Buffalo (drinking game)

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Buffalo is a drinking game popular in Canadian Universities among engineers as well as in Iceland, although it is played around the world. People who play the game refer to themselves as "Buffalos". A group of people playing the game often form Buffalo Clubs.

Contents

[edit] Rules

The rules are very simple, and involve which hand you may use to drink.

  1. You can hold your drink with either hand, but may only drink from it with your non-dominant hand. If any other Buffalo players spot you drinking with your dominant hand, they call Buffalo on you and you must finish your drink as quickly as possible. If you hesitate to finish your drink, the other players will usually proceed to make a ruckus chanting "Buffalo!" and banging on the table until you finish.
  2. If you call a false Buffalo on somebody (call Buffalo when they are actually drinking with the proper hand), you are obligated to finish your own drink. Special care must be made when drinking with left-handed Buffalos because of this rule.
  3. Once you begin playing Buffalo, you are playing it for the rest of your life.

Initiation: Derivation 1 You begin playing if you respond to the question posed by a Buffalo player, "Are you a Buffalo?" to which the reply is "Once a Buffalo always a Buffalo" and the game is on. The Buffalo player posing the question is rarely willing to explain what this question means, but will either try to talk the person they are asking into answering in the affirmative or employ reverse psychology to attempt to trick them into answering in the affirmative.

Initiation: Derivation 2 To make the game more interesting and to create a sense of commitment, many require an initiation to join the club. This initiation consists of finishing a full drink and taking a shot in the presence of a Buffalo Club member. This helps weed out the weak players and those who would just disobey the rules.

Nobody needs to declare that the game is on. At least in principle, if rarely actually done, if you spot a complete stranger drinking with what you think to be their dominant hand, and you call Buffalo on them, they will either be confused or immediately know that they have transgressed the rules in the presence of another Buffalo player and are obligated to finish their drink or return a false Buffalo, if applicable. If they are aware of the game but have avoided playing, they do not have to drink, but also may not return a false Buffalo.

There exist many variations of the rules and many Buffalo clubs exist, particularly in Canada. [1]

[edit] History

It is said that the history of buffalo stems from the wild west, where it was essential to be able to shoot anyone at anytime. Therefore it was important never to drink your drink with the hand you would normally shoot with, which gave birth to the rule of the non-dominant hand. Because the game essentially was a matter of life or death, it could never be stopped but would run continually throughout one's life. The game was then perfected during the Gold Rush by the famous pioneer "Chris Jones", a man amongst legends. Jones would use the drinking game as a strategy to intoxicate rival pioneers and then proceed to steal their gold.

[edit] Engineering History

While the exact origin of buffalo is highly disputed, it is commonly agreed that the engineering student version of the game resulted from the need of engineers to "drink and derive." That is, the non-dominant hand was determined to be the hand of consumption while the dominant hand was used to perform calculations relating to engineering practices. There is no evidence that engineers actually invented this way of life. Southwestern Ontarians believe that Buffalo came with the Comiskey family when they immigrated from Ireland in the 1840s.

[edit] International Variations

The Saskatchewan Version

  • At the two largest universities in Saskatchewan, discrepancies between the rules exist.
  • In Regina, there exist exceptions to the rule including when double fisting (a drink in each hand), when drinking one drink but holding it in 2 hands, unopened beverages and when pouring.
  • Beers to be deferred to shots (ie. 1 glass (12 oz) = 1 shot, 1 pint (16 oz) = 2 shots, 1 schooner (32 oz) = 3 shots) As you can see from the pint, shots are rounded up.
  • Finally, a 'False Buffalo' rule exists. By calling a buffalo on someone who has not broken any of the rules or by calling buffalo on someone who is not actually in the club you have to chug your drink.

[www.uofrengineering.com]

Additional rules that apply in New Zealand.

  1. Buffalos may not refer to other players by their first name. Buffalos must refer to other buffalos with an appropriate title and their last name e.g. Mr Duncan, or Miss Winter. The penalty for infringement is the consumption of the entire vessel. (With the non dominant hand of course.)

