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How to Play Egyptian Rat Screw

Objective

Be the last player with cards! Win cards by playing face cards or slapping valid patterns.

Setup

  • 2-4 players
  • Standard 52-card deck dealt evenly
  • Players cannot look at their cards

Basic Play

  1. Players take turns playing the top card from their pile to the center.
  2. Play moves clockwise.
  3. When a face card (J, Q, K, A) is played, the next player must "beat" it.

Face Card Rules

When a face card is played, the next player has a limited number of chances to play another face card:

  • Jack (J): 1 chance
  • Queen (Q): 2 chances
  • King (K): 3 chances
  • Ace (A): 4 chances

If they succeed in playing a face card, the challenge passes to the next player. If they fail (play only number cards), the player who played the face card wins the entire pile!

Slapping

Any player can slap the pile at any time! If the slap is valid, they win the pile. Valid slap patterns:

  • Double: Two cards of the same rank in a row (e.g., 7-7)
  • Sandwich: Two cards of the same rank with one card between them (e.g., 5-K-5)

False Slap Penalty: If you slap when there's no valid pattern, you must give one card to the bottom of the pile!

Winning

The last player with cards wins the game!

Controls

  • Space or click "Play Card" - Play your top card
  • S or click "SLAP!" - Slap the pile