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How to play Egyptian Ratscrew (2026) — Egyptian Ratscrew, also called Egyptian Rat Screw or ERS, is a slapping card game where you win cards two ways: by challenging with face cards and by being the fastest hand on the pile. It plays with two to six or more people, needs one standard deck and turns a quiet table into a shouting match in about thirty seconds. These rules follow the Bicycle rules for the game, with common house rules noted.
Decks that can take a slap: Bicycle Rider Back Playing Cards (12-pack)
Egyptian Ratscrew bends and scatters cards fast. A multi-pack lets you retire a battered deck and keep the game going.
Price band: $20–$30 (about $25) · Check today’s price on Amazon
Egyptian Ratscrew at a glance
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Players | 2 or more (best with 3 to 6) |
| Deck | One standard 52-card deck; jokers optional |
| Ages | 8+ |
| Goal | Win every card in the deck |
| Core skills | Reaction speed and pattern spotting |
Dealing for Egyptian Ratscrew
Deal the entire deck face down, one card at a time, until it runs out. Some players may end up with one more card than others, which is fine. Without looking, each player squares their cards into a neat face-down pile in front of them.
Taking turns and face-card challenges
Starting left of the dealer, each player flips the top card of their pile face up onto a central pile. Flip it away from you so you do not see it first. If the card is a number card, play moves on. When someone plays a face card or an ace, the next player must answer with their own face card or ace within a set number of tries:
| Card played | Tries the next player gets |
|---|---|
| Jack | 1 |
| Queen | 2 |
| King | 3 |
| Ace | 4 |
If the next player turns up a face card or ace within their tries, the challenge passes to the following player with the new card’s count. If they run out of tries without one, the player who played the last face card or ace wins the whole pile, adds it to the bottom of their stack and starts the next round.
The slap rules
At any moment, anyone may slap the pile when it shows one of these patterns. The first hand on the pile wins it, even in the middle of a challenge. If it is unclear who was first, the person with the most fingers on top takes the cards.
- Double: two cards of the same rank in a row, such as 5, 5.
- Sandwich: two cards of the same rank with one card between them, such as 5, 7, 5.
- Top bottom: the card just played matches the first card of the pile.
- Tens: two cards in a row that add to ten, such as 3 and 7, with an ace counting as one.
- Four in a row: four cards in sequence, up or down, such as 5, 6, 7, 8 or Q, K, A, 2.
- Marriage: a queen and king played back to back in either order.
- Joker: if jokers are in the deck, any joker can be slapped.
Penalties for a bad slap
Slap when the pile does not match a rule and you must add one or two cards face down to the bottom of the pile. Agree on the number before you start. This penalty is what keeps players from slapping wildly at everything.
Staying alive with no cards
Running out of cards does not knock you out immediately. As long as you have not made a bad slap, you may keep watching and slap your way back in by winning a pile. You are only truly out once you have no cards and cannot win any more. The game ends when one player holds all 52 cards.
Choose your slap rules before the first card
Groups vary a lot here. Beginners often play with only doubles and sandwiches. Experienced groups add tens, marriages, four in a row and top bottom. Decide as a table before dealing, and write the list on a scrap of paper if new players are joining.
Egyptian Ratscrew strategy
- Watch the last three cards. Almost every slap rule involves the top two or three cards.
- Keep your hand hovering. Rest it near the pile so you can slap without lunging.
- Flip away from yourself. Turning a card toward you first gives you a head start, so most groups ask everyone to flip outward.
- Count tries during challenges. Players under pressure often forget a queen allows two tries.
- Use the comeback rule. Even with an empty hand, stay focused; a single double can put you back in the game.
Egyptian Ratscrew vs Slap Jack
Slap Jack is the simpler ancestor: you slap only when a jack appears, and there are no face-card challenges. It is a good starter for young kids before graduating to the full rules. See how to play Slap Jack.
More card games for a lively table: our adult games with playing cards roundup.
Egyptian Ratscrew questions
How many cards does a queen get in Egyptian Ratscrew?
When a queen is played, the next player gets two tries to turn up a face card or ace.
Can you slap in when you are out of cards?
Yes. As long as you have not made a bad slap, you can win a pile by slapping and get back into the game.
What is a sandwich in Egyptian Ratscrew?
Two cards of the same rank separated by one other card, such as 9, 4, 9.
Does a slap beat a face-card challenge?
Yes. A legal slap wins the pile immediately, even in the middle of a challenge.
