Egyptian Ratscrew

Infobox Game
title = Egyptian Ratslap
subtitle =
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players = 2+
ages = all competent ages, normally ranging 9+
setup_time = 1 minute
playing_time = 10-20 minutes, although games may last for many hours
complexity = Medium
strategy = Medium
random_chance = Medium
skills = Speed, Slight memorization, Tough hands
footnotes =
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Egyptian Ratslap, commonly abbreviated as ERS and also known by Egyptian War and many other names, is a card game of the accumulation family, reminiscent of Slapjack and Beggar-My-Neighbour, but more complex. The game is played with a standard 52-card deck (or with multiple standard decks shuffled together with large numbers of players). As a variation, one or more jokers may be added.

Gameplay

Players are dealt equal packs of cards (in the case of three players, the nine of diamonds can be removed from the game or both Jokers can be added) from the deck. Players are not to look at their cards at any time, including while placing them upon the center pile (players should flip cards outwards from the top of their pack).

A player begins by placing a card face-up to start a central pile. Play proceeds in a pre-defined order and each player lays down a single card on the pile until a face card or ace is played. The next player then has a certain number of chances to play another face card or ace, as follows: four chances after an ace, three after a king, two after a queen, and one after a jack. Some variants reverse this, so an ace allows only one chance, a king two, a queen three and a jack four (this is more in keeping with the traditional rank of face cards; an Ace thus becomes the most valuable card to have). The player plays their cards, one at a time, until they either flip another face card on the pile or exhaust their chances. If the player is able to play another face card, play proceeds and the next player must attempt to play another face card, with a number of chances determined by the new face card played. If a player is unable to lay down a face card in the allotted chances, the most recent player to play a face card or ace claims the pile and adds it to their pack. In addition, if a player has fewer cards than chances left and thus runs out without playing a face card, either the next player finishes the play or the pile goes to the player who laid down the face card by default.

lapping

In addition to the basic progression of play, the players agree beforehand on certain combinations of cards that, when played consecutively, entitle the first person to slap the pile claim of all the cards in play. The most agreed combination for this is usually double cards (two of the same numbered card, including face cards), though other common slappable combinations include "sandwiches" (a double with one card of a different value in between) and "twos on faces" (a 2 played immediately following a face card or Ace). A wide range of different slappable combinations is in use, varying in popularity by geography and demographics.

Depending on the agreed rules, either the first to slap the pile claims the cards or the owner of the hand on the bottom of the pile of hands claims the cards. If the successful claimer had no cards before the slap, this is called 'slapping in'. Slapping in can be used to allow the player back in the game, as long as they have cards in their hand needed to play. Additionally, most rules require that jewelry be removed from hands and wrists, such as rings, bracelets and watches, as a hard slap can cause injury when coupled with a metallic and/or sharp object.

There can be punishments or penalties for players who slap the pile when the combination showing does not allow a slap. Common penalties include:
* The player must "burn" a card by putting it at the bottom of the pile.
* The player must burn two cards similar to the above.
* The player must burn their entire deck.
* All other players slap the hand of the mistaken slapper.
* The player must put two cards face-up in the "penalty box"; certain combinations of these cards are slappable as in the main pile and a valid slap claims the cards in the box. A player making an invalid slap on the box must leave the game.
* Players attempting to "slap in" who slap an invalid combination must place their hands further away from the pile; a common progression is strong hand under the table, then weak hand under the table, then strong hand behind the back, then weak hand. Beyond this the player is so handicapped the chances of slapping in are negligible.

Jokers

When Jokers are used, house rules generally define their role. Common rules include:
* Jokers are immediately slappable
* Jokers are junk cards that are never slappable, and make any otherwise valid combination invalid (such as a sandwich with the Joker as the middle card)
* If played while trying to "top" a face card, a Joker becomes a face card of the same value. If played on a numeric card, the Joker card is an ordinary card. If played immediately following a face card (thus becoming that face card) it may or may not count as a slappable "double", depending on house rules.
* Jokers are "zero-chance" face cards that immediately take the pile when played.
* Jokers are "five-chance" face cards, in which the next person has five chances to play a face card

Etiquette

It is considered impolite to play the cards in a way that advantages any particular player, especially oneself. Players normally prefer others to flip cards outwards towards the opponent, so the player will not see it first (however, if flipped quickly, no one will see the card until it reaches the pile). Hand placement relative to the pile is also important, as being too close may give you or others an unfair advantage. Placing your hand directly near and above the cards is usually considered unfair or cheating.

History

The gameplay appears to be a combination of Beggar-My-Neighbour, a game known in Britain as early as the 1860s, and the concept of slapping for cards on certain combinations, possibly derived and expanded from the gameplay of Slapjack. The origins of the name are unknown. The game gained popularity in the mid-to-late-1990s and is now widely known throughout the United States, especially among schoolchildren. It is known to have existed at least back to the mid-1970s.

References

*" [http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0451204840/ Hoyle's Rules of Games, Third Revised and Updated Edition] ", Albert H. Morehead, Geoffrey Mott-Smith, Philip D. Morehead, 1001

External links

* [http://waste.org/~oxymoron/cards/ratscrew.html Oxymoron's Egyptian Ratslap Page]
* [http://modernsoapbox.com/2007/09/21/ratscrew/ Egyptian Ratslap] on ModernSoapbox.com