A common question is how to organize a pub quiz. You can follow a few general guidelines to make it easy and fun for everyone.
First, decide how many rounds you want to play and whether you want to use themes. Do you or your friends prefer long rounds, where you can think carefully, weigh your options, and maybe mislead each other? Or do you prefer quick-fire questions, where you can easily answer two questions per minute?
Think about that. And remember, it's probably more fun to finish earlier than expected and have time to chat afterward, rather than everyone dragging through question 199 with reluctance.
The next question is whether to incorporate visuals and sound. It can be a lot of fun – singing along to Madonna hits from the '80s, or watching fun movie scenes and daydreaming during Titanic moments (why couldn't Jack fit on the raft?).
However, keep in mind that using visuals and sound can also bring stress. There’s always the risk that the laptop or phone won’t connect to the TV, or that the latest iPhone doesn’t deliver the sound range you expect. After all, even grandma and grandpa should be able to join in.
Our advice is to stick to written quiz questions. If you want to include a final multimedia question (in case of a tie or just for fun), always have a written question as a backup. There’s nothing worse than not being able to finish the quiz or wrapping it up in an unsatisfactory way. If the video or song doesn’t work, just ask a classic question instead. Success is guaranteed!
If you want to make your pub quiz extra special, you can choose themes. Each team (or individual) can indicate their strongest topic. You can then start or end the first round with this theme. But keep in mind that choosing themes means you need to have more questions at your disposal.
For a successful pub quiz, a fun evening, and healthy competition, one thing is essential: Transparency.
It must be clear beforehand how the scoring works, how many rounds there are, and what happens in the event of a tie. Also, it’s important to read through the questions ahead of time. I know, it might take away some of the surprise for you on the night, but it’s not a must. In case of disagreements, just blame us, give all parties the same score, and move on.
However, keep in mind that everyone interprets the questions differently, depending on their background and culture. It’s inevitable that some people won’t agree with an answer. Therefore, agree that what’s written on paper is the official answer. Even better, try to figure out why an answer is right or wrong. It makes you a more interesting host (and person) and opens the door for other fun events. Is ‘Westvleteren’ really the best beer in the world? Before you know it, your next get-together could be a beer tasting.
Have fun!
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