The Johannesburg Version

Between the morning hours of 12am and 11:59am players must drink with their dominant hand. During the afternoon/evening hours of 12pm - 23:59pm players must drink with their non-dominant hand.
Addendum just to make life a little more complicated: All foods consumed with a spoon ie:cereals, soups etc must be consumed with the non-dominant hand or the player is forced to down the entire bowl as fast as is possible.

The California Version

  • The basic premise of the game applies (not being able to hold drinks with one's dominant hand) but there is some variation in terms of penalties and exceptions. First of all, one needs only to touch the drink (not actually grab it) in order to be subject to a Buffalo. Second, a Buffalo cannot be called on wine or bottles containing a large amount of hard liquor. Third, a Buffalo cannot be called on a person who is transporting more than can be carried in one hand (transport exception). Lastly, since the aim of Buffalo is to get people drunk, not vomiting, one can always defer his penalty to a single shot.

The University of California at Berkeley Version:

You are introduced to "Buffalo" by drinking with a current Buffalo with the non-dominant hand and explained the rules. You are then a "Buffalo" and must always drink with that hand, forever. If you drink with your dominant hand you are no longer a "Buffalo." The honor code is required. I went 13 years before I lost the game. One Cal Bear has gone for more than 30 years.

Eureka Buffalo Rules: A member of the buffalo club must drink with the proper hand. The hand that you drink with varies daily. To find the hand you must drink with, you take the number of the month, and the number of the day and add the two. If it is an even number, you drink with the right hand, if it is odd, you drink with the left hand. As an example, you take March (3) 19th (19) and add them together. 3+19=22. Even number means a right-handed day. Easy. This variant is only applicable to beer. Shots, Cocktails, Martinis, and other similar beverages, do not apply. Only beer. The penalty for drinking with the wrong hand are the same as the other game rules. There are exceptions, as in if you were at a Football game and you have the 10 dollar, 20 ounce beers. Other than that, fair game.


The California, Out Of Kontrol version

Basic rule: Do NOT touch the drink with your right hand. We have plenty of left handed players having issues with this rule.

  • Basic rule does not apply to mixing drinks...ie. Bartending
  • Stirring a drink with a straw, pencil, pen...etc..with your right hand, though holding in your left, does constitute a buffalo.
  • Stirring a drink with a finger from your right hand as well constitutes a buffalo. (Bartending is excluded)


Washington State Version:

Official rules apply with a slight variation. Instead of using a person’s dominant hand, every person must drink with their left hand from 12:00pm to 11:59pm and then switch to using their right hand from 12:00am (midnight) until 11:59am. Also, there is an addition to receiving a buffalo call: if a person gets "buffaloed" and pounds their drink with the incorrect hand, any person may call "bison" in which they will have to finish pounding their current drink as well as pound a second full drink (totaling two drinks and this "bison" may continue to be called as long as the individual refuses to correctly switch hands). Lastly, if an individual's drink is below 25% (1/4 of the original fluid volume) and they are buffaloed, then they must finish the last 25% of their current drink as well as pound a new, identical drink.

The Hawaii Version

  • The basic premise of the game applies, but there are two major differences. First, the rules apply to all liquids, not just alcoholic beverages. This includes water, soda, even cough syrup. This causes the game to be more than just a game, but a lifestyle change. This may be related to the Wild West theory. Second, it is always the left hand that causes the penalty, regardless of the player's dominant hand.
  • There is also a notable difference in how the game is started. One must be made a Buffalo by another. A speech is often involved, explaining the rules, history, and a lot of filler to make it sound more important. It is capped off with a left-handed shake.

The Danish version

  • The basic premise of the game applies, however members always drink with the left hand (dominant or not).

There are also a few variations in terms of membership and penalties:

  • All members must, at any time, be able to present his/her personal Buffalo Club membership card
  • A member can, at any time, challenge another member to present the the membership card. If unable to do so, the challenged member must pay drinks to all other Buffalo members present. If, however, the card is successfully presented, it is the challenger who must pay a round of drinks.
  • If a female member is "Buffalo'ed" the penalty is a kiss on the cheek to the member that is "Buffalo'ing" her

