Tablero Rules

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Here you can find our version of Tablero’s Rules in video and print formats.

Many Tablero players will have house rules that may differ from ours. This is partly due to the crowd sourced nature of how the rules were developed.

This is a feature not a flaw.

Guess what? We don’t care! Make up your own! Add to the confusion! It’s fun!

See our suggestions under: Agree on any Variant Rules below.

Tablero is a drinking game, usually played with beer as The Stake, and we will be using beer as the generic beverage in this rule book. But Tablero can also be played with cider or alcopops, margaritas or hard lemonade. It can be played with water or soda pop or coffee (Breakfast Tablero). You can play it with non-liquids; grapes or M&Ms (Kinder Tablero).
Hard liquor games of Tablero (known as Tablotto) are an excellent way to get alcohol poisoning and we strongly advise against them.
The publishers of this game are in no way responsible if you drink yourself into a coma.
If you play this game with alcohol, you will most likely get at least a little drunk. If you get lucky, play really well, or play many games in a row, you will likely get very, very drunk. This means that afterwards you will not be able to drive a car, operate heavy machinery, captain an oil tanker, or impress the opposite sex with your charm.
The publishers of this game are in no way responsible for any misadventures you might have during or after playing our game, nor can we be held liable for any fines or legal fees you incur, replacement costs for anything you damage, child support, alimony, etc.
Let your normal consumption for alcohol guide how many games you indulge in, not how many games you play drive the amount you drink. Know your own limits and stop when, or preferably before, you reach them.
A game of Tablero takes roughly an hour and in that time, if you get lucky or play really well, you can drink most or all of your opponent’s wager, (two cans or bottles - approx. 700ml or 24 oz) plus your first pour, something like an additional 8 oz. or 236ml, plus any shared shots from any adjacent games. This can be well over two pints.
Have fun. Be responsible.
DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE
Let us say that again in a different way.
People who Drive Drunk are to be blocked
and we’re not going to play with them anymore.
If you are concerned about catching a cold, flu, COVID, the Black Death or other plague, from the person you are playing with or any of the spectators receiving shots, you can put Safe Tablero Protocols in place. Instead of drinking from the shot glasses, pour the beverage from the shots into a personal vessel (i.e. a glass) for each player and drink from those. Simple and effective. This will not shield you from anything airborne if you are in a pub or at a party of course.
Your Tablero cloth game board loves beer and most other beverages. Take it out and play with it often. Substances like red wine are likely to stain your board, however. (Wine is also considered too potent to play with).
Anything made of cloth will mold if you put it away dirty. If you must transport the game wet or still covered in beer, and you don’t remember or are unable to take it out and clean it, you will very shortly (a day or so depending on humidity) have a board covered in mold spots.
Best case scenario: wash the board and glasses in soapy hot water and allow to dry fully before you put them into the case. Lay the board flat or hang to dry to maximize its ability to lay flat for gaming. While you can put the board and shot glasses in automatic washing machines, they will fade much quicker than with hand washing.
The glass or steel shot glasses that come with your Tablero Game Set are the same size externally but differ in terms of the volume of liquid they hold due to the difference in the thickness of their relative materials. To manage this – and this would be especially important in a formal tourney situation – we have scored lines on the inside of the steel shots to match the natural gauges (full to the brim or to the top of the “T” logo) of the glass ones. Pour amounts will affect your Speed of Play (q.v.)
Below you will find a table of the relative pour amounts in milliliters and approximate ounces. Because US and Imperial fluid ounces vary slightly, we have averaged them. And let’s face it, your pour amounts are going to be inexact, and increasingly so as the evening progresses.
ml       ~oz
80        2.75       Steel Shot Full / Glass Queen’s Cup Full
60        2            Steel Shot line 1 / Glass Shot Full
50        1.75       Steel Queen’s Cup top line / Glass Queen’s Cup Top of the “T”
35        1            Steel Shot lower line / Glass Shot Top of “T”

All you need to play Tablero is seven shot glasses, four vessels of equal volume (i.e. bottles of beer) two six-sided dice, and a flat surface that can take exposure to whatever liquid comes out of the vessels.

