Ride the Bus: The Brutal Card Drinking Game

Ride the Bus: The Card Game That'll Take You for a Ride!

Alright, you magnificent lot! Gather 'round because we're about to introduce you to a classic that's been both the life and the death of many a party: Ride the Bus. It starts innocently enough, just a few guesses here and there. But don't be fooled by its charming simplicity; this game has a way of turning on you, culminating in one player's epic (and potentially very boozy) 'bus ride'. It's a proper British pub classic, perfect for a night in with your favourite brews and a competitive spirit.

IMPORTANT: Always Drink Responsibly! Project Beer is all about good times, and good times mean safe times. Know your limits, don't pressure others, and make sure everyone has a safe way home. If you or someone else isn't feeling well, stop playing. Water is your friend!

What You'll Need:

A standard 52-card deck (no jokers, unless you want extra chaos!)
Your favourite beverages (beers, ciders, spirits – whatever floats your boat!)
2 or more players (the more, the merrier... and the more potential bus riders!)
A surface to play on
A good memory (or a pen and paper to track drinks taken, if you're feeling organised)

Setup:

Everyone sits around a table. Shuffle the deck thoroughly and place it face down in the centre. Designate a dealer. The game proceeds in four guessing rounds, followed by the main event: the 'Bus Ride' pyramid.

How to Play: The Guessing Rounds

The dealer deals one card at a time to each player, who must make a guess based on the card. If they're wrong, they drink! Keep track of how many 'sips' or 'drinks' each player accumulates throughout these rounds. This will determine our 'Bus Rider'.

Round 1: Red or Black?

The dealer asks the first player: "Red or Black?"
The player guesses the colour of the top card (e.g., "Red").
The dealer reveals the card.
Correct: The player is safe.
Incorrect: The player takes 1 sip of their drink.
Move to the next player. Continue until everyone has had a turn.

Round 2: Higher or Lower?

Each player now has one face-up card in front of them.
Starting with the first player, the dealer asks: "Higher or Lower than your current card?" (Ace is usually high, but agree before starting!)
The player guesses (e.g., "Higher").
The dealer reveals a new card and places it next to their first card.
Correct: Safe.
Incorrect: The player takes 2 sips.
Tie: If the card is the same value, it usually counts as incorrect, and the player takes 2 sips (this is where it gets brutal!).
Continue until everyone has had a turn. Each player now has two face-up cards.

Round 3: In Between or Outside?

Each player now has two face-up cards. The dealer asks: "Is the next card going to be In Between your two cards, or Outside them?" (e.g., if you have a 3 and an 8, 'in between' would be 4, 5, 6, 7. 'Outside' would be 2 or 9+).
The player guesses.
The dealer reveals a new card and places it next to their other two.
Correct: Safe.
Incorrect: The player takes 3 sips.
Match: If the card matches one of their existing two, it's usually considered incorrect and often comes with an extra penalty (e.g., 4 sips!).
Continue until everyone has had a turn. Each player now has three face-up cards.

Round 4: Which Suit?

Each player now has three face-up cards. The dealer asks: "Which suit is the next card going to be? (Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs, or Spades)"
The player guesses.
The dealer reveals a new card and places it next to their other three.
Correct: Safe.
Incorrect: The player takes 4 sips. This is the last chance to avoid the Bus!
Continue until everyone has had a turn. Each player now has four face-up cards.

The Main Event: Riding the Bus!

Now, the moment of truth! Count up how many sips each player has accumulated throughout the four guessing rounds. The player who has taken the most sips (or made the most incorrect guesses) is the unfortunate 'Bus Rider'. If there's a tie, have a quick tie-breaker (e.g., highest single card drawn, or rock-paper-scissors).

Setup for the Bus Ride Pyramid:

Clear the table of all previous cards.
The dealer shuffles the remaining deck (or a fresh one, if you prefer).
Deal cards face down in a pyramid shape in the centre of the table. A common pyramid size is 5-4-3-2-1 (5 cards on the bottom row, 4 on the next, etc.).
The Bus Rider sits opposite the pyramid. The other players are the 'Drivers'.

How the Bus Ride Works:

The pyramid is where drinks are given AND taken. The goal for the Drivers is to make the Bus Rider drink. The goal for the Bus Rider is to clear the pyramid without too much pain.

Drivers Give Drinks: Starting from the bottom row of the pyramid, the dealer flips over one card at a time. If the revealed card matches the rank of ANY card currently in front of a Driver (from the previous four rounds, or just their current hand if you dealt new hands for this part), that Driver can assign drinks to the Bus Rider.
- Row 1 (Bottom): 1 sip per matched card.
- Row 2: 2 sips per matched card.
- Row 3: 3 sips per matched card.
- Row 4: 4 sips per matched card.
- Row 5 (Top): 5 sips per matched card.
The Drivers decide who gets the drinks (usually, it's all aimed at the Bus Rider, but they can be distributed if agreed upon).
Bus Rider Takes Drinks: Once all cards in a row have been revealed, the Bus Rider must then attempt to 'clear' that row.
- The Bus Rider flips over the cards in the row, one by one.
- If the Bus Rider reveals a card that matches the rank of ANY card already revealed in that specific row (i.e., a pair, three-of-a-kind, etc. within that row), they must take drinks equal to the row number.
- For example, if the Bus Rider flips over a 7, then another 7 in the 3rd row, they take 3 sips.
- They continue flipping cards in the row. If they reveal multiple matches within a row, they take drinks for each match.
Ascending the Pyramid: Repeat this process for each row, moving upwards. The sips assigned for both 'giving' and 'taking' increase with each row.
The Final Challenge: The top card (Row 5) is the ultimate test. If the Bus Rider matches it, they're in for a big drink!

The game ends when the Bus Rider has successfully (or not so successfully) navigated the entire pyramid. They've officially 'ridden the bus'!

Rules & Key Points:

Ace High or Low? Agree before starting. Generally, Ace is high for 'Higher or Lower'.
Ties: A tie almost always counts as an incorrect guess and incurs the drink penalty. This is what makes it brutal!
Tracking Drinks: It's crucial to keep a rough tally of sips taken in the initial rounds to determine the Bus Rider.
Honesty is Key: No cheating on your guesses or drink counts!
Dealer Rotation: You can rotate the dealer each round, or keep the same dealer for the entire initial guessing phase.

Variations:

Alternative Bus Rider Selection: Instead of tracking sips, you could simply declare the player who fails the 'Which Suit?' round as the Bus Rider. Or, the player with the most cards in their hand after the four rounds.
Different Pyramid Sizes: Adjust the pyramid size (e.g., 4-3-2-1) to make the Bus Ride shorter or longer.
Double Up: For an even more intense Bus Ride, if a Driver assigns drinks for a matched card, and then the Bus Rider also matches that card in their turn, double the penalty!
Rule of Thumbs: Feel free to add house rules, just make sure everyone understands them before you start.

So, there you have it! Ride the Bus is a fantastic game for a group, combining suspense, a bit of strategy, and a whole lot of laughs (especially at the Bus Rider's expense!). Just remember to keep those drinks flowing responsibly, and may the odds be ever in your favour... unless you're the Bus Rider, of course!

Cheers, and happy playing!