Shtrafnaya
Russian table custom: turn up late and you get the penalty drink.
Easy
Players
3+
Length
10+ min
Intensity
Solid
How to play
Origin: The shtrafnaya (штрафная) is a fixed table custom in Russia and much of Eastern Europe. Whoever joins the table late gets a full glass so they can catch up. It is less a punishment than a way of pulling the latecomer into the mood of the table.
How to play:
- A host watches over the table and pours
- Anyone arriving late is handed the shtrafnaya
- Before drinking they give a toast, short and addressed to the table
- Only then are they a full member of the gathering
Other occasions:
- Using your phone at the table
- Interrupting a toast
- Drinking without a toast
Courtesy: The latecomer decides the amount. Anyone not drinking gives the toast instead, which counts just as much.