Moose (game)

Moose (game)

Players	3+
Setup time	2 minutes
Playing time	As long/short as players want
Random chance	Easy
Skill(s) required	Quarter-bouncing, beer-chugging

Moose is the name of a drinking game that involves players bouncing a quarter off of a table in an attempt to have the quarter land, without another bounce, in an ice cube tray on that table. The game is popular at parties, especially in colleges and universities in the United States. There are no set rules and thus there are many variations.

Equipment

• 1 cup
• 1 ice cube tray
• Several quarters
• Beer or other alcohol

Standard rules and practices

The players gather around the table and decide as to which side of the ice cube tray is the "give" side and which side is the "take" side. Usually the right side is the give side and the left side is the take side. In some variations, a cup of whatever alcohol that is being used is placed in the center of the table for the ice cube tray to be placed against and rotate around. After this is decided and set up, players take turns trying to bounce the quarter into the ice cube tray.

When the quarter lands in the ice cube tray and it lands on the "give" side, then the player who bounced the quarter into the tray can distribute as many sips to any combination of other players as there are squares that were passed over by the quarter. When the quarter lands in the ice cube tray and it lands on the "take" side, then the player who bounced the quarter into the tray has to take as many sips as there are squares that were passed over by the quarter.

If the quarter lands in the furthest row (or last two squares on either the "give" or "take" side) every player has to put their hands to their heads, mimicking a moose's antlers, and yell "MOOSE." The last person to do so has to drink the cup in the center (also known as moose cup). (Other variations include the person has to fill their drink and then empty it). However, if a player yells "Moose!" prematurely when no one has made it in the cup, he or she must drink the cup in the center. If the quarter lands in the cup in the center on a players turn he or she must drink the cup and lose a turn.

If the quarter lands on the ice cube tray but does not fall into a square, this is a social and everyone must take a drink. If the quarter ends up in any person's drink, the player that bounced the quarter has to finish that person's drink.

Sometimes, if there is a tie when players yell "MOOSE!", then players put their thumb onto the table. The last one to do so, drinks the center cup or moose cup.

References

• California Aggie newspaper - UC Davis
• The State News - Michigan State
• Boise Weekly newspaper
• BarMeister Moose Rules
• Another rules page