Three-Man is a very simple but very addictive drinking game. All you need for it is a pair of six-sided dice, a throwing surface (preferrably a table), alcohol, and at least three people to play. An ideal number of people is 4, but anywhere between 3 and 6 people will work fine. Less than that, and you're better off playing drunk-poker or something...more than that, and there will be too much down time between turns. The rules are simple. You throw the dice, and according to what numbers come up, certain people drink. You play with two six-sided dice, and the number combination determines the drinker.

If this will be your first time playing, I recommend you start this first thing in the evening, so you can actually understand the rules before getting too tipsy. This is a game to be played with beer or some form of mixed drinks. NO SHOTS are involved in this game...don't worry about it, you'll get drunk.

Okay, here are the dice rolls, and who drinks. Decide who goes first (randomly, or just whoever picks up the dice first). You can decide who your three-man is, but that's not necessary, the dice will decide eventually. Three-man is not a desired position to hold, unless you want to drink more than everybody else. Three-man drinks every time a three is rolled (that's a natural 3, on one of the dice. If the two dice total 3, then a different thing happens...I'll get to that in a moment. The dice are passed when someone rolls, and no one is forced to drink because of that roll. They are always passed to the right.

Okay, here's what each dice roll means.
• When both dice total 3 (1 and 2), then the roller is the new three man.
• When a 3 is rolled on one of the dice, the three man drinks.
• When the dice total 7, the person to the right of the roller drinks.
• When the dice total 11, the person to the left of the roller drinks.
• When a 1 and a 4 are rolled, everyone must put their right thumb onto the table. The last person to do so must drink.
• When doubles are rolled, the roller passes the dice to whoever he/she wants (both dice do not have to go to the same person). These people roll, and must drink however many drinks they roll (six drinks for a 6, five for 5, etc.) If they roll doubles, the dice are passed back to the original roller, who must do twice what he/she rolls...this pattern can continue ad infinitum (theoretically).
• When 4 and 6 are rolled, this is a social. Everyone drinks (usually politely...everyone chinks glasses/bottles, and drinks).
• When any 3 is rolled, whether it's in a normal roll, a doubles roll, whatever, the three-man must drink. This is why you don't want to be three-man.
• If no one is forced to drink, then the dice move to the right.
• If one person rolls 6 successful dice rolls (they force anyone, including themselves, to drink), then that person can form a new rule. This is where the game gets really interesting. Common rules that I've seen played is that anyone swearing must drink extra (which is fun as our inhibitions melt away), anyone rolling 1 and 2 can choose the new three-man, instead of becoming the three-man, or anyone pointing (to indicate who has to drink) has to do a drink themselves. This stuff can get really interesting...just keep it fair...a rule that one person has to drink on every dice roll defeats the purpose of the game.

That's it! It's simple, once you get the hang of it. Have a pleasant night getting plastered!

Rules for Three-Man, Edinburgh Style, will be coming soon, as soon as I can tear myself away from playing the game and get back to the computer.

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