Players do not have to engage in the many fun bits of etiquette that have grown up around this game, but it is customary for someone wishing to engage another person in a game of Tablero to issue a challenge with some bravado. So, one might say something like, “Got two beers you pathetic tiny worm? Get over here so I can beat you like the cheap drum you are!” Their Opponent might then respond in a similar fashion, extolling their prowess and the challenger’s inconsequentiality, i.e. “Prepare your measly self to be utterly vanquished by my awesomeness in disgraceful … disgrace … or words to that effect.”
The publishers of this game are in no way responsible if you challenge the wrong person in an ill-advised manner with dire consequences.
Each Player will require a Stake. This is your wager, kind of like the ante in poker. The Stake is an equal amount of something to drink, usually beer, though you can play with cider, alcopops, or pitchers of mixed drinks. You can play with non-alcoholic beverages, like coffee (Breakfast Tablero) or juice or soft drinks (Kinder Tablero). Tablero can even be played with treats instead of a beverage; grapes or M&Ms.
Two players who don’t like the same beverages can still play a game together. See the Variant Rule; One Man’s Poison.
Hard liquor games of Tablero (known as Tablotto) are an excellent way to get alcohol poisoning and we strongly advise against them.
The standard Stake for a game is two bottles or cans per Player, but you can play one bottle games or split the difference by playing for a tall boy or a pint. You can play with growlers though it is difficult with a one vessel game to determine the skunk line (q.v. Getting Skunked).
The Stake should be agreed upon once a Challenge has been accepted.
Because there are many Variant Rules within the various Tablero communities, it is wise to agree which ones, if any, are to be used in any given game. We have listed a few but there are many, many more out there, as this has always been encouraged by proponents of the game. Our rules differ slightly from the norm, which we note as a House Rule when they come up in this volume.
Make up your own! Add to the confusion! It’s fun!
Tablero is played with seven shot glasses on a 7x7 grid. Lay the board out on a suitable (beer-resistant!) table and set three shot glasses on one side (to their left or right, as long as both players do it the same so they do not have shots in the same Column) of each Baseline; the Row of squares closest to the Players. Both Players fill the shot glasses on their Baselines. The seventh shot glass goes in the middle of the board. If deploying the Queen’s Cup, it goes here.
Both players fill the glasses on their baseline. This is a good time to establish how full you want to fill each shot. See Pour Sizes of Your Game Set’s Shot Glasses, above.
Again, have a care that the board is placed on furniture that can take having beer spilled on it.
The publishers of this game are in no way responsible if you ruin the finish on your mom’s antique table.
Item descriptionPresuming there is one handy, have a third person roll both dice. This number will be The Queen’s Number for this particular game. If there are no agreeable people handy, the Players can roll one die each.
House Rule: the Queens Number may not be a Pass Number (7 or 11). Re-roll these.
The Players each roll one die. The Player with the highest roll goes first. Ties are re-rolled.
The Player going first fills the middle glass and rolls both dice to begin play.

This manual uses the term Player to denote the person who has control of the dice, the other participant being the Opponent.
The object of the game is to drink your Opponent’s beverage. Players must arrange 5 or more shot glasses in a continuous, unbroken line on any Row (the lines of squares horizontal to the players) but NOT on either Baseline (the two Rows closest to the Players).
The Player rolls the two 6-sided dice and moves any two of the seven shot glasses, one for each die, the corresponding number of squares up or down the Columns (the lines of squares perpendicular to the players).
The Player must make both their moves even if this puts them at a disadvantage.
Dice rolls cannot be combined to move one shot.
One shot may not be moved twice in a single throw of the dice.
A Player not able to move both their shot glasses moves neither and passes the dice to their Opponent.
The Player continues to roll the dice and move shot glasses until they a) line up enough shot glasses to Take a Pull, b) lose Control of the dice as a result of rolling a Pass Number or c) are unable to move one or more of their shot glasses the number of spaces indicated by the die. Example; the roll is a 6 and there are no shot glasses on either baseline so no move is possible for that number.

