Waterfall: the rules, and how to keep it a game
In Waterfall, everyone sits in a circle and the starter begins drinking. The player next to them starts as soon as they see the starter drinking, then the next player, and so on round the circle. Nobody may stop until the person before them has stopped, so the starter decides how long the whole table drinks. It is best known as the Ace card in King's Cup and Ring of Fire.
How Waterfall works
- Sit in a circle, drinks in hand.
- The starter begins drinking. In King’s Cup, that is whoever drew the Ace.
- The next player starts as soon as the starter is drinking, then the next, all the way round.
- You may only stop after the player before you stops. The starter can stop whenever they like; everyone else is waiting on someone.
That is the whole game. The comedy is in the chain: the starter stops after two seconds and the table breathes out, or they look round slowly and keep going.
Why it needs a house rule
Waterfall is the one classic where the last player has no say over how much they drink. That is fine with a sip of something light and a short starter, and not fine with a full cup and a starter who thinks it is funny to keep going. These rules keep the joke and drop the problem:
- Count it. The starter counts out loud and may not go past five. Everyone stops at their own count of five at the latest.
- Small cups. Pour a splash into a shot-sized cup for every Waterfall. When it is empty, you are out.
- Stop word. Anyone can say “dry” and stop, no questions asked.
- Water counts. A cup of water in a Waterfall is exactly as funny.
Waterfall in King’s Cup and Ring of Fire
In most versions of King’s Cup and Ring of Fire, the Ace is Waterfall: whoever draws it starts, and the circle follows in the direction of play. Four Aces in a deck means four Waterfalls a game, which is one more reason to play it with a count. The online deck on those pages shows the rule for every card, so you can agree on it before you start.
Variations
- Reverse waterfall: the last player in the circle starts and the order runs backwards.
- Waterfall with a question: while the circle drinks, the starter asks a question; the first person to answer may stop early.
- Hands free: everyone has to keep a hand on their head until they stop. Harmless, and very good for photos.
Better picks for a big circle
If what you like about Waterfall is the whole table doing something at once, Thumper and Cheers to the Governor get the same energy with a sip at a time. More ideas in drinking games without cards. Our responsible drinking page has a few practical tips for the night.
Questions people ask
How do you play Waterfall?
Sit in a circle. The starter begins drinking, then each player starts in turn round the circle. You can only stop once the player before you has stopped, so the last player in the circle drinks the longest.
Which card is Waterfall in King's Cup?
The Ace, in most rule sets. In some groups it is the King or the 10. Agree before you deal; our King's Cup page lists the rules card by card.
Is Waterfall a safe drinking game?
As usually played, it is the game on any list most likely to turn into a chug, because the last player has no control. Play it with a count (stop at five), small cups or a soft drink, and it stays a quick, funny moment.
What is a reverse waterfall?
The last player in the circle starts and the order runs backwards, so the person who normally suffers most gets to set the length. It is a good house rule if the same person keeps landing last.
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.
