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Rules for the Drinking Card Game “Ride the Bus”
Hey there! Today, I want to share with you the rules of a super fun, yet challenging, drinking card game called “Ride the Bus.” If you’re a fan of card games and enjoy a good time with a little bit of challenge and a whole lot of laughter, then look no further!
What Is “Ride the Bus”?
“Ride the Bus” is a game that will test your memory and luck, all while having a drink or two in hand. The goal of the game is to successfully complete four rounds of questions and challenges without making any mistakes. If you mess up, get ready to take a sip!
The Setup:
First things first, gather your friends and a deck of cards. Assign a dealer who will be in charge of shuffling the cards and dealing them to the players. Make sure everyone has a drink nearby, as it will come in handy!
The Gameplay:
Once everything is set up, it’s time to dive into the game. The dealer starts by flipping over the first card from the deck and placing it face up in the center of the playing area. Here’s what each card means:
- Ace: Everyone drinks!
- 2-10: The value of the card represents how many sips each player must take. For example, if a 4 is flipped, each player drinks four sips.
- Jack: The player who flipped the card gets to choose someone to take a drink.
- Queen: Reverse direction! If you were going clockwise, switch to counterclockwise, and vice versa.
- King: The player who flips the card becomes the “bus driver.” They can make a rule that everyone must follow. If someone breaks the rule, they take a drink.
The Rounds:
Here’s where the challenge ramps up! To complete a round, you’ll need to answer a question or complete a challenge. Each round has a different set of rules:
- Round 1 – Guessing: The dealer asks a question with multiple choices, and each player secretly chooses their answer. The players who guess the wrong answer must drink.
- Round 2 – Higher or Lower: The dealer flips over a card, and each player must guess if the next card will be higher or lower in value. If you guess wrong, you drink!
- Round 3 – Red or Black: Similar to round 2, the dealer flips over a card. This time, players guess if the next card will be red or black. A wrong guess means you take a sip!
- Round 4 – Suit Guessing: The dealer flips a card, and players try to guess the correct suit. If you’re wrong, you’ll have to drink.
Winning the Game:
If you successfully complete all four rounds without any mistakes, congratulations, you’ve won the game! But if you make even one mistake along the way, it’s time to “Ride the Bus.” The bus driver will lay out a pyramid of cards facedown and flip them over one by one. For each card flipped, you’ll have to drink the corresponding number of sips. It can get pretty wild, so be prepared!
In Conclusion:
Now that you know the rules of “Ride the Bus,” it’s time to gather your friends, grab a deck of cards, and let the fun begin. Remember, this game is all about having a great time and enjoying each other’s company. So, grab your drink, put on your game face, and get ready to “Ride the Bus”!
Alright, here’s how we play Ride the Bus. It’s a card game that uses a whole deck of playing cards, except for the jokers. The goal of the game is to end up with the fewest cards in your hand when the round is over. Sounds pretty straightforward, doesn’t it?
Before we get started, we need to choose someone to be the dealer. Gather all the players around a table and make sure everyone has a beer in hand. Now, there are a couple of ways to select the dealer. One option is to choose someone at random. But if you want to get things started with a bit of fun, you can have a chugging contest. All players have to chug their beers at the same time, and the person who finishes last (or first, depending on how you look at it) gets to be the dealer.
Now, if you’re not a fan of beer, don’t worry! There are plenty of other great drinks you can enjoy while playing this game. Here’s a list of some suggestions:
- Wine
- Mixed cocktails
- Non-alcoholic beverages
- Soda
- Fruit juice
- Iced tea
Now, let’s get into the rules of Ride the Bus:
When you take a first look at it, Ride the Bus may seem like a more complicated drinking game. But don’t worry, it’s actually quite simple and follows some basic rules. The game is divided into different rounds, and each round has its own set of instructions.
To start, one person will be the dealer and they will hold onto the deck of cards. It’s important that the other players cannot see the cards.
Here’s a tip: If the dealer wants to join in the fun, they can deal a card to themselves when it’s their turn.
ROUND #1: RED OR BLACK?

Hey there! Let’s dive into the exciting world of a fun card game called “Red or Black?”
The first step is for the dealer to get the game rolling. They start by asking each player a simple question: “Do you think it’s red or black?”
The dealer goes around the table, starting with the player on their left, asking the question to each one. When the first player makes their guess (red for diamonds or hearts, black for spades or clubs), the dealer flips over the top card from the deck and shows it to the first player.
If the player guessed correctly, they get to choose someone to take a drink. The excitement builds! But if they guessed wrong, they must take a sip from their own drink. Tough luck!
This process continues, with the dealer asking each player in turn and revealing their card. Each player gets a chance to guess and either win or have a little drink alone. It goes on until every player has seen their 1st card. The game is really heating up!
Remember, everyone’s first card stays on the table in front of them. Keep an eye on it!
Round #2: Higher or Lower?

