If you're sitting around a table with a deck of cards and a group of friends, you're probably looking for the presidents and arseholes rules so you can actually get the game started without an argument. It's one of those games that everyone claims to know, but as soon as the first card is dealt, three people have three different versions of how the hierarchy works. It's also known by a dozen other names—Scum, President, Capitalism, or just Asshole—but the core of the game remains the same: nobody wants to be the one at the bottom of the pile.
The beauty of this game isn't just in the strategy; it's in the social dynamics. It's a game that literally rewards the winners and punishes the losers, which makes it perfect for a casual night in. Let's break down how to play so you can stop scrolling and start dealing.
The Basic Setup and Objective
To get things moving, you just need a standard 52-card deck and at least three people, though four to seven is usually the sweet spot. If you have a massive group, you can even shuffle two decks together, but things get pretty chaotic at that point.
The goal is pretty straightforward: get rid of all your cards as fast as possible. The first person to empty their hand becomes the President for the next round. The last person left holding cards? Well, they're the Arsehole.
In the very first round, since nobody has a rank yet, you can just deal the cards out and play to establish the hierarchy. Some people like to high-card for it, but honestly, just playing a "neutral" round to see who wins is the fairest way to kick things off.
The Hierarchy of Power
This is where the presidents and arseholes rules get interesting. Once the first round is over, everyone is assigned a title based on their finishing position. These titles dictate where you sit and what your "duties" are.
- The President: The winner of the previous round. They get to sit in the best chair and, most importantly, they don't have to do any of the work.
- The Vice President: The person who finished second. They're doing okay, but they're still "first loser" in a way.
- The Citizens (or Neutrals): These are the people in the middle. If you have a small game, you might not have any citizens. They just play the game without any special perks or punishments.
- The Vice Arsehole: The person who finished second-to-last. They have a bit of a rough time, but at least they aren't at the bottom.
- The Arsehole: The loser. This person has to deal the cards, clear the "discard" pile after every turn, and usually fetch drinks for the President.
The social hierarchy is the soul of the game. If you're the President, you get to be a bit of a tyrant. If you're the Arsehole, you're basically the servant for the duration of the round.
How a Typical Round Plays Out
The Arsehole deals all the cards out, one by one, until the deck is gone. It's fine if some people have one more card than others; that's just the luck of the draw.
According to most presidents and arseholes rules, the player to the left of the dealer (or sometimes the person with the 3 of Spades) starts the first round. However, once the hierarchy is established, the Arsehole usually leads or the President chooses who starts.
The first player puts down a card or a set of cards (like a pair of 5s or three 8s). The next player must play the same amount of cards but with a higher value. If the first person plays a single 7, you have to play a single 8 or higher. If they play a pair of 4s, you have to play a pair of 5s or higher. You can't play a single card on a pair, and you can't play a pair on a triple.
If you can't play—or you just don't want to—you pass. Passing doesn't kick you out of the round; it just means you're waiting for the next opportunity. If everyone passes and it gets back to the last person who laid down a card, the pile is cleared, and that person starts a fresh "trick" with whatever they want.
The Card Values and Special Cards
Most people play with 2s as the highest card. In fact, in many versions of the presidents and arseholes rules, a 2 is a "clear" card. This means if you drop a 2, the pile is immediately cleared, and you get to start the next turn.
The general ranking from lowest to highest is: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace, 2.
Some people like to include Jokers as wild cards or as cards even higher than the 2. It's really up to you and your friends, but it's best to decide this before the first beer is opened. Another popular house rule is the "completion" rule. If someone plays a 7 and the next three people all play 7s, the four-of-a-kind clears the deck automatically.
The Tax System: Giving Up Your Best Cards
This is the part that makes being the Arsehole really difficult. Before the round even starts, the "taxation" phase happens.
- The Arsehole must give their two best cards (usually the highest ones) to the President.
- The President gives any two cards they want (usually their worst ones, like a 3 and a 4) back to the Arsehole.
- The Vice Arsehole gives their one best card to the Vice President.
- The Vice President gives one junk card back to the Vice Arsehole.
This system is designed to keep the people at the top winning and the people at the bottom losing. It's totally unfair, and that's exactly the point. Breaking out of the Arsehole position requires a mix of luck and some seriously smart play.
Strategy: How to Actually Win
If you find yourself in the Arsehole seat, don't panic. It's possible to climb the ladder. The key is to save your high cards for when you really need to take control of the lead. If you have an Ace, don't just throw it away early. Wait until you can use it to win a trick so you can lead the next one.
When you lead a trick, you control the game. If you have a lot of low cards, try to get rid of them in sets. If you have three 4s, getting rid of them all at once is much better than trying to play them as singles. It's much harder for your opponents to have three of a kind to beat you than it is for them to have a single higher card.
Also, pay attention to what's been played. If you know all the 2s and Aces are gone, your King is suddenly the most powerful card in the game. Card counting sounds fancy, but in this game, it's just about keeping a mental note of the big hitters.
Common House Rule Variations
Because these presidents and arseholes rules have traveled through dorm rooms and pubs across the world, everyone has their own spin on them. Here are a few you might want to try:
- Socials: If someone plays a card of the same value as the one currently on the pile (e.g., an 8 on an 8), the next player is skipped. This adds a bit of "Uno" style chaos to the mix.
- Revolution: If someone plays four of a kind, a "Revolution" occurs. The card rankings are completely flipped—3s become the best and 2s become the worst. This lasts until the end of the round or until someone else plays another four of a kind to "Revolutionize" it back.
- The Beer Rule: If you're playing in a more adult setting, the Arsehole is often responsible for more than just dealing. They might be the only one allowed to get up from the table to grab snacks or refills.
Ending the Game
There isn't really a "final" end to the game unless you decide on one. Usually, people just play until they're tired of it or until the President has been in power so long that everyone else stages a literal mutiny.
The real fun is the shifting positions. There's a certain satisfaction in watching the President have a terrible hand and slide all the way down to Vice Arsehole in a single round. It's a game of momentum, and while the presidents and arseholes rules are rigged against those at the bottom, the underdog stories are what make the game worth playing.
So, grab a deck, find a comfortable chair (unless you're the Arsehole), and start dealing. Just remember: it's all in good fun, even when you're handing over your best Ace to the person who's already winning.