The Danish GG-version

  • In this version the basic premise of the game has been altered, which means that the hand you drink with is determined by the date. You drink with your right hand on even dates and your left hand on odd dates. This is done partly because eventually it got too easy to get used to drink with your opposite hand, but mostly because of the great fun this rule results in when the clock passes 12 at night. Also it is possible to get a "befrier", which roughly translates to "liberator". This "liberator" is achieved either when you perform some sort of heroic deed (i.e. saves a persons life or eat five pizzas in a row), or when the person who has given you the buffalo feels sorry for you and let you free of the buffalo (maybe because you drank from a filled bottle of vodka, or is attending a funeral). If you do the heroic deed you are the recipient of the "liberator", and if a person lets you off a buffalo he/she is the recipient. A "liberator" can free you from a buffalo, but can only be cashed in with the person you have received it from (i.e. if two persons give you a buffalo at the same time, and you only have a "liberator" with one of them, you still get the buffalo). Mostly "liberators" aren't cashed in, but kept as trophies.

The Melbourne Version 1

  • The premise and rules of the game remain the same, with the major difference that the rule of not drinking from your dominant hand is altered. Instead, players must only drink from their left hand. Also, upon induction to the club the new member must pay a membership fee of A$0.10 which is consequently thrown away in the most dramatic manner possible. The new member is then informed that the Buffalo club is a 'not for profit organisation'.

The Melbourne Version 2

  • The premise and rules of the game remain the same, with the major difference that the rule of not drinking from your dominant hand is altered. Instead, players must only drink from their left hand. Also, upon induction to the club the new member must pay a membership fee of whatever loose change they have in their pocket and is not returned to the inductee. One can donate the membership fee to the inductee other than the inductor.

The Texas Version

  • The premise and rules of the game remain the same, with the difference being every member must drink with their left hand no matter which is dominant. Upon induction one must pay a membership fee of $0.25 which is not given back to the new member. One can donate $0.25 to the inductee other than the inductor.

The Baltimore Version

  • The premise and the rules of the game remain the same, with a few differences. Players may only be buffalo'd on an open drink. Players also must note the time they were initiated into the game. For the remainder of the game, when fellow players ask "What time is it?" a player must respond with the time that they were initiated. For example, if a player began to play at 9:52, they must always respond "9:52" when fellow buffaloers ask "What time is it?" regardless of the actual time. Buffalo only applies to alcoholic drinks.

The Milwaukee Version

  • The premise and the rules of the game remain the same, with a few differences. Drinks must always be held in the left hand and only needs to be held in the right hand to have buffalo called. Buffalo can be called on any type or amount of liquor under any circumstance. Induction can occur without any explanation of the rules. There's a heavy emphasis on tricking people to hold drinks in their right hand.

The Southern California Version

  • Rules apply for drinking (not just holding) any liquid (not just alcohol) with the right hand (not the dominant hand). These rules are to encourage participation among those who do not or cannot drink on the occasion and to discourage false buffalo calls that can result from left-handed drinkers or drinkers of unknown beverages.
  • Upon getting buffaloed for the third (or more) time in a twenty-four hour period, the Buffalo in violation must remove his or her shirt/top until he or she finishes the next drink after the one for which he or she was originally buffaloed. This rule applies regardless of environment.

The Adelaide Version

The general rules remain the same, however there are two additions. Non dominant drinking is further complicated by the pinkie or little finger on that hand must not be toughing the glass regardless of size, when the beverage touches the lips. Also, if someone is buffaloed and cannot consume their drink immediately, it is their responsibility to purchase the next round.

Cirencester RFC Version (England)

In line with the Adelaide version above i.e. left hand drinking at all times with little finger off the glass when consuming the beverage, with one addition. Once the glass is empty it must be acknowledged by another Buffalo member before it can be put down, this is done by shaking the empty glass in front of another Buffalo club member until they say "acknowledged!" (you cannot refuse acknowledgement of an empty glass). If you put the empty glass down before it's acknowledged and you get caught by another Buffalo member, you have to buy the same drink again and finish it on the spot.

The above rules are in play at all times except the last Saturday of the month when the rules change to "Bison" drinking. Bison rules are the exact opposite to Buffalo i.e. right hand drinking with little finger in contact with the glass when consuming your beverage, and no acknowledgement of an empty glass. Any infraction upon these rules results in a call of "Bison" and you finish your drink. If you attempt to get your empty glass acknowledged when Bison drinking you have to buy the same drink again and finish it on the spot.