Pass Numbers are numbers that force the Player who rolled them to end their turn and pass the dice to their Opponent, without getting to move any shot glasses. As in the dice game Craps, a roll of 7 or 11 are Pass Numbers. The Opponent now gains Control of the dice.
House Rule: Note that some versions of Tablero also use 12 as a Pass Number, but this negates the need to keep two shots on the baseline, which is an extra source of tension in our version of the game.
Whenever the Queen’s Number is rolled, the Player who rolled it should choose any glass on the table (including one sitting on a baseline) raise it, declare “Let’s Hear It For The Queen!” and drink the shot.
The empty glass is set on the Opponent’s baseline on the Column it came from, and the Opponent fills it. Play then proceeds as before, without re-rolling the dice.
House Rule: Some versions allow Pass Numbers to be the Queen’s Number but we do not.
If a Player rolls the Queen’s Number but does not notice and moves a shot glass (the Opponent should wait for them to let go of the shot before challenging the move) their Opponent may call Muggins on it by declaring “Let’s Hear It For The Queen!”. (Some players use “Treason to the Queen” instead.)
The shot glass that was moved in error should go back to where it was before the Queen’s Number was rolled and the Opponent gets to choose any shot and drink it. The emptied shot then goes on the Baseline of the active Player and they must fill it. The Player retains control of the dice and continues with their turn.
If the Opponent does not call The Queen’s Number before the dice are rolled again, then the opportunity is lost. (Some close-knit groups entertain a Variant allowing spectators to call Muggins).
You get to Take a Pull (i.e. drink the lined-up shot glasses) when you line up 5 or more shot glasses in a continuous, unbroken row on a Row (so, no gaps in the line of shots). There are Variants that allow a couple alternatives to this (i.e. the Diagonal or the Chevron) so agree on those before you start playing.
In most instances this rule is generally relaxed by 1 glass when a Player is being Skunked. It is, however, deemed unworthy within the Tablero community to take a Pull of less than the required number, and doing so is both fondly and scathingly referred to as a Kendal, after Gerhard Kendal of Westmoreland who correctly maintained that strategically taking small pulls was the best way to win.
Note that at least one shot glass must be added to an assembled line of shots on the turn that the Pull is declared and taken.
Pulls may not be assembled on the baselines.
When a Player has arranged enough shots in a line for a Pull, they may drink them. In fact, the Player must drink at least half of the shots in the Pull. The other half of the shot glasses in the Pull they may optionally hand out to their Opponent, who is likely thirsty at this point, and/or to the Spectators that generally agglomerate to games of Tablero.
(Note that forfeiting a game because you’ve had enough to drink does not carry a stigma of shame. The game can even continue if there are thirsty and willing Spectators handy).
The Player must have finished both their moves before being able to Take a Pull. So, if the first of the two dice rolls allows the Player to make a seven in a row, they must still move a second shot glass, potentially pulling the seven apart. (See Hints, Cheats, and Strategy: Avoid The Crossbow)
After a Pull, the shot glasses that have been thus emptied are placed on your Opponent’s baseline and the Opponent must refill them. Provided they fill all the empty shot glasses, the Opponent now gets control of the dice, becoming the active Player.
A Player wins a game of Tablero at the point where their Opponent cannot fill a shot glass that it is required of them to fill. In other words, the Opponent has run out of beer and has therefore lost the game.
Note that a game is never forfeited on the Queen’s Number. If an Opponent cannot fill a glass drained by the rolling of the Queen’s number, the glass should be filled by the Player or a Spectator.
Players must be conscious in order to be declared the winner.
When a Player cannot fill all the glasses emptied by their Opponent and the game is declared over, the victor should now fill as many remaining empty glasses as possible, take one for themselves and hand the remainder out to the Loser and any spectators, admonishing them not to drink yet. The Winner should then stand and make a grandiose toast to whatever or whomever they please; the Queen, the current object of their desire, the fine brew they have been imbibing, gods or country or any other specious entities they may wish to invoke, the spectators, their opponent for losing so graciously, themselves for winning so handily. Emptied glasses are then traditionally upended on the board.

