The bouncing coin game is a drinking game apparently related to Quarters, played in the UK. It is best played with six to eight people, ideally seated around a round table with a certain amount of space around it. Each player should be equipped with a pint of beer, cider or similar drink, and four whisky tumblers and two coins will also be required.

The two coins begin in the possession of two players on opposite sides of the table. Two of the glasses are filled with drink, and they are arranged, as shown in diagram A, in the centre of the table.

Each player’s goal is to throw his coin at the table so that it rebounds and lands in an empty glass. Once this is achieved, the coin is passed on to the next person. The thrower may take as many tries as necessary, but it is in his interest to work fast. This is because, if the two coins “catch each other up” on their journeys round the table, the person so caught is in trouble (see below). Thus a thrower will wish to pass the coin on quickly, either to “escape” from a fast-approaching other coin, or to make his own coin that “fast-approaching” one for someone else having difficulty with the throw.

If the two throwing players are not directly opposite each other, the arrangement of glasses will be disadvantageous to one of them. Both are allowed (though not at the same time) to rotate the central glasses as they wish, while keeping the same pattern. A correctly-timed turn may cause an otherwise well-aimed coin to land in a full glass (see below).

Frequently, a coin that misses a glass will fall off the table entirely. It is still the thrower’s responsibility, and he will wish to get it back as quickly as possible to avoid being caught by the other coin. Thus he will typically leap off his chair and dive under or round the table to retrieve the coin. Other players are not allowed to move the coin, but they may cover it with their feet or impede the searcher with their legs. It is not considered sporting to hold him for too long, but making his search harder is part of the game.

If a thrown coin lands in either of the full glasses, the thrower must quickly drink the contents, retrieve the coin, and refill the glass with his own drink before resuming throwing. The other coin will continue to catch up during this process, so it must be completed quickly.

If, through taking too long to make a successful shot, a player is handed a second coin without getting rid of the first he is said to have been “caught up”. Play then pauses while the glasses are rearranged into the shape shown in diagram B. One empty glass is placed on top of the other, guarded by the two full ones, and the whole is arranged so that the thrower is (in the diagram) to the right. He then has one chance to bounce a coin into the upper glass. In the (unlikely) event that he succeeds, the challenge is passed on in the same direction as the coins. If the throw fails, the thrower must combine the contents of both full glasses (into a third larger glass if necessary) and drink them in one swift movement. Since the glasses may contain different drinks this may be more or less (Guinness and purple?) pleasant. If the coin lands in one of the “guarding” full glasses, the thrower must drink that glass and refill it as normal, then also drink the combined drink as above for failing the throw. In either case, the thrower must then refill both glasses from his own and play restarts with the normal arrangement of glasses.

Because of the requirement to run round and dive under the table, this game is not suitable for all environments. However, because the structure of the game imposes time pressure it can be useful when progress in other games is felt to be too slow.

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