For example, after the first person puts down the 3 of clubs, the player to their left must put down a 4 or higher. If the second player puts down a 4, the third player must put down a 5 or higher. They cannot put down a 3.
A 2 card cannot be the last card that you play in your hand. If you only have a 2 card left and you play it, you automatically lose the game, becoming the “scumbag” or “a-hole. ”[6] X Research source
So if you put down a pair of 5’s, the next person must put down a pair of 6’s or higher. They cannot put down 1 king (even though it outranks a 6) or a pair of 4’s (because although they have a matching pair, 4 is a lower rank). If all 4 cards of a number are put down, the pile is cleared. So if 4 aces are put down, you clear the pile and the last person to play sets down a new card.
The first person to lose all of their cards is the president. They get 2 points. The second person to lose all of their cards is the vice-president. They get 1 point. The last person to have any cards is known as the a-hole, scumbag, or bum. They get no points, but they must trade cards with the president next round. If you decide to only play one round, the president is the winner. Traditionally, however, several rounds are played until someone gets 11 points and wins.
None of the other players should see which cards they traded.
The president gets 2 points. The vice-president gets 1 point. No one else gets points. It is a good idea to have someone writing down the point tally as you play the rounds.
Treasurer and secretary are usually the third and fourth person to lose all of their cards. These positions are useful if you will allow the president to make up new rules as the game goes on. Vice-a-hole is the second-to-last player to lose their cards. At the beginning of a new round, the vice-a-hole gives the president 1 card while the a-hole gives the president 2.
If you are playing with extra positions, you might make up special rules for them, since normally there are none. For example, you might say that the treasurer and secretary can trade cards at the beginning of every round. If you’re playing this as a drinking game, you might make a rule like “Everyone must drink when the 8 of clubs is played” or “whoever puts down a matching set must drink. ”
In this variation, a larger set will always beat a lower rank. So if you play a pair of 6’s, the next person can beat you with a trio of 4’s. The person after them can beat that with a complete set of 3’s.
Skip the next player when you match rank. So if you match a 5 with another 5, the person to your left loses their turn.
You should drink when you pass or are skipped. Everyone should drink when a 2 is played. In some variations of the game, when the president says “board meeting,” everyone finishes their drinks. Traditionally, the a-hole must refill people’s drinks.