Tablero is partly a game of etiquette. Some of this etiquette is noisy and rowdy, like the Toast Round, toasting the Queen and shouting Set ‘em Up and Knock ‘em Down at Full Pulls, and some is respectful, like doing the noisy bits in stage whispers for the sake of the other patrons / campers / guests / inmates. Known as Stealth Tablero, this would hopefully be engaged prior to being told to keep it down or thrown out.
Due in part to the aforementioned noise level and rowdiness, part of the art of playing Tablero is learning to read the room; gauge your crowd and surroundings to see if such rowdy behavior will be appreciated, or tolerated, or not. Fit your enthusiasms to your surroundings.
The wise Tablero player would never stand on a point of etiquette, however. They would mildly point out the erring person’s behavior in as humorous and barbed a manner as possible and then let the matter lie, knowing that theirs was the better part.

You have been skunked if you have lost the game when your Opponent has yet to open their second beer. A Royal Skunk is when you have lost with your Opponent only filling the initial three or four glasses at the top of the game. When a player is losing badly at Tablero, it is permissible to take a Pull of 4, rather than the normal 5. It is also permissible for their Opponent to taunt them for Pulling a Kendal due to this admission of how poorly they are faring.
A Full Pull is a Pull of all seven shots. Like a standard Pull it can be assembled on any row other than the Baselines. This is the hero move that Tablero players yearn and strive for, other than those players who correctly strategize to win by taking smaller Pulls at any opportunity. Rivalry between the proponents of these two strategies can be fierce.
Whenever a Full Pull is achieved, the Player should shout “Set ‘Em Up!” and all present should be encouraged to join in the chorus of, “And Knock ‘Em Down!”, to be yelled with as much gusto as your setting allows and followed by general howling and applauding and handing out shots.
Should a Player accidentally toss a die into a shot glass, their Opponent may then drink that shot, returning it to its former place on the board–NOT to the baseline. The Player should then refill the shot glass.
Just like it sounds, if you knock over any of the shot glasses you must refill them from your stake. They are returned to their former place on the board.
A Courtesy Fill is indicated where your opponent is unable to fill any shot glasses. This is standard for the Toast Round or any Queen’s Number where your opponent is out of beer or just in order to prolong the fun and go on playing.

As mentioned above, the crowd-sourced nature of Tablero means that many Variants sprang forth as the game rules evolved. Be sure to check in with your opponent to see which of these they like to include.

The name is taken from the idiom “One man's meat is another man's poison.” In this variant, the Players do not enjoy the same beverage. I like beer, you like alcopops; this does not mean we cannot play together. Simply switch a like amount of your stake with your Opponent’s. Leave the shot glasses empty until a Pull is declared, then either your Opponent fills the shots with your superior beverage of choice just before you drink, or you fill the shots with the other Player’s disgusting beverage just before they drink.
Another way to achieve a Pull is to line up the shot glasses on either diagonal. All seven shot glasses must be included for a Diagonal. Diagonals are aways Full Pulls!
Another way of lining shots up for a Pull is the Chevron. A Chevron is a “V” shape and can go from your baseline in one corner to the middle of the board and back to your baseline on the opposite corner, or it can go from the middle to the corners of your Opponent’s baseline (properly termed a Reverse Chevron). All seven shot glasses must be included for a Chevron. Chevrons are aways Full Pulls!
In this game all Pulls must be drunk in their entirety by the Player taking the Pull. No sharing is allowed.
Some versions of Tablero require 6 shots in a row for a Pull. In our version that number is 5, because if you manage to get 6 in a row you are unlikely to go for the Full Pull, which is 7 in a row, because even if you get the desired number to turn the row of 6 into a row of 7, you would have to move one of the shots already in the line of 6 for the other dice, pulling it apart. (See; Avoid The Crossbow)
The attraction of making a Full Pull and getting to be the hero is a strong temptation and the tension between this and taking a safe pull of 5 can engender much hilarity. This dynamic is missing in the game with 6 as the smallest Pull.
This is an endless game in which no one ever wins. This variant is usually played when there is an abundant supply of beer, like a keg. As many people as wish to take turns at the board, playing and refilling from the keg until everyone says, This is a stupid, stupid game and goes to sleep.
Sometimes both Players might miss noticing The Queen’s Number has been rolled, especially if they have been very successful playing and it is rather late in the evening. In this variant it is permissible for a Spectator to claim the Queen’s Number, but they must wait until both shot glasses have been moved before making the call. Spectators calling Muggins should take care to remember where both shots were before they were moved. Both shots go back to where they were before the Queen’s Number was rolled and the Spectator may drink any shot and choose which baseline it goes on, and the Player whose baseline it is placed on must refill the shot.
In this variant the Pass Numbers; 7 and 11, may be rolled as the Queen’s Number. This can be an interesting varient, as the active Player can wobble any lined-up shots before passing the dice to their opponent.
(This is actually the standard way of playing – not allowing a Pass Number as the Queen’s number is a House Rule in our version).
If the Queen’s Number is a Pass Number then the Player who calls it should drink their toast and their Opponent fills the empty shot glass before the dice is passed.

