Three Man
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Three Man (a.k.a. Mr. Three, Hat Man) is a drinking game played with dice. The game can played with a larger group (6-15) of people than other drinking games and is designed so as to not require a great deal of participation from the players not directly involved in the current dice roll.
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[edit] Rules
[edit] Note on rules
The rules presented here are a generalization. As with many drinking games, such as beer pong, there is no "official" set of rules, and certain rules may vary from house to house, but normally rules are predetermined in order to avoid any disputes.
[edit] The turns
Players begin the game taking turns in a rotation, normally clockwise, playing until their turn is expired. A player's turn begins by rolling two dice. If the player rolls a total of three (a two and one), that player becomes "the three man." Any time after this when any player rolls a total of three, they become the three man. After the initial three man has been chosen, any time a player rolls one dice a three, the three man must take a drink - if the player rolls two threes, the three man takes two drinks. If the player rolls a total of five, the player behind them (the person to their right when playing clockwise) has to take a drink (a term not specified in most games, the player may drink as much or as little as they prefer in most cases), and if the player rolls a seven, the person ahead of them drinks. If the player rolls doubles, there is a "roll off." In a roll off, the player who rolled doubles choses two other players and hands each one a dice, which the players then roll at the same time. The player who rolls the lower number must "drink the difference" - for example, if one player rolls a five and the other rolls a one, the player who rolled the one must take 4 drinks (5-1=4 drinks).
In some variations, a player who rolled doubles (Player A) may also give them both to one single player (Player B), who then rolls both of the die to see what he or she is to drink. If player B rolls doubles, however, both of the die are returned to player A and he rolls. He then doubles what he rolls and takes that many drinks (A rolls doubles, gives to B. B rolls doubles and hands them back to A. A rolls 6+3=9, so he must drink 18 times).
If the player rolls any of these options, the player is granted another turn. If the player rolls one or both dice off the table, house rules may vary. In some games, the player may simply take a drink for each dice rolled off or the player may become the three man.
A more recent adjustment to the game allows players to create a new rule that all players must abide by, lest they drink more. This is only done after there are three successful rolls by a single player on a single run. Doubles, three man the hard way (1+2), 7 and 5 all count towards this. Rolling a basic 3 does not count. The most popular rule is the "Green Man" rule, in which all players must remember to take the imaginary plastic green soldier off of their respective drinks prior to starting drinking. After the round of drinking is done, players must return the "Green Man" to his resting place. Failing to do so results in another drink.
One variation makes something happen on any roll of a 1 depending on the result of the other die. For instance, a 1 and a 1 is doubles, which allows for a roll-off or passing of dice. A 1 and a 2 turns the roller into the three man. A 1 and a 3 forces the 3 man to drink. A 1 with a 4, 5, or 6 have special rules which force the players to perform an action, with the last player to perform that action receiving one penalty drink. These action change from house to house, but one common variation has the players place a thumb on the table on a 1 and a 4, touch their nose on a 1 and a 5, and hold their earlobe on a 1 and a 6. Often these actions are done quietly with players trying to avoid letting the others in on what must be done until only one person is left who has not performed the required action. The quietness of the other players will often signal to those not paying complete attention that something must be done, resulting in a mad dash to avoid being last. An additional variation penalizes players for performing the wrong action, like touching their nose when they should grab their earlobe.
[edit] Variation: Oakville Rules
A variation of 3-man can be traced to Oakville, Ontario, Canada. The game begins with one player rolling one of the two dice. If they roll a three, they are the 3-man. If not, they pass the dice on to the next player (clockwise), and the process continues until someone is elected to the position. The game proceeds with the person to the left of the 3-man rolling both dice.
If the roller happens to roll a sum of 3, or if one of the dice lands on a 3, then the 3-man must take a drink. The 3-man can only be relieved of their unfortunate responsibilities upon rolling a 3 (on one die or a sum) on their own turn, at which point they can choose who they wish to be the next 3-man. This selection can be a source of vendettas in the game, though many players will choose the person to their immediate left to ensure the maximum amount of consumption before that player can have a chance to get rid of the title.
If a player rolls a 7, the person to their right must take 1 drink, and if they roll an 11, the person to their left must drink.
If a player rolls double 2s, double 3s, double 4s, or double 5s, they can assign 2, 3, 4, or 5 drinks respectively to other players. They can be split up between other players or concentrated on one or two, and the roller of the dice can assign the drinks to themselves. This choice is generally considered to be a truly noble act that embodies the spirit of the game. If a player rolls double 1s (snake eyes), they must have 2 drinks themselves. In the case of double 3s, the 3 man must take two drinks (for each of the 3s on the table) and then the roller can further assign 3 more drinks.
If a player rolls double 6s, they must deliver what is known as the "Tombstone". The player has to "shoot out" what is known as a "sizeable chug" (no less than 6 drinks) to one player. The shooting process of one that requires some theatrics, as the roller is encouraged to use his or her hands like revolvers in a duel to target the player who will be taking the fall. Essentially, the more dramatic or exaggerated the "shooting" of the Tombstone, the better it will be. In instances where people are "too cool" to put some effort into the act, a rating system can be put in place by the other players, whereby a failure to fulfill their responsibilities as the shooter result in penalty drinks.
A player continues to roll the dice until they have a roll on which nobody takes a drink (for example, a 4 and a six has no consequence, so that player's turn is over).
An important component to the Oakville variation is careful rolling. If either or both of the dice roll off of the table, the roller must take a "sizeable chug" and then roll again. Also, if either or both of the dice hit a bottle on the table, the roller must take a "sizeable chug". If both dice stay on the table, a "play it as it lies" policy is in place. Once a player finishes a bottle, they can place it strategically on the table so as to impede the rolling abilities of the other players. If players choose to pour a bottle into a mug or cup, they may not place the bottle on the table until that cup has been finished.
There are a couple of side-games or special developments that players of Oakville 3-man might like to take part of. The first of these is what is known as the "speed round" or "faceoff". If a player rolls succesfully 6 times in a row (ie. somebody has to drink as a result of 6 straight turns, including the roller where applicable), the "faceoff" is initiated. The roller must choose one other player in the game, and they each take one of the dice. They roll together, and the first person to roll a 3 has to take a sizeable chug. Afterwards, the initial roller continues as if beginning their turn again.
Another optional component is the playing of "sink the ship" upon the rolling of a 1 and a 3 (for a total of 4, but not if the dice are double 2s). For this game, the group needs a standard pitcher and a highball glass, and they need to fill the pitcher with beer. They should float the highball glass in the pitcher (most of them will, in fact, float). The roller of the 1,3 combination has to pour some of their drink into the floating glass. The group then waits to see if it sinks. If it does not sink, the next person pour some of their drink in, and the process continues until somebody "sinks the ship". The sinker of the ship must reach into the pitcher, pull out the cup, and drink it. Standard 3-man then continues with the original roller.
Note: 3-man is a messy, messy game when played with the "sink the ship" option. Play it on a table that can be easily cleaned and have paper towels in abundance on hand.
[edit] Objective
Since there is no defined winner, the objective of the game can vary between players: a player may find the objective to get as drunk as possible in the shortest period of time, or a player may find the objective to not have to drink as much as the other players. Because of this, games are generally played for a certain amount of time or until players start to leave and there is not a sufficient number of players to continue.
[edit] References
- The Best Drinking Games Book Ever: Carlton Books, 2002.