Now it’s time for round two, and the question is: “Higher or lower?” Just like before, the dealer will go around the table and ask each player individually.
Remember, in this game, the ace is the highest card, while two is the lowest.
During this round, you have to guess whether your next card will have a higher or lower value than your first card. After each guess, the dealer will reveal your first card and place it in front of you.
Although it may seem like a random guess, there’s actually some strategy involved. For example, if your first card is a Queen, it’s more likely that the next card will be lower. So you can use your judgment to make an educated guess.
If you guess correctly, you get to choose another player to drink. But if you guess wrong, you’ll have to drink alone.
Here’s how the game goes: each player is dealt a card, face down. Then, they take turns guessing whether the next card will be higher or lower than the one they have. Simple enough, right? Well, it’s not as easy as it seems.
So, let’s say I get a 7. I confidently declare “higher!” and flip the card over. If it’s an 8 or higher, I’m safe. But if it’s a 6 or lower, I have to take a drink. It’s a gamble, and the tension builds with every turn.
The tricky part is when you get a card that matches your first card. Is it higher or lower? Here’s where it gets interesting. No matter what you say – “higher” or “lower” – you’re wrong. That’s right, wrong! So you have to drink, no excuses.
ROUND #3: IN BETWEEN OR OUTSIDE?

When we get to the third round, the dealer asks us a question: “In between or outside?” Each player takes their turn, and the dealer goes around the table, asking this question to each of us, one by one. We have to guess if our third card will have a value that falls between or outside the values of our first two cards.
Now, you might think this is all just luck, but there’s more to it than that. By using our logic and thinking about statistics, we can actually make an educated guess about whether our card will be within or outside the values of our first two cards.
Let me give you an example. Say your first two cards are a 10 and an 8. In this case, it’s safe to assume that your third card will most likely be outside the values of those two cards. However, if your first two cards are a king and a four, it’s more likely that the third card will fall in between those two cards.
Like always, if you guess right, you can pick someone to drink. But if you guess wrong, you drink. If the card matches one of the two cards that have been played already, you drink again.
THE GRAND FINALE: THE SUIT ROUND
In the last round, you have to predict the suit of the last card you receive (spades, clubs, hearts, or diamonds). If you guess correctly, you can assign 5 drinks. If you’re wrong, you have to take a sip. You can distribute the 5 drinks among the players or make one player drink it all. It’s totally up to you!
CONQUERING THE PYRAMID
Hold your horses, the game isn’t finished yet!
Okay, let me break it down for you. We all start with four cards in our hands, while the dealer sets up a pyramid of face-down cards. The pyramid is shaped like a triangle, with five cards at the base. As we move up the pyramid, each row has one less card than the row below it.
Now, here’s the fun part. Each row of the pyramid corresponds to a different number of drinks. The top row is the strongest, so it’s worth more drinks. The bottom row, which has the most cards, is worth the least. The value for each row is something we decide on together before we start playing.
Let me give you an example of what the drink values might look like:
The bottom row, or fifth row, has five cards and is worth one drink. The fourth row is worth two drinks. The third row is worth three drinks. The second row is worth four drinks. And the top row, which only has one card, is worth five drinks or even a shot!
Imagine this: I’m sitting at a table with my friends, ready to play a fun and exciting drinking game called Pyramid. The dealer starts by flipping over the cards on the bottom row of the pyramid, one by one. As each card is revealed, I eagerly check my hand to see if I have a card of equal value.
The Thrill of Riding the Bus
Once all the cards in the pyramid have been flipped and everyone has taken their assigned drinks, it’s time to determine the loser. The player with the most cards in their hand is the unlucky one who has to “ride the bus.”
In the case of a tie for the most cards, there’s another way to decide the loser. It all comes down to the highest-ranking card in their hand. If the tied players have the same highest-ranking card, they draw additional cards until someone has a higher one. That unfortunate player will be the one riding the bus.
Now, let’s talk about what it means to ride the bus. This part is not for the faint of heart. The chosen player must answer a series of four questions consecutively:
- Red or black?
Are You Ready to Ride the Bus?
Today, I want to introduce you to a fun and exciting drinking game called “Ride the Bus.” If you’re looking for a game that will challenge your wits and keep the drinks flowing, then you’ll absolutely love this one!
How to Play:
The game begins with a deck of cards. The dealer will ask the player a series of questions, and each question corresponds to a card. If the player answers correctly, they move on to the next question. If they answer incorrectly, they must start again from the first question and take a drink for each wrong answer. The questions are as follows:
- Higher or lower?
- In between or outside?
- What suit is the card?
The player must answer these questions for each card in the deck.
End of Game:
The game continues until either the entire deck is used or the player correctly answers all four questions in a row. If the player successfully answers all four questions consecutively, they win the game. However, if they fail to do so, they remain the loser.
Remember, when playing drinking games, it is important to drink responsibly and ensure the safety of yourself and your friends.
If you’re interested in playing other similar drinking card games, be sure to check out our game rules for Horserace, President, and King’s Cup!
Frequently Asked Questions:
How many people can play Ride the Bus?
Hey there! I want to tell you about a super fun game called Ride the Bus. It’s a game for 4 to 8 players that involves drinking.
But can it also be played as a non-drinking game?
Well, guess what? You can totally change up the rules and play Ride the Bus without any drinking! Instead of taking sips, you can put some money into a pot and turn it into a betting game. Sounds pretty exciting, right?
Now, let’s talk about whether Ace is high or low in Ride the Bus.
According to the rules of Ride the Bus, Ace is always considered high. So make sure to keep that in mind during the game!
Okay, so what happens if you happen to draw a card that matches one you’ve already played during Ride the Bus?
In the first round of the game, there won’t be any other cards that match your card. You’ll have to wait for the second round to have a chance to match.
But here’s the kicker: in the second and third rounds, if you do draw the same card as in the first round, you’ll get penalized and have to take a drink. Yikes!