Egyptian Rat Killer is a game with many, many names (Egyptian War, Bloodystum, Slap, Egyptian Ratscrew , ERF) and is similar to a game called Beggar My Neighbour. It’s generally a fast face game with card (and sometimes hand) slapping, suitable for 2 or more players. It can last quite a length of time, especially with certain variants and it’s easy and fun to add or adjust the rules of the game to make it more amusing.
Players: 2+
Deck: 1, no jokers (May opt for more decks with more players)
Objective: To gain all the cards
Play: The deck is dealt out approximately evenly among all players. Each player keeps his hand, face down, on the table so that no players, including himself, can see.
Egyptian Rat Slap Card Game Rules
The player to the left of the dealer begins by laying his top card, face up, on the center of the table (or in the common play area). He should do so in such a way that the card is not revealed to him before other players.
Egyptian Rat Screw (ERS) is a fast-paced game of many names, such as Egyptian Rat Slap, Egyptian Ratkiller, and Egyptian War. The game has similarities to the British game Beggar my Neighbour, as well as Slapjack, Speed, and Spit, with its slapping mechanism. Egyptian Rat Slap, Rat Race, and even Rat Killer are just some of the alternatives. It is basically a hybrid of the British game Beggar-My-Neighbor and the children’s game Slapjack. While it might not be the most common game in countries like America, it is still quite popular in France’s native country. Egyptian Rat Slap, Rat Race, and even Rat Killer are just some of the alternatives. It is basically a hybrid of the British game Beggar-My-Neighbor and the children’s game Slapjack. While it might not be the most common game in countries like America, it is.
Play will continue with each player laying down the top card of their hand onto the discard pile until a player lays down a Jack, Queen, King or Ace. If one of these cards is played, the next player must pay a “penalty” sequence of a certain number of cards which gives him the opportunity to lay another special/letter card.
- Jack – 1
- Queen – 2
- King – 3
- Ace – 4
If the player pays the penalty sequence without playing a face card or Ace, then the previous player (who laid the special/letter card) picks up the pile and adds it to his hand. He then plays the top card of his hand to start the discard pile.
Egyptian Rat Slap Online
If, while paying the sequence, a player lays a special/letter card, he no longer has to pay the rest of the penalty and the next player must play a sequence specific to the new special/letter card.
If a player is paying a penalty and runs out the cards, the next player must finish the penalty sequence.
Slapping: Players have other chances to gain the pile by way of slapping. Players can slap on the pile in certain situations and, if slapping correctly, get to add the pile to their hands. These situations include:
- Doubles/pairs – 2 same value cards played simultaneously
- Triples – 3 same value cards played simultaneously if all players missed doubles
- Sandwiches – 2 same value cards played before and after another card (EG 2 King 2)
- 69 – A 6 and 9 played in sequence
- Straight/4 in a row – 4 (or more) cards are played in sequential order; suits are irrelevant (EG 4, 5, 6, 7)
Slapping In: Players who have played all their cards of non players who wish to play can join a game by slapping in. If a person slaps correctly on a Double, Trip, Sandwich or 69 or straight, he picks up the pile and it becomes his hand.
Egyptian Rat Slap Card Game Online
Variations:
- “10 Stops”: during a sequence following a ‘special’ card (A, K, Q, or J), if a 10 is laid down, then the sequence stops, but play continues on to the next player without anyone taking the pile of cards.
- If a player incorrectly slaps more than five consecutive cards, they are out of the game. This is to prevent excessive stalling when a player only has a few cards left.
- If a player “hovers over the pile” in preparation to slap, it is fair to slap their hand down on the pile. This is then treated as though they slapped the pile accidentally.
- If three sixes are played in a row, everyone is considered a loser and the deck must be burned by midnight so that no one can play the game until the next day.
- The game can be played with jokers which can always be slapped.
- The player who plays the card making a pair must move his or her hand away from the pile before attempting to slap in a separate motion.
- A player who slaps when no double (triple, sandwich etc) is showing has to put his top 2 cards (or other specified number of cards), face up, under the pile, to be taken by the next winner.
- Any player who hovers his hand over the pile faces the risk of having an opponent slap it down onto the pile, thereby earning the player the above penalty.
- If a player knows that he is going to play a slappable card, he must play the card, then touch his deck with his hand before he are allowed to slap the pile.
- With two players, one can play that any two cards whose sum or difference is seven is slappable. (EG 3 and 4, 9 and 2, 6 and A).
- Any non-player who tries to slap in but slaps incorrectly incurs a debt or 2 (or other specified number) of cards which must be paid to the bottom of the pile, face up, upon winning cards.
- Players must slap their heads before slapping the deck.
Wikipedia’sEgyptian Ratscrew page lists dozens of slapping and penalty variations.