• 10 cups per team.

• 10-cup triangle - must be centered on the table and the back of the rack must be in line with the back edge of the table.

• Water is used in all cups. Cups shall be filled ⅓ - ½ with water.

• These water cups are not for consumption, and no person shall be required or encouraged to drink as a result of any part of the game. The cups are to be reused every round. All official ABPL competitions must abide by all local laws concerning beer pong.

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• Each team will get two (2) shots for each turn, one shot per team member, subject to any other rules within.

• To determine who chooses shot and table side, one player from each team plays “Rock, Paper, Scissors” to make that determination.

• The ball in play may be grabbed or swatted after it has already made contact with a cup, but not while the ball is in the cup. You may not grab or swat before the ball has hit a cup except in the case of bounce shots, as permitted by the rules.

• In the event of player interference prior to the ball making contact with a cup, (i.e., premature grabulation), a one-cup penalty will be imposed for the interference. The shooter who had his or her shot interfered with may choose the cup to be removed.

• Balls may not be interfered with while inside of a cup, i.e., no fingering.

• Players are allowed to shoot via bounce.

• If a bounce shot is made, that cup will count for 2 cups.

• The defensive team shall choose the second cup that is removed from the game.

• Bounce shots may be swatted after the ball has made contact with the table at least once. Players may also catch bounce shots instead of swatting.

• Any cups knocked over in an attempt to swat a bounce will count as made cups and will be pulled from the game.

• Missed non-bounce shots that ricochet back off the table or any other object, after hitting a cup or rack, or any other object on the table will count as only 1 cup and not count as 2 cups.

• Catching the ball one handed after it has bounced of the rim of the cup will give that player one additional shot (the ball can not have touched the table before being caught)

• Cups must be reformed at 6, 3, and 1 cups remaining according to the diagram below:

• Racks must be aligned to the center of the table. Racks must be aligned flush with the back edge of the table. (No overhang. No gap before the edge.) When one cup is remaining, the cup shall always be pulled back to be aligned flush with the end of the table, and it shall be placed in the center of the table.

• Cups should be removed as soon as they are hit, even in the case where a reformation is not warranted. It is the responsibility of the shooting team to wait until a hit cup is removed to take their next shot. If a team shoots while the opposing team is reforming or in the process of removing a cup from the table, and the ball goes in the cup after making contact with the defending team’s hand(s), the shot will count as a miss. If a shooter hits a cup that has already been hit, it will count as a miss.

• If a team mistakenly shoots when a reform should have occurred, they have the right to ask for a reform after the fact. If a cup has been hit, and the shooting team then asks for a reform, the defending team gets to choose which cup gets removed from the reformed rack

• In general, if both players on a team sink his/her shot on the same turn, that team will get one (1) additional rollback shot, not two. The only exception to this rule is during redemption.

• Either teammate may take the rollback shot. Neither teammate may take more than 2 consecutive rollback shots. Once two consecutive rollback shots have been taken by one player (makes or misses) the next rollback shot must be taken by the other partner.

• Leaning shall be PERMITTED with the following considerations:

• Under no circumstances may a player shoot with any part of his or her body on (against is permitted) the table.

• A player may not place a hand/foot/leg/penis/whatever on the table in order to gain additional reach and/or leverage. Leaning against the table is only permitted if a player’s shot is NOT MOVING THE TABLE from its originally set position. If any part of a player’s body is causing the table to move during their shot from the tables originally set position, the shot will be forfeited. (It will not count if it goes in.)

• A player's hand may not touch the table after a shot is released.

• A player may not bounce or touch the ball to the table after their foot has left the ground. If a player releases a shot with such leverage or touches the table in any manner throughout the motion of their shot and/or after their shot is released, that shot will be forfeited. (It will not count if it goes in.)

• Players may not edge themselves around the table when they shoot.

• Players may not move cups out of position in order to gain a leaning advantage. If the cups move as a result of contact with the body while shooting, the cups must be returned to their original spot before the next shot, whether it be by the opposing team or same team. Any cup knocked over as the result of excessive leaning will count as a hit shot.

• Distractions are permitted with the following restrictions (subject to a one cup penalty):

• Players may not cross the plane of play (the imaginary plane which runs vertically and separates you from your cups) with any part of their bodies, clothing, or other objects, while the other team is shooting. To avoid violating this rule, just stand back a few feet from your cups.

• Lighting devices may not be used to interfere with vision.

• Players may not approach the opposing team members in an unsportsmanlike manner. This includes running alongside the table to talk trash in an opposing players face. In general, players should never be on the side of the table (picking up a ball is an exception). Players may not pass the quarter way point of the table after/in-between shots.

• Players and spectators may not visually block cups from opposing players.

• Spectators are permitted to aid in distractions, but may not be inside the playing area at any time. In addition, in the event that players are positioned close to the outer edges of a playing area, spectators are prohibited from unreasonably interfering with a player’s ability to shoot. Specifically, no spectator is allowed to scream directly into the ears of players at close range, or attempt to block a player's view of the cups.

• Distractions should not violate any venue/location, local, state, or federal rules

• In the event that a player who has possession of the ball drops a ball into his own cups either accidentally or intentionally, no penalty is taken.

• Games have a maximum time limit of 15 minutes. The team which has the least amount of cups remaining when the time limit is reached shall be deemed the winner ( Subject to Redemption) 

• OR if both teams have an equal number of cups remaining then ‘Sudden Death’ will determine the winner.

• Redemption (a.k.a., Rebuttal): As soon as the last cup is hit, the opposing team has the opportunity to try and bring the game into Sudden Death if that team has ONE cup remaining. 

• Only one shot at redemption is allowed

• Either player may take the redemption shot 

• If the redemption shot is successful the game moves to Sudden Death 

• There is one cup only.

• Redemption rules do not apply

• Each team will have one shot in this round (alternate players each round if required) 

• First team to sink the opponents cup in a round when the opposing team misses the shot  wins the game

• In the event that a player is temporarily absent, no substitution may be made. The game continues without the missing player; i.e. that team receives only one shot per side until the missing player returns.

• In the event that a player is forced to vacate the venue by the venue manager or ABPL staff, the team will forfeit the rest of the tournament.

• Late Arrivals 

• Heat start times are determined by the judges. 

• If a team has not arrived by the start of a game that game will continue for its full duration. 

• The penalty for a late arrival is 1 cup per 1 minute eg arrive 5 minutes late, 5 cups are removed. 

• All players are to conduct themselves in a manner respectful to other players, referees, and the sport of Beer Pong.