Overview
FLIPNIK is a Flip Cup Tournament where teams of 4 engage in a relay race competition. The tournament consists of two rounds: Pool Play and Bracket Play. Similar to soccer's World Cup, the Pool determines how teams will be seeded in the Bracket.
Each match pits two teams against each other. In Pool Play, the first team that wins 2 out of 3 games wins the match. Each team will play each other team in their respective Pool at least once. In Bracket Play, the first team to win 3 out of 5 games (or 4 of 7 in the Championship Match) wins the match against an opponent. Once a team loses in Bracket Play, they are eliminated from Flipnik.
Game Play Basics
· Each team member will have a cup of beer filled up to the designated level in front of them on the table.
· A referee will be at each table. The Ref will designate the end of the table and the player position that will start the race -- this will be player #1. The teams can arrange their player positions at the table in any order prior to the start of a Match. Positions remain the same throughout the match, but the order of play shifts. For the second game of a match, player #2 is the new starter, followed by #3, then #4, and finally #1. The sequence for the third game is 3-4-1-2, and subsequent games continue shifting sequence.
· All games will begin with a “Gentlemen's Start:” Each team's starting player holds their cup aloft at the Ref's signal, when both teams are ready. Each starter will then tap their cup on the table, touch-toast their cup to the cup of the opposing starter, and then tap the table once again. When the cups tap the table for the second time, the race has begun. (i.e., DOWN, TAP, DOWN… DRINK!)
· Once the race begins, the first player must drink their beer fully, place their cup mouth-up on the edge of the table, and use one hand to flip their cup over so that it lands mouth-down. If the cup falls on the floor, the player must retrieve THAT cup. (i.e., A player cannot grab a different cup and flip it.) In the event that a fallen cup is damaged or otherwise unflippable (in the referee’s estimation), the referee will replace the player’s cup without stopping the game.
· Once the cup has landed and settled mouth down, the next team member drinks their beer and attempts to flip their cup. Each member of the team MUST wait to grab their cup, drink, and flip until the previous team member has successfully flipped their cup. If the Ref determines a player grabbed their cup too soon, there will be a 5-second penalty hold (see PENALTIES below).
· The race will continue until the fourth and final cup has been drunk and flipped successfully. The winning team is the first to have their final cup land mouth-down AND settle on the table.
· In the event that each teams’ final cups land and settle at the same time, the game will be considered a TIE. See TIEBREAKER rules below.
Pool Play Round
The number of Pools (designated by letters A, B, C, etc.) and teams within each Pool will be determined based upon the number of participating teams. Each team will play a total of three matches against the other teams in their Pool.
The Pool matches will be best two-out-of-three games. The first team to win 2 games wins the match.
The results of the Pool Play determine the Bracket seeding/matchups. Seeding is based on match wins, head-to-head matchup, fewest games lost, and coin toss:
If two teams from a Pool have the same number of match wins, the tiebreaker for seeding the teams in the Bracket will be given to the winner of their head-to-head match. For example, if both Team 1 and Team 2 have two victories in their Pool, the higher seed is awarded to the team that won the matchup between Team 1 and Team 2. If these two teams played each other twice and split the matches, the higher seed is awarded to the team with the fewest combined games lost in their head-to-head matches. In the event of a tie in number of games lost, a coin flip will determine the higher seed. If there is a three-way tie for match wins between teams within a respective Pool, the higher seed is awarded to the team with fewer total games lost in all of their Pool Round matches. In the event of a tie in number of games lost, a coin flip will determine the higher seed.
Bracket Play Round
All teams of each Pool will advance to the single-elimination Bracket Round. Seeding will be determined based on Pool Play.
The Bracket matches will be best three-out-of-five games, except the Championship Match, which will be best four-out-of-seven.
Matches during Bracket play will be “Modified Survivor Style":
· When one team loses a game, the OTHER team will be able to vote off one of the players on the losing team. That team will still have to drink and flip 4 cups, but with one fewer player (e.g., losing team has 4 cups but only 3 players).
· Before the next game begins, the diminished team has to designate who will drink and flip the extra cup. Players retain their original position, with the extra cup in front of the vacated spot. The designee must move from their position to the vacated spot when playing the extra cup.
· If a team loses a second game, the player eliminated from their team becomes THEIR choice, not the opponent's. If a team loses a third game, they have lost the match, except during the Championship Match which is best 4-out-of-7. If a team loses a third game during the final match, the opponents once again vote off a player.
· If more than one cup is vacated, the team can choose more than one player to drink and play the extras.
Winners from each match continue to advance until the final, Championship Match.
Substitutions
At the discretion of the event organizer, a team may substitute one player before Bracket Play begins. Once a team has begun Bracket Play, there will be no substitutions. If a team loses a player during Bracket Play, one of the team members must drink/flip the missing player’s cup. The player to flip the additional cup will be chosen by the opposing team.
PENALTIES
Penalties are determined by the Referee, whose decisions are final.
Five-second Hold
· Flipping a cup which is not touching the table top. (i.e. No “mid-air” flips)
· Grabbing one's cup prior to his/her turn.
Loss of Game (not the Match)
· Spilling or pouring out excessive beverage from the cup instead of drinking it. This includes putting the beer in your mouth and then spitting it out without consuming it.
· Intentional interference with the other team's cups or flipping attempts.
· Intentional interference of your (or a teammate’s) cup which provides an advantage that results in a flipped cup. For example, if your cup is sliding off the table after being flipped, touching the cup again to maintain its flipped status (mouth down) is interference.
TIEBREAKER
If the final 2 cups on opposing sides land AND settle simultaneously, the tiebreaker is determined by JUNGLE RULES. Jungle Rules is when everyone at the table participates at the same time. The entire table will Gentlemen’s Start with their opposing player, then everyone will drink & flip. The first team to have every team member drink and successfully flip their cup will win the tiebreaker. All 4 team members will participate in the tiebreaker, even if one or both teams are short-handed at that point due to Survivor-style elimination.