Liberal Talk Radio

Dreidel, that silly game of chance, is even more fun as a drinking game in which the following rules* apply:

• Set firm alcohol limits; we cannot stress this enough — one bottle of beer for every person participating is a good guideline.
• Each player is given a small shot glass to be filled with beer. (Manischewitz would work, too, but it would be disgusting.)
• Players take turns rolling the dreidel: a GIMEL means that everyone except for the spinner drinks all (glasses are then refilled); HEY — everyone except for the spinner drinks half (“half the distance to the goal” rules apply — do not refill); SHIN — spinner drinks half (“half the distance to the goal” rules apply — do not refill); NUN — no one drinks.
• If NUN is rolled twice in a row, everyone drinks, including the spinner.

Drinking Dreidel is a pleasant before dinner game, and can be used as an ice breaker at Hannukah parties.

*To recap “traditional” dreidel rules: NUN (looks like an end bracket: “]”) — nothing happens and the next player spins the dreidel; GIMEL (looks like an end bracket with a tail, kind of like “],”) — player takes the whole pot; HEY (the letter appears alongside of “Yod” in the Jewish Chai symbol) — player takes half the pot; and SHIN (looks like a “W” ) — player must put one game piece into the pot.