down 3-2-1-GO and point at a player. Whoever has the most fingers pointing at them drinks.
- Winning on a bluff or high card – everyone takes a sip except the winner.
- A queen in the community cards – all the women drink. If no women are playing, count down from three and point instead; the man with the most fingers pointing at him drinks.
- A king in the community cards – all the men drink. If no men are playing, count down from three and point instead; the woman with the most fingers pointing at her drinks.
- A player goes all in – everyone at the table takes a sip.
- Winning with pocket aces – the whole table finishes their drinks, winner included. Cheers.
That’s the whole game. If anyone needs a refresher first, our guide on how to play poker covers the basics and poker hands covers what beats what – worth settling before the drinking starts rather than after.
Planning a bigger night around it? Our guide to hosting a poker night covers the table, the blinds and the food. Enjoy, and drink responsibly.
Got a rule of your own, or a request? Get in touch.
Poker Drinking Game FAQ
How do you play the poker drinking game?
Play an ordinary game of Texas Hold’em with two or more players. Take a sip every time you fold or lose a hand, and when someone goes bust they finish their drink or take the loser shot. On top of that, nine special events – certain cards on the board, split pots, all-ins and so on – trigger extra drinks for different players.
What do you need to play?
A poker set or the free EasyPoker app, a drink for each player, and a loser shot for whoever busts first. Tequila is the traditional choice for the loser shot, though nothing stops you making it something kinder. The app version is handy because it deals and counts chips for you as the night goes on.
What are the special event rules?
There are nine. The ace of spades on the board means everyone sips; a three means count down and point, and whoever is pointed at most drinks; a queen means the women drink and a king means the men do; split pots and pocket aces mean finishing drinks; all-ins and bluff wins spread sips around the table. The full list with the exact wording is above.
Can you play a poker drinking game with an app?
Yes, and it works better than a physical set once people have had a few. EasyPoker deals every hand and tracks all the chips, so there’s no shuffling, no miscounted stacks and no arguments about who raised what. Everyone sits in the same room and joins the table with a four-digit game PIN.
Which poker games can you play on EasyPoker?
EasyPoker deals Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Short Deck (6+) and Reverse Hold’em. Reverse Hold’em is our own variant, where the river is dealt first and the flop comes last. Texas Hold’em is free and unlimited, which is the one these drinking rules are written for; the other three are free for your first 10 games of each, after which hosting them needs EasyPoker Plus.