Republican Debate Drinking Game 2016: Best Rules For When To Sip, Gulp And Guzzle During GOP Showdown

Just seven candidates, the smallest GOP group thus far, will take part in Thursday’s prime-time Republican presidential debate in North Charleston, South Carolina. But with front-runner Donald Trump set to appear centerstage next to his rival Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, the main event is still expected to be nothing short of entertaining. Add in a debate drinking game and you’ve got one heck of a night.

The prime-time debate, hosted by Fox Business Network, will start at 9 p.m. EST. Billionaire businessman Trump and Cruz will be joined by fellow Republican presidential hopefuls Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Ohio Gov. John Kasich. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and former technology executive Carly Fiorina were bumped from the main debate stage (based on recent poll numbers) and were invited to appear at the so-called undercard debate, which will start at 6 p.m. EST, along with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum. Paul has said he will skip the second-tier event, telling CNN he “won’t participate in anything that’s not the first tier.”

If you’re up for pairing Thursday’s main debate with a drinking game, then gather ’round the television with friends and your drink of choice. Make sure players turn in their car keys for the night or have a designated driver.

The rules are simple. Select your candidate and listen for when he says the specific words listed below. If your candidate says one of his words, take a drink. If any candidate says a community word, everyone drinks. These rules were adapted from DebateDrinking.com.

Here are the drinking cues:

• Trump: best, Canada
• Cruz: radical, IRS
• Rubio: future, families
• Bush: economy, military
• Christie: 9/11, gun
• Kasich: budget, Ohio
• Paul: freedom, tax
• Community words: Obama, ISIS, Reagan, Obamacare

Good luck and safe drinking to all. Remember to look for another International Business Times-sanctioned drinking game for the next Democratic debate, on Sunday, Jan. 17.