DrinkPlays Logo

Beer Chess Drinking Game

by Emma Lily CarterApril 20, 2019 
Last updated: March 10, 2021

Players Needed

2 or more

Materials Needed

  • Beer
  • Chess board
Beer and chess together in a game, who would've thought of such a concoction? We did. This game is sure to challenge your chess skills while making all the players drink lots. Great for wasting lots of time and keeping the drinks going...

Beer Chess Game Rules

Beer chess is played with beer, a lot of beer. One side uses Light Beer (white), the other side uses regular (black) of the same brands. (see
list below) Our research and development team has concluded that one can expect a standard Beer Chess game to last up to five hours, assuming neither player passes out. Intermissions, however, may be declared on a bilateral basis.

Beer Chess Board Setup

As you may have realized, this game requires a big board. While beer chess boards are now commonplace in Jackman, in other places their availability is still limited. Again, our R+D team has arrived at a clever solution: bathroom tiles-large white bathroom tiles.

Placed on a darker table at regular intervals, one can quickly construct a professional-looking Beer Chess set. For an even cheaper board, cardboard coasters, available at most bars, serve as impromptu, portable boards.

Beer Chess Pieces

White:
8 pawns: Bud Lights (8oz can)
2 Rooks: Miller Light (12oz can)
2 Knights: Busch Light (12 oz Can)
2 Bishops: Coors Light (12 oz Can)
Queen: Michelob Light (Bottle)
King: Bud Light (Bottle)

Black:
8 pawns: Budweiser (8oz cans)
2 Rooks: Miller Genuine Draft (12 oz Can)
2 Knights: Busch (12 oz Cans)
2 Bishops: Coors (12 oz Cans)
Queen: Michelob (Bottle)
King: Budweiser (Bottle)

Beer Chess Standard Rules

  1. When one moves a piece, one must sip from the piece moved
  2. When one’s piece is captured, one must drink the entire piece
  3. Castling requires two sips: one from the King, one from the Rook
  4. Standard pawn move requires only one sip
  5. When one’s pawn reaches the eighth rank and is exchanged for a queen (or another piece), one’s opponent must drink the remainder of the pawn
  6. Once a piece is sipped, that piece must be moved (taking back moves is not allowed)
  7. One may take as long as one wants to drink a captured piece, but the piece must be quickly consumed when a second piece is captured
  8. After each exchange of pieces, the players must toast each other’s health with the exchanged pieces
  9. When one is put in check, one must sip from the King
  10. Passing out constitutes a resignation
  11. A player may not go to the bathroom before his move
  12. When one is checkmated, one must drink:
    1. The remainder of one’s King
    2. The remainder of opponent’s King
    3. The remainder of one’s pieces

Beer Chess Hints:

  • Take big sips out of pieces you expect to trade when moving those pieces. This technique evenly distributes the amount of beer you will consume and decreases the amount you will have to drink from that piece when it is traded or captured.
  • If you are a light drinker, avoid exchanges (especially if you are down a piece)
  • Avoid sacrificing pieces for position. A sacrifice will only force you to drink more. Remember, in this game, you can be beating your opponent, not only by the fact that you have a greater number of pieces left on the board, but also by the fact that you have a greater number of surviving brain cells left.