The World Series of Beer Pong Champions

Recently, the second annual World Series of Beer Pong was held in Las Vegas. 246 teams competed for a lot more than “winner stays” – the top prize was $20,000. After 1600 games and a new keg every 25 minutes, Team We Own Your Face emerged drunk and victorious. Known to their parents as Neil Guerriero and Tone Vassilatos, these beer pong all-stars are truly the Man of the Centurys!

How was the tournament organized?

Neil: They put you into divisions of about 20 teams or so – 12 divisions total. You play about twelve games over two days. For the final bracket, the top 3 or 4 teams in each division compete in a 32-team double elimination tournament.

Tone: Then it’s may the best team win (that would be us LOL).

(editor’s note: this interview was conducted online. Tone did not actually say “LOL”)



What kind of beer do you play with?
Neil: Sin City Beer – it’s a microbrewery in Vegas that sponsored the tournament.

What about when you’re not in a sponsored tournament?
Tone: Whatever the bar wants us to use. They supply the beer – we hit the cups and make the other team drink it.

Boo-ya! We recently surveyed students on controversial beer pong rules. I’m going to throw some out there, you tell me your take on them. Ready? Bouncing.

Neil: Don’t like it. I feel people that bounce aren’t good enough to shoot it in.

Tone: Whatever works for someone.

Neil: Instead of aiming for a cup and shooting it in you can bounce and get lucky – no skill involved.

Tone: Some places have a rule where you can bounce it in, but the other team can swat it away after it hits the table. If a bounce goes in, it counts for two cups. I like that because it makes you pay attention to the game.

Neil: In the World Series, you can bounce but it only counts for one. No swatting.

How many cups per team?
Neil: 10.

Rereacks?
Neil: Yes – at 6, 4, 3, and 2.

Bitches blow?
Neil: Exactly!

No I mean – oh wait I see what you did. Hahaha. Let’s be serious though, bitches blow?

Neil: I don’t mind it. We usually beat them anyway. Unless they give us a reason to lose. ;-)

Is the World Series of Beer Pong co-ed?
Tone: There are a few girls teams out there.

How did they do, and were they permitted to blow?
Tone: There was one guy/girl team that made it to the top 20, I think. Nobody could blow though.

Were they allowed to distract by showing their underwear?
Tone: Yes and they did!

Was it distracting?
Neil: We didn’t play any of those teams, but it was still distracting just watching them play.

How was leaning dealt with? Did anyone get called out on it?
Tone: You were allowed to lean, but you couldn’t rest any part of your body on the table and had to have both feet on the ground. If you lean, you have no skill anyway.

Any advice for Beer Pong amateurs with dreams of the big leagues?
Tone: Beer Pong is like any sport. You’ve gotta have the heart and drive to win. You gotta love the game, and you gotta want it!

Neil: Have fun while you’re playing, and play in some local tournaments to get used to the atmosphere. You have to be able to handle the pressure.

Tone: There’s a big difference between hitting the last cup in your friend’s basement and hitting it for $20,000.