Tree Pong: The Classic Dartmouth Variation

Tree pong is the quintessential Dartmouth pong variation, known for its perfect balance of strategy and skill. This guide covers everything you need to know about this classic game.

Setup

Cup Formation

10 cups arranged in a triangle

Base of triangle points away from players

Cups should be touching

Standard 8-foot table

Cup Placement

First row: 4 cups

Second row: 3 cups

Third row: 2 cups

Fourth row: 1 cup

Rules

Basic Gameplay

Teams alternate turns

Each player gets one throw per turn

Ball must bounce on table

If both players make shots, they get balls back

Scoring

Each cup made is worth 1 point

Game typically played to 10 points

Must win by 2 points

Some variations play to 21

Strategy

Offensive Tips

Aim for back cups first

Use consistent throwing motion

Practice bounce shots

Watch opponent's patterns

Defensive Tips

Protect back cups

Use hand blocks effectively

Stay alert for bounce shots

Communicate with partner

Common House Rules

Rebuttal rules

Bounce rules

Island rules

Death cup rules