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The official playbook

How to Play

A Blind Kickoff sets field position. Four downs decide whether you bank the drive.

1. Blind Kickoff

Face the field away, make an angled pour, set the glass upright, then reveal your starting position.

2. Call the play

Call your next gold target. One controlled sip uses one down, then play passes to the opposing offense.

3. Read the spot

A short play can be retried. A complete pass scores. An incomplete pass erases provisional points and skips passed targets.

4. Bank the drive

Call TOUCHDOWN and land inside its gold box for 6 points. Overshoot the end zone and the drive ends with 0.

Objective: Accumulate the most points on your Offensive Drive. A Blind Kickoff establishes field position, then you have no more than four downs to score.

Responsible play: Any beverage works and alcohol is never required. If alcohol is used, every player must be of legal drinking age. Use small, controlled sips, alternate plays, hydrate, and never drive impaired. First Downed has no play clock.

What you need

  • One First Downed glass per player or team
  • A beverage of choice
  • Four down markers for each offense
  • A way to track points
  • Two or more players—or play solo to practice precision

1. Start with the Blind Kickoff

  1. Turn the glass so the entire field graphic faces directly away from the kicking player.
  2. Hold the glass at an angle and pour without viewing the field markings.
  3. Set the glass upright immediately, allow the beverage to settle, then reveal the field.
  • Inside KICKOFF: Start the drive with 1 provisional point and four downs.
  • Above KICKOFF: Start with 0 points and four downs.
  • Below KICKOFF: Start with 0 points. Every offensive gold target reached or passed is skipped and costs one down.
  • Inside TURNOVER or at or below TOUCHDOWN: The drive ends with 0 points.

Kickoff field position

  • Above or inside KICKOFF: target 1ST DOWN with 4 downs remaining.
  • Inside or below 1ST DOWN: target MIDFIELD with 3 downs remaining.
  • Inside or below MIDFIELD: target RED ZONE with 2 downs remaining.
  • Inside or below RED ZONE: target TOUCHDOWN with 1 down remaining.

2. Run the Offensive Drive

Each controlled sip is one play and uses one down. Before lifting the glass, call the next available gold target. After completing at least one offensive field target, you may call TOUCHDOWN on a later down and forfeit any unplayed targets between your position and the end zone.

  1. Call the target so your opponent can hear it.
  2. Take one controlled sip without a time limit.
  3. Set the glass upright immediately on a level surface.
  4. Let the beverage settle and use the final liquid line to make the ruling.
  5. Remove one down marker and pass play to the opposing offense if your drive remains active.

3. Make the ruling

  • SHORT: The line stops above the called target. Score no points, keep previously accumulated provisional points, and use one down. On your next down, retry the target or, after completing a field target, call TOUCHDOWN and forfeit intervening targets.
  • COMPLETE PASS: The line touches or rests inside the called gold box. Add the target’s points. The target is complete and cannot score again.
  • INCOMPLETE PASS: The sip overshoots the called target and the line finishes below it. Use one down, erase all provisional drive points, and forfeit the called target and every target reached or passed. Continue from the new field position with 0 points if an eligible target and downs remain.
  • TURNOVER: The line finishes inside the red TURNOVER area. The Offensive Drive ends immediately with 0 points.
  • TOUCHDOWN: TOUCHDOWN must be called before the sip. Land inside its gold box to add 6 points and bank the drive score.
  • END-ZONE INCOMPLETE PASS: Overshoot the TOUCHDOWN gold box and no 6 points are awarded. Erase all provisional points, lose every remaining down, and end the drive immediately.
  • TURNOVER ON DOWNS: Use the final available down without completing a called TOUCHDOWN and the drive ends with 0 points.

Boundary ruling: A settled line touching a gold box counts as complete. A line touching the TURNOVER boundary is a turnover. Judge the continuous liquid line, not foam or isolated droplets.

4. Scoring

  • KICKOFF: 1 provisional point
  • 1ST DOWN: 1 provisional point
  • MIDFIELD: 1 provisional point
  • RED ZONE: 1 provisional point
  • TOUCHDOWN: 6 points and the complete drive score is banked

Perfect Offensive Drive: 10 points. All points remain provisional until the offense completes a called TOUCHDOWN.

Head-to-Head

Both players keep separate field positions, provisional scores, and down counts. After both Blind Kickoffs, Player One runs one play, then Player Two runs one play. Continue alternating one down at a time. If a drive ends early, that player waits while the other offense completes its remaining downs.

Play four quarters. Each offense receives one drive per quarter. Alternate which offense runs the first play each quarter. After four quarters, the offense with the most banked points wins.

Other play formats

Overtime

Each offense receives one additional drive. Switch which offense plays first. The higher banked score wins. Repeat paired drives if the score remains tied.

Team Play

Each team shares one glass, score, and Offensive Drive. Teammates rotate after every down, and no player may take consecutive downs. Opposing teams alternate plays.

Quick Game

Play two quarters instead of four. Each offense receives one drive per quarter. The highest banked score wins.

Solo Practice

Run four Offensive Drives and record the banked total. Track Blind Kickoff makes, completed targets, touchdowns, incomplete passes, and turnovers.

House-rule principle

Agree on close line rulings before play. The safest, slowest interpretation always wins. No rule may require shots, chugging, rapid consumption, finishing a beverage, or unwanted participation.