Play begins with the starting team (team 1) choosing a two-point shot (easy question) or a three-pointer (hard question). Read the question to the team, allow an appropriate time for an answer, and then after accepting the answer given by the captain, tell them whether the answer is right or wrong. A right answer scores either the two or three points, and then play moves to the second team (team 2). For a wrong response, the opposing team may try to answer for a one-point free throw. If the answer is still incorrect, give the correct answer, and play moves to team 2, which then selects their shot and attempts to answer another question for either two or three points. At any point, if one of the teams is disruptive or speaks out of turn, you can award a free throw (one or two points depending on the severity of the foul) to the other team, and in this case, if you call the foul be sure to follow through.
Use a set time limit for the game. For example, try a ten minute game using teams selected from a class. At the end of ten minutes, the team with the highest score wins. Then select two more teams from the class and run another 10-minute game. If the entire class is split into two teams, the game can last an entire class period.
You can add some interest to the play by giving colorful names to the two teams. Choose a panel of judges from the students to rule on whether near-miss answers can be accepted. Use a buzzer or whistle to make calls or signal time.
The game can also be played in small groups with a set of tags for each group. In this case, a tag is placed on the back of each student in the group, and the group members then interact among themselves to guess the names. A student cannot see his or her own tag, but others can read it. To learn the name, a student has to ask questions of others in the group-questions with yes or no answers, such as "Was this person a slave at one time--yes or no?" If the student runs out of questions, the group can be permitted to give clues.