Cheers to the Governor: count to 21, then change the rules
Cheers to the Governor is a counting game. The group counts from 1 to 21 round the circle, one number each. Whoever says 21 leads a toast, 'Cheers to the governor!', and everyone sips. That player then adds a rule to one number, like 'say banana instead of 7' or 'stand up on 12'. Anyone who gets a number or a rule wrong sips, and the count starts again from 1.
What you need
- A circle of 4 to 8 players
- A drink each
- A decent memory, for about ten minutes
How to play
- Count. The first player says “1”, the next “2”, and so on round the circle.
- Toast at 21. Whoever says 21 raises their drink and calls “Cheers to the governor!” Everyone sips.
- Make a rule. The player who said 21 picks a number from 1 to 20 and gives it a rule.
- Start again from 1, with the new rule in play.
- Slip up? A wrong number, a broken rule or too long a pause: sip, and the count goes back to 1.
Rules stack up, so the count gets harder every round. That is the whole game.
15 rules worth adding
- Swap two numbers: say “14” for 7 and “7” for 14.
- Replace a number with a word: “banana” instead of 9.
- Reverse the direction of the count on 11.
- Stand up when you say 5.
- Say 13 in your worst accent.
- Clap instead of saying 4.
- Skip a player on 16.
- Whisper 2, shout 3.
- Say 18 as a question, with a confused face.
- Point at the ceiling on 10.
- Say 6 in another language.
- Do a little bow on 20.
- Say the next player’s name instead of 12.
- Count 15 and 16 at the same time (the same player says both).
- Hum 8.
Where it comes from
Cheers to the Governor is an old student game, played under a few names around the UK, Australia and the US. Some groups call the toast “Cheers to the King” or play to 31 instead of 21. The rules are the same.
If the count keeps falling apart
That is the point, but if a round has restarted ten times in a row, scrap the newest rule. With more than eight players, split into two circles. If you want rules without the counting, try the King’s Rule cards in King’s Cup, or the drumming chaos of Thumper.
Keep it a game
The toast is a sip, not a drink. Keep water on the table, and anyone can play with a soft drink; counting is the fun part. More on our responsible drinking page.
Questions people ask
How do you play Cheers to the Governor?
Sit in a circle and count from 1 to 21, one number per player. On 21, everyone toasts 'Cheers to the governor!' and sips. The player who said 21 adds a new rule to one number. A wrong number, a broken rule or a long pause means a sip and a restart from 1.
What are good rules for Cheers to the Governor?
Swap two numbers (say 8 instead of 3 and 3 instead of 8), replace a number with a word, reverse direction on a number, or make everyone do an action on a number. Fifteen ideas are on this page.
Can you add a rule to 21?
No. 21 always stays the toast. Every other number can get a rule, and a number can only have one rule at a time.
How many people do you need?
Four is enough and eight is about the most. With more, the count takes too long to get round and people lose track of the rules.
Who's gettingwrecked tonight?
Wrecked turns all of this into one game on one phone: 1,800+ cards, rules that stack, chaos every 5 cards and a personal roast for everyone at the end.
