Odd yet Fun Card Games: Egyptian Rat Slap

In a previous article I mentioned the card game Chairman Mao and how it was a staple of my high school years. The other card game that was played all the time was Egyptian Rat Slap. Unlike Chairman Mao, Rat Slap is a pretty straightforward game. It is similar to games like Slapjack but is slightly more complex. It is a game that requires quick reflexes and quick thinking.

I have found that the game has a lot of different names depending on where you are from. It has also been called Egyptian War and some other names that tend to be a little vulgar. Regardless of what you called it if you have played it you know it can be a very addictive game and if you have not played it before then this guide will provide you with everything you need.

What you Need

A standard deck of playing cards

How to play

The whole point of Egyptian Rat Slap (ERS for short) is to gather all the cards. The deck is divided evenly between the players and each play stacks their cards face down into a pile that they don't look at. When play starts each player will simply take the top card of their deck and lay it down into the central pile when it is their turn. The object of the game is to claim the center stack to make your stack bigger and with time take all the cards in the game. There are two main ways to gain the central stack...
• When a face card or Ace is played the next player in the sequence (typically clockwise) has a certain amount of chances based on the card to play another face card or ace. If they are not able to then the player who played the first face card or ace takes the entire pile. An Ace gives the next player four chances, a King gives three chances, a Queen gives two and a Jack gives only one chance. This makes Jacks the best card in the game (a fact that I always really liked because Jacks are not often the big shots.)
• Every game of ERS always has at least one combination of cards (most often doubles) that can be slapped by any player to claim the pile. If multiple folks slap the pile (a common occurrence) the one with their hand at the bottom of the pile of hands will win the pile and most likely be a little sore. There are many variations that one can have for this rule and I will cover them later. The slapping is where the real skill of the game lies.

If a player slaps at the wrong time or puts down an extra card in their haste they must take a card from their own stack and add it to the bottom of the central stack as a penalty. It is also considered poor taste to try to look at your card before you lay it down or to hover your hand near the central stack ready to slap. Also it is required of all players to remove any rings that might make slapping painful.

Variations (When To Slap)

As I have mentioned every group of players have different rules about when to slap. Feel free to use any of these rules or combine them. When you get comfortable with the game you can even set up a dealer for each game that sets the slap rules.

• Doubles: Anytime two cards of the same value are played in a row players may slap.
• Sandwiches: When two cards of the same value end up coming up before and after another card (in effect sandwiching them) then players may slap.
• Sevens: any time a seven is played players may slap.
• One Eyed Jacks: When a Jack is played that is turned in such a way that you only see one eye, you can slap.
• Suicide Kings: When a King is player where his sword looks like it goes into his own head you may slap.
• Sums of 10: If two cards in a row would add up to ten (like an 8 followed by 2) than players may slap.
• Straights: If a card follows numerically with the one before it like a 9 following an 8 than you can slap.
• Jack-ten: When a ten follows a Jack you can slap.