Tablero players tend to focus more on having fun and less on winning or losing, although there is a certain motivation that has to do with getting to drink more beer. Nevertheless, here are some tips on how to win.

Fair warning; in some Tablero circles, especially among close friends, cheating can be seen as permissible because it is funny, especially after a few games when your opponent might be particularly unwary. Not recommended unless you know the person you are playing very well and know that this will be viewed as humorous and acceptable by them.
The publishers of this game are in no way liable if you get shot in some western bar for cheating in a dodgy situation.
The Crossbow is 6 shots lined up on a Row, with a missing shot somewhere within the line, or on one end. The problem is that it is impossible to complete the line of shots and retain seven in the Pull, as two moves must be made each time the dice is rolled, one of them necessarily coming
Leaving a shot glass or two on one of baselines is a good idea, because it allows you to move a 6 if you roll one (or two in the case of rolling boxcars). If you can’t move a shot glass for both dice, remember, you move neither, end your turn, and pass the dice.
The Queen’s Cup is simply an oversized shot glass. To include this lovely bit of kit into your game simply place it as the seventh shot glass that goes in the middle of the board, empty, when you Set the Board.
When the Queen’s number is called, the player calling it can use this larger shot glass to squeeze and extra bit of beverage out of their Opponent’s Stake.
The Queen’s Cup can be moved to any available Column during the refilling process.
If you take a pull that contains The Queen’s Cup, the pull-taker may not share it out to anyone else but must include it in the number of shots they need to drink.
Remember that you are playing a drinking game. Unless you are opting for a virgin beverage of some sort, you are drinking alcohol. The length of a game of Tablero can vary widely depending on how lucky dice rolls are for both players, or how one-sided dice rolls are. If you play a lucky fifteen-minute game with standard Stakes you could drink two beers in that time. Depending on your body size and resistance to alcohol, even one game can get you pretty hammered, pretty fast. Play a few games like that in a row and the beers add up very quickly.
Let your normal consumption for alcohol guide how many games you indulge in, not how many games you play drive the amount you drink.
Use the top of the “T” logo printed on the glass shots or the lines scored inside the steel shots to slow the game down by making the pours smaller. (see Pour Sizes for Our Game Sets for details on pour amounts).
And there’s no rush. Tablero can be played at a leisurely pace, with much erudite conversation and kibitzing. Think of the gaming as foreplay to the actual act of drinking. Savor the experience and anticipation. When you do the drinking part of the game it is permissible to take your sweet time with it. You do not need to guzzle the shots with great speed.
Play nice. Gain experience points. Have fun.

Tablero Rules

Set Up

Game Play

Etiquette

Variant Rules

Hints, Cheats, And Strategy