Cups was a game invented by Chandler with the intention that Joey won, so that he would accept some money from Chandler, which Joey needed to pay the rent. This page contains the rules of the Cups game from "The One On The Last Night," recreated by series' fan and logic of their recreation. These rules are not official and partly based on guesses.
Rules
The game depends only on luck and consists of series of 2-card tricks. Who has a card or combination of cards with the highest rate wins the trick. Joey always won with low-rate cards. It means that card rate in this game is reversed, with a few exceptions. When Joey takes only one card and it is a 2 of clubs, Chandler says that he has automatically won. Than means that 2 of clubs is the highest-rated card.
There are 2 combinations that beat any cards: the full cup (4 and 9) and the D-cup (3 and 6). The D-cup is the highest of those two. Joey mentioned a half-cup, but you can't divide 13 (9+4). That means that 4-card and 9-card are half cups and they are rated more than other cards, except the 2 of clubs
If one player wins 700 dollars, the other player has to double it (700+700) to equal 1400 dollars.Then after you receive the doubleing bonus, you get one card, and that one card could be worth $100, which will bring $1400 to an even 1500 dollars (only if the card drawn is the 2 of clubs) and player #1 won't lose any money if its the wrong card.
This gives us the following cards and combinations rating, from highest to lowest:
- 2 of clubs
- 3 and 6
- 4 and 9
- 4
- 9
- 2 (not clubs)
- 3
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 10
- Jack
- Queen
- King
- Ace
The game is played by just taking two cards, and who has highest-rated combination or, if there are no combinations, highest-rated card, wins. Joey had a comment on Cups and said, "Beginner's luck, very important in Cups."
Bonuses
- Sitting down bonus: They were playing while standing. So when you have the same cards, who sits down first gets the sitting bonus and wins the trick.
- Saucer card: Chandler said card, not cards, so there is only one special card in the deck - joker. It will let you instantly win the game if you have this card on any turn, winning all of the opponents money they have so far.