Never have I ever

Ten fingers, a variation of never have I ever

"Never have I ever", also known as "I've never..." or "ten fingers", is a drinking game in which players take turns asking other players about things they have not done. Other players who have done this thing respond by taking a drink. A version that requires no drinking, usually played by children and underage adolescents, has players counting scores on their fingers instead.

Rules[]

The verbal game^[1] starts with all players forming a circle. The first player starts by saying a simple statement about something they have never done before starting with "Never have I ever". Anyone who at some point in their life has done the action that the first player says, must drink.^[2] Then the game continues around the circle, and the next person makes a statement.

An additional rule indicates that the player is allowed to change the question after drinking all players' cups. If there is no one taking a drink, then the one who said the particular "Never have I ever..." statement must take a drink. This rule often forces the players to strategize more and makes for less disposable or pointless suggestions.

A further variation holds that whenever only one person is drinking, that person must give a detailed account of why they are drinking. Another variety of this game involves putting up five or ten fingers, putting one down whenever something mentioned has been done. Those who end up putting down all of their fingers must take several successive drinks.

"Never have I ever" can also be played online. The difference being that if the majority of online voters have done the question then everyone has to drink. Else who asked the question has to drink.^[3] This online game is often played at parties and with friends. There can be as many players as you like and there are many different game variants. It is just like the "Truth or Dare" game but without the "Dare".  There is a "Never Have I Ever" question in each round. Each player has to answer the question with “Yes, I  never have done it before” or “No, I already Have done it”, but no details are asked, that's all you need to say about the situation in which you did it!^[4]

Conversation games such as this one can help to build friendships,^[5] and players often admit to things that they previously had not. As with truth or dare?, the game is often sexual in nature. In some variations, the game may be incorporated into other drinking games, such as kings.^[5]

In popular culture[]

• In the Family Guy episode, "The Perfect Castaway", Peter and his friends play the game (referred to "I never"). However, Quagmire has pretty much done everything the gang has said they never did. (e.g. "I never gave a reach-around to a spider monkey while reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.")
• In 2015 Under the Gun Theater, a Chicago-based theater company, created an interactive comedy show based on the party game. This was in response to the closing of their show based on Cards Against Humanity.^[6][7]
• In the 2014 horror film Unfriended, the ghost of Laura Barnes forces those who drove her to suicide into a game of NHIE, during which a number of secrets are revealed which severely damage the players' friendships.^[8]

See also[]

• List of drinking games
• Conversation games
• Purity test

References[]