A Fingers Primer

For Kiira, and all those similarly in the dark: Fingers is the greatest drinking game of all time. All you need is a glass, beer, and fingers. If you don’t have fingers, just call it Stumps.

The object: to not be the last person left with your finger on the glass.
How to play: everyone in the the group (the more the merrier) places a finger on the rim of a beer glass, which is partially filled with your beer of choice. Each person takes their turn to count to 3 and then guess how many fingers will be left on the glass when they have called a number. Concurrently, all other participants must either lift their finger or leave it on the rim when the caller says a number.
Example of a game with 5 players:
  • Player 1: “1, 2, 3…3!”
  • Players 2-5: lift a finger or don’t.
  • Let’s say three players lifted, two didn’t – Player 1 was wrong, and is, alas, still in the game.
  • Player 2: “1, 2, 3…4!”
  • Players 1, 3-5: lift a finger or don’t.
  • Let’s say one player lifted, four didn’t. Player 2 is a winner, and sits out the rest of the game.
This goes on until the showdown, when two players are left.

(Inevitably at some point someone calls out “2!” and lifts their own finger, leading to hilarity.) The loser has to drink what’s left in the glass, which is warm and filtered through lots of finger grease.


The loser then goes first for the next round. It’s a lot easier to explain in person, especially when you have already had some beer. But trust me: it’s a great game.

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