Czech & Slovak Version:

  • Unlike the most world versions, you are allowed to leave the Buffalo club at any time (which is an important point in convincing another potentially incoming members); you are, however, obliged to run three times completely naked round the Náměstí Svobody Square in the very centre of Brno, Czech Republic.

Illinoin Version:

Official rules apply, accept to join you must produce a penny, then year of penny must be verified by joinee, neutral party, and the Buffalo mamber. Penny is hidden or through around drinking area(in or outside) then the member can only leave when penny is found, (nobody finds the penny) V-loh Rule

Combat Rule variation:

After 10 PM local time the most senior Buffalo member may declare Combat Rules by declaring so or folding up the bottom part of his left trouser. From that moment on drinking needs to be done according to the large hand of the clock (e.g. 10 past the hour is right hand , a quarter to the hour is left hand) with a changeover time of 3 minutes every half and whole hour during which drinking is allowed with both hands.

For more info see the webpage: [2]

Orlando, FL Version

Same basic premise of the game with a few differences. Everyone in the club must drink with the left hand, dominant hand plays no part. The Buffalo rules apply only to alcoholic drinks and the rules apply 24/7.

[edit] Special situations and exceptions

  • Playing Buffalo applies to all alcoholic drinks. When doing shots, since finishing the drink in your hand is not possible, a second shot must be consumed if the shot is done with the dominant hand.
  • Buffalo does not extend to non-alcoholic drinks, as calling Buffalo on somebody drinking, for instance, a hot cup of tea could have disastrous results. Calling buffalo on a non-alcoholic drink is considered a "false buffalo".
  • If you have buffalo called against you when drinking from someone else's drink, you must finish it and buy another drink to replace it.
  • When drinking with straws, both the straw and drinking vessel (ie. glass/bottle) must be in the non-dominant hand. A popular method with straws is to "check" the straw, which involves making contact with it with your hand before drinking commences.
  • The only get-out of finishing your drink if you are "buffalo'd" is to buy every other buffalo in your presence a drink. This is typically frowned upon in most situations, but fully acceptable if the person is driving later that night.
  • If a member is "buffalo'd" on a beverage that may cause physical harm, e.g. a full bottle of spirits, the buffalo members present may decide on a suitable compromise.
  • One is immune to getting buffaloed if one is actively consuming an alcoholic beverage in each hand (double fisting).
  • If one is ambidextrous he or she must decide which hand will be effectively their dominant hand. This decision is permanent from time of initiation and can never be changed.
  • If a buffalo ever receives an injury to their non dominant hand, such as a broken arm they have one of two options. They may either request from every buffalo present at any event they attend for a temporary pass (although this is usually frowned upon as once a buffalo aways a buffalo). Or the buffalo in question may request a cup holder straw combination be made (with assistance if necessary) using copious amounts of duct tape and other household materials (This option is regarded highly amongst other buffalos as it shows dedication and commitment to the game).

Flying High Circus Rules -In the instance that a member is holding an open drink and is not necessarily drinking from the open beverage, he/she must finish their drink as quickily as possible once "buffalo" has been called on them. -As members of Buffalo, two people do not have to be in the same vicinity to particiapte in the game. Ex. If a member calls another member and says, "buffalo" on the phone, if that person has a drink in their dominant hand, they must quickily finish it. -If someone is holding their drink in their dominant hand and it is resting upon a surface that drink must be able to stay balanced, on its own, on that surface, for 5 sec. in case of a buffalo call.

Native Rules: In Observance of the way Native Americans used every part of the Buffalo, members but swallow a buffalo head nickel to become initiated. (I AM NOT CONDONING OR ENCOURAGING THIS PRACTICE) By doing this you are symbolizing the connection with Native Americans.

[edit] Cheating

Buffalos are usually honorable about their game, but it is possible to cheat in the presence of people who don't know you are a Buffalo, who don't know about the game, or, of course, when drinking alone. It is a major transgression to lie to a fellow Buffalo about which hand is your dominant hand. When in doubt about another player's integrity it is acceptable to ask them to perform a task with their non-drinking hand in order to ascertain whether they are telling the truth. Penalties for those who lie or those who unjustly accuse someone of lying can be determined by the players.

[edit] External links