Around the World (game)

Around the World is a card based drinking game, similar to, but more complex (and at the same time quicker) than, Fuck the Dealer. It is notorious for the large quantity of drinks consumed, especially if multiple rounds are played, and the largely chance based nature of the gameplay. It has several name variants, including "Up the River, Down the River">.

Infobox CardGame
title = Around the World
subtitle =
image_link =
image_caption =
alt_names =
type = Drinking
players = 2+
num_cards = 52
deck = Anglo-American-French
play = Clockwise
card_rank = Ace (A) - Deuce (2)
origin =
related = Fuck the Dealer
playing_time = ~8 minutes/round
random_chance = High
skills = Card Counting
footnotes =

Equipment

* One standard (52-card) deck of playing cards.
* Alcoholic beverages sufficient for the number of players.

Rules

The game is divided into two rounds. The first is a guessing or probabilistic round where players must make predictions about the card to be drawn, while the second is completely chance based.

Preparation

Very little setup is required.

* Each player must have a beverage to drink as provided for by the rules of the game.
* The dealer shuffles the deck (sans jokers, if any).

Round One

In the first phase of the game, each player must make a prediction about the card to be drawn on their turn.

The dealer deals each player one card, face up, proceeding clockwise from themselves and dealing themselves last (as is customary in most card games). Before each card is dealt, the dealer asks the player a simple question about the nature of the card to be drawn.

If the player guesses correctly, they may "give" a drink ("i.e." select a rival player who must drink). If their guess is incorrect, instead they must "take" a drink.

The players keep the cards that are dealt to them, as they are required for the later queries and are the basis of the second round.

A total of four cards are dealt to each player and the relevant questions are as follows:

Card One

For the first card, the player must predict the color of the card draw, "red" ( hearts and diamonds) or "black" ( clubs and spades).

Card Two

For the second card, the player must predict whether the value of the card drawn will be higher or lower than the first card they where dealt. A third, legitimate, but rarely chosen option is "same", where the card is predicted to be of the same value as the first card.

Values are usually ordered deuce through ace, but other sequences, (such as ace low) are possible.

Card Three

For the third card, the player predicts whether the value of the card drawn will be between the values of the first two cards, "in", or outside of those values, "out". As with card two, there is a third option of "same", which is a prediction that the value will match one of the two cards already present.

Card Four

Unlike the second and third questions, the fourth card's question is not (directly) related to the cards drawn before it. Rather, the player simply predicts which suit the card will be.

Round Two

Unlike the first round, the second phase of the game is entirely chance based and all players participate at the same time, rather than taking turns as in round one.

The dealer deals eight cards, face down, from the deck, placing them in two columns, the "give" column and the "take" column.

The dealer then flips each card over in sequence, starting with a "take" card, then proceeding to the "give" card, and then moving to the next position in the column. If any of a player's cards (dealt to them in the first part) match the value of the revealed card, they must take or give drinks. If multiple cards in a player's possession match the revealed value, they are each counted separately.

The quantity of drinks each card is worth increases as the cards are revealed. The values are traditionally, "one drink", "two drinks", "four drinks", and "half a beer". If mixed drinks are being used, "half a beer" is considered to be the same as half a glass. If shots are being used (not recommended), there is no established value of "half a beer", but the implication is that a large quantity should be consumed.

When a player is giving multiple drinks, they may, at their option, split them up amongst multiple players. Splitting up a "half a beer" can sometimes be contentious as the precise relationship of this abstract quantity to an integer number of drinks is undefined within the rules of the game.

Variations

* The increasing drink value of each card in the second round may also be applied to the first round. This option serves to increase the quantity of alcohol consumed.
* The values of the cards in the second round may be reduced to a linear sequence of 1-2-3-4. This reduces the drinks consumed and allows for more rounds to be played.
* A face card may be considered to count for twice the standard number of drinks it would otherwise have granted.
* The increasing value of the cards in the second round (and/or the first round if that variation is used) can be increased to one, two, "half a beer", and "a whole beer".
* A fifth card may be dealt in the first round, usually between the 3rd and final card. The question here is "Odd, even or picture card?"
* The above variation also results in players ending with a 5-card hand. This allows for the player with the winning poker hand to overrule any drinks applied in the second round of that game.

Strategy

Other than the social and political decisions of who to give one's drinks to, there is very little strategy involved in the first round and none at all in the second.

Strategic options in the first round consist of applying statistical probability to the predictions. This can be supplemented, to an extent, by card counting, although, applying such methods while rapidly consuming alcohol can be somewhat tricky.