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21, Bagram, or Twenty Plus One is a drinking game. The game progresses by counting up from 1 to 21, with the player who calls "21" suffering a drinking penalty before the next round starts. The loser may add one new rule to the game, and starts the new round.
Contents
Rules
Players are arranged in a circle, facing inwards. The game begins with one player calling the direction of play by saying, "I propose a game of XXXX! To my left..." or "To my right..." followed by a sequential series of numbers beginning with one. Variations exist for the proposal of the game depending on personal rules; this is due to some variants calling for any person who says the number "21" to drink. For example:
As the game progresses, each player in turn must recite one to four numbers, counting in sequence from where the previous player left off:
If a player makes a mistake, then they suffer a small to moderate drinking penalty (e.g. 2 fingers of drink) and then restart the game from 1. Mistakes include:
Assuming there are no mistakes, the game will continue in sequence up to 21. The player who calls 21 suffers a heavy drinking penalty (e.g. finishing their drink), creates a new rule, then restarts the game from 1.
Additional rules
Variations on the standard rules include:
Examples of new rules that could be instated by a player forced to call 21:
It is also commonplace to declare (either at the start of the game or as an additional rule) that the game be played according to the so-called "International Drinking Rules". These are a body of generally accepted but not entirely uniform rules that players understand to apply to all drinking activity and include rules for example, that drinkers must keep their little finger up whilst drinking, only drink with their left hand and, in some circles, that using the word 'drink' be prohibited and replaced with words such as 'consume' or 'imbibe'.
Example
Sam, Saz, Louise, Marie, Doyley and Simmy are sitting with Sam at 12 o'clock, and the other players arranged clockwise:
- Sam: I propose a game of 21! To my left: 1, 2. {play called to the left, but reversed immediately → Simmy}
- Simmy: 3. {→ Doyley}
- Doyley: 4, 5, 6 {skips Marie → Louise}
- Lousie: 7, 8 {Louise violates the additional rule "reversing into a hole"! She is penalised 2 fingers of drink.
- Louise drinks
- Louise: I propose a game of 21! To my right: 1. {→ Saz}
- Saz: 2. {→ Sam}
The game ultimately finishes when all the numbers have been replaced, by rule changes instigated by the person who drinks on 21.
Variations
Rules for these variants are widely varied.