Buffalo Drinking Game

Buffalo is a well-known drinking game that is played worldwide. Avid players of this game call themselves “buffalos” and some even form Buffalo Clubs.

The theory on the how this game started dates back to the time of the Wild West. During this era, it was important to know how to shoot anyone at any given time. It was essential that you drank from the hand that you didn’t use for shooting and this is how the rule of non-dominant hands came about.

The rules of this game are easy to understand. You must keep in mind that you can hold your drink with either of your hands, but can only drink using your non-dominant hand. If the other players catch you drinking with your dominant hand, they can call “buffalo” on you and you have to finish your drink as soon as possible. If you hesitate, the other players have the right to taunt you by yelling “buffalo!” and banging on the table until you finish your drink. If you call “buffalo” incorrectly, you have to finish your drink as well.

When a player asks “are you a buffalo?” and you respond positively, the game begins, even if you don’t know what you are talking about. The buffalo or player who asks this question has a right to refuse to explain why he asked the question in the first place.

In truth, nobody really needs to announce the start of the game because as far as Buffalo enthusiasts are concerned, the game is always on-going. The only question is whether the person that has “buffalo” yelled at him will understand what it means. You can call “buffalo!” to a stranger. The stranger can either give you a confused look or he would know that he is in the presence of another buffalo.

In this game, there are special situations and exceptions that players should be aware of. This game applies to all alcoholic drinks. When shots are being done, a second shot must be consumed if the first shot is done with the dominant hand. Players should always remember that this game does not include the drinking of non-alcoholic drinks and that calling someone when they are drinking a non-alcoholic drink is called a false buffalo. If you happen to be drinking from someone else’s glass when someone calls a buffalo against you, you still have to finish the drink and buy the owner another one. If your drink has a straw in it, the straw and the glass or bottle should be held in the non-dominant hand. The only way to avoid finishing your drink is if you buy every buffalo in the vicinity a drink. This usually isn’t allowed, but is mostly acceptable when the person caught has a plausible reason not to get intoxicated.

It is pretty easy to cheat in this game because there’s a big possibility that you will be in the presence of people who do not know the game or do not know whether you are a buffalo or not. It is a serious offense to lie about your dominant and non-dominant hand to fellow players. If you are unsure of another player’s honesty when it comes to their non-drinking hands, you are allowed to give them a task in which they need to prove their statement. For those who are caught lying or someone who has falsely accused someone of lying, the punishment for this will be chosen by the other players.

There are a lot of versions of this game. For example, in New Zealand there is a rule where Buffalos can’t call each other by their first names; rather, they must call each other by appropriate titles and last names. (Mr. Smith, Mrs. Notebook.) Players who don’t follow this rule must drink an entire glass or bottle.

In California , the basic rules of the game apply, but when it comes to exceptions and penalties, there are variations. In this state, instead of having to hold the drink with the wrong hand to be called on a Buffalo , the player only has to touch the drink with the wrong hand and that’s it. Also, when there are large amounts of liquor involved or if a player is carrying things and need both hands, the player cannot be penalized. Lastly, a player can put off his penalty to a single shot if he or she feels that they can’t drink anymore.

In Hawaii , the game applies to all beverages, not just alcoholic beverages. Even cough syrup isn’t exempted from this, and the left hand is the penalty hand no matter what. The dominant and non-dominant rule does not apply here. The way the game is started here is also very different. Before the game can start, one player must make another player a buffalo by stating the rules, history, and anything else that he or she can share, then end the conversation with a handshake using the left hand.

What fascinates people about this game is that it doesn’t have to end. The game can be played until the end of one’s life because it can be played anywhere and anytime. It also makes the player feel like they are part of a secret society of some sort where their fellow members are called buffalos and that anyone under the sun can secretly be part of. It’s the sense of excitement and thrill of not knowing if the person beside you in the pub is a player.

This is one of the simplest drinking games and the most unique. It’s a drinking game that never ends.