Ring of Fire: the rules, and a deck on your phone
Ring of Fire is the UK and Australian name for King's Cup. Cards go face-down in a ring around a cup, and each card you draw has a rule: 5 is thumb master, a Jack makes a new rule, a Queen is question master. Every King adds a splash to the cup, and whoever draws the fourth King drinks it. Break the ring and you drink.
Put a cup in the middle and draw.
Pass the phone round the circle. Whoever holds it taps the card.
How to set up Ring of Fire
- Put a cup in the middle of the table. Empty, or with a splash of something in it.
- Spread the deck face-down in a ring around the cup, every card touching the next. That ring is the fire.
- Take turns drawing, clockwise. Pull a card, do what it says, and keep it face-up in front of you.
- Kings go to the cup. Each King adds a splash of your drink. The fourth King drinks it, and the game ends.
No deck? Use the one above and pass the phone round the circle. You lose the ring, but nobody has to find 52 cards at 1am.
Ring of Fire rules, card by card
| Card | Rule | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Ace | Waterfall | Everyone starts sipping, beginning with you. Nobody can stop before the player on their right stops, and you can stop whenever you like. |
| Two | You | Pick someone. They take a sip. |
| Three | Me | You take a sip. |
| Four | Girls | Every girl takes a sip. |
| Five | Thumb master | Until the next 5, put your thumb on the table edge whenever you like. Last one to copy you sips. |
| Six | Guys | Every guy takes a sip. |
| Seven | Heaven | Everyone points to the sky. Last one to do it sips. |
| Eight | Mate | Pick a mate. Every time you sip, they sip too, until the next 8 is drawn. |
| Nine | Rhyme | Say a word. Going round the circle, everyone says a word that rhymes. First to hesitate or repeat one sips. |
| Ten | Categories | Pick a category, like beer brands or Disney films. Going round, everyone names one. First to hesitate or repeat one sips. |
| Jack | Make a rule | Make a rule that lasts the rest of the game. Anyone who breaks it sips. |
| Queen | Question master | You are question master until the next Queen. Anyone who answers a question you ask takes a sip. |
| King | King's Cup | Pour a splash of your drink into the cup in the middle. Whoever draws the fourth King drinks the cup. |
Breaking the ring
If you pull a card and leave a gap in the ring, you drink. It keeps everyone careful with their draws, and it is the one rule an online deck cannot copy. Some groups play it with the cards tucked under the cup’s rim instead: whoever knocks the cup over, or lets it fall, drinks.
Ring of Fire vs King’s Cup
| Card | Ring of Fire (UK, Australia) | King’s Cup (US) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Girls drink | Floor |
| 5 | Thumb master | Guys drink |
| 6 | Guys drink | Girls drink |
| Jack | Make a rule | Never have I ever |
| Everything else | The same | The same |
The deck at the top plays both: switch the rule set and it deals a new deck. The King’s Cup page has the US version in full.
Rules worth making on a Jack
A good rule is easy to break by accident and fun to catch. These are real King’s Rules from the Wrecked deck; the online deck suggests one every time a Jack comes up.
- Wrong Hand: Drink with your non-dominant hand only. Violators drink double.
- No "I": No using the word 'I.' Anyone who does, drinks.
- Clap First: Before speaking, clap once. Forget? Drink.
- Toast Required: Before drinking, you must make a toast. No toast? Double it.
- No Pointing: No pointing. Anyone who points at someone drinks.
- No Names: No first names. Everyone uses nicknames only, slip up and drink.
Keep it a game
The fourth King’s cup is a mouthful of everyone’s drinks, so keep each splash small, or make it a water cup. Put water on the table, and stop when the deck runs out, not when the bottles do. More ideas for the rest of the night are in our best drinking games guide.
Questions people ask
Is Ring of Fire the same as King's Cup?
Yes, it is the same game. Ring of Fire is the name used in the UK and Australia, King's Cup the name in the US. The rules for a few cards differ: in Ring of Fire 5 is usually thumb master and a Jack lets you make a rule.
What happens if you break the ring?
The cards are laid in a closed ring around the cup. If you pull a card and leave a gap in the ring, you drink. Some groups make the ring-breaker finish their drink; a few sips is plenty.
What does a Jack mean in Ring of Fire?
Make a rule. The rule lasts the rest of the game, and anyone who breaks it drinks. Classic rules: no saying 'drink', no pointing, or you can only drink with your left hand.
Can you play Ring of Fire without cards?
Yes. The online deck on this page shuffles 52 cards, shows the rule for each card and counts the Kings. It works in any phone's browser, with nothing to install.
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.
