Traditional card games
President
- players
- 3–8
- minutes
- 20
- years
- 12+
In the box
1 52-card deck
Box details
- Origin
- Traditional game, with no specific designer or publisher
- Mechanics
- Ladder Climbing
Where to buy it
Near you
In a shop
Within 50 km.
The basics
All 52 cards are dealt out among the players, from the 3, the lowest, to the 2, the highest: the aim is to get rid of them as fast as possible. You lay a single card, a pair, three or four of a kind, and the next players lay the same number of higher cards or pass; when everyone has passed, the last to have played leads again, and the order in which players go out sets the titles, from President down to Scum. After the agreed number of rounds or score, the best total wins.
The rules, step by step
Setup
52 cards dealt, From 3 up to 2, 3 of Clubs starts
- A 52-card deck dealt out entirely among all players, even if the hands are uneven.
- Cards rank from the 3, the lowest, to the 2, the highest.
- In the first round, the player holding the 3 of Clubs starts.
How to play
Same number, higher, Or pass, Going-out order: titles
- The first player plays a single card, a pair, three of a kind or four of a kind.
- The following players must play the same number of cards, of strictly higher rank, or pass.
- When everyone has passed, the last player to have played collects the trick and leads again.
- The order in which players go out decides the titles: President, Vice-President, Neutrals, Vice-Scum, Scum.
Scoring
President 5, Vice-President 3, Scum 0
- Usual scale: President 5 points, Vice-President 3, Neutral 2, Vice-Scum 1, Scum 0.
- In the next round, the Scum gives their two best cards to the President, who gives back two cards of their choice.
- The Vice-Scum and the Vice-President exchange one card in the same way.
End of the game
Rounds or score set, Best total
- Agree on a number of rounds in advance, or a score to reach.
- The best total wins, but everyone mostly remembers who finished as Scum.
House rules and pitfalls
Revolution: playing four of a kind reverses the card order until the end of the round.
- Revolution: playing four of a kind reverses the card order until the end of the round.
- The 2 is often unbeatable, but some tables let four of a kind beat it.
never played?Aim of the game and full rules11 chapters · about 3 min read
Aim of the game
Get rid of your cards before the others. The order in which players empty their hand gives them a title for the next round: the first becomes President, the last Scum (Trou du cul in French; family tables say "the Poor one"). And titles have consequences: the Scum must give their best cards to the President.
Equipment
A 52-card deck. Four to seven players; it is best with five or six.
Card order
Careful, it is unusual. From lowest to highest: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace, 2. The 2 is the highest card in the game. Suits do not matter.
Preparing the game
- Shuffle and deal out all the cards, one at a time. Hands may differ by one card.
- Everyone sorts their hand by rank.
- In the first round, whoever holds the 3 of Clubs starts.
A turn
- The first player places face up in the middle either a single card, a pair (two cards of the same rank), three of a kind or four of a kind.
- The next player must play the same number of cards, of strictly higher rank: on a pair of 7s, a pair of 8s or higher. You never play a pair on a single card, nor the other way round.
- If they cannot or do not want to, they say "pass". Passing does not stop them playing again when their turn comes back round.
- Play goes round like this until everyone passes after a play.
- The last player to have played collects the pile, sets it aside (it is not reused during the round) and leads whatever they like.
for example
Léa plays a pair of 9s. Tom plays a pair of Jacks. Sam passes. Zoé plays a pair of 2s: nobody can beat it, everyone passes. Zoé sets the pile aside and leads a single card, a 4.
When a player goes out
A player who plays their last card goes out of the round: they no longer play. If they finished on a play nobody beats, their left-hand neighbour leads. Play goes on until only one player has cards left: that player is the Scum.
Titles
By order of going out:
- the first is President;
- the second Vice-President;
- the second-to-last Vice-Scum;
- the last Scum;
- the others are Neutrals.
Exchanging cards
At the start of each following round, once the cards are dealt:
- The Scum gives the President their two best cards (no choice: their two highest).
- The President gives back two cards of their choice, usually their lowest.
- The Vice-Scum gives their best card to the Vice-President, who gives one back.
- The President leads the round; the Scum shuffles and deals. Some tables let the Scum lead instead, to give them a chance.
That is what makes the President's seat hard to lose… and the Scum's hard to leave.
Counting points
Each round, score points according to the title obtained: President 5, Vice-President 3, Neutral 2, Vice-Scum 1, Scum 0. Play a number of rounds fixed in advance, or up to a target score; the best total wins.
Rules to agree on before starting
- Revolution: playing four of a kind reverses the card order (the 3 becomes the highest) until the end of the round.
- The cutting 2: playing a 2 closes the pile at once, even on a pair, without waiting for the others to pass.
- No going out on a 2: finishing the round with a 2 sends you straight to Scum.
Tips for beginners
- Keep your 2s and Aces to take the lead back at the right moment.
- Get rid of your low cards early: they are the ones that get stuck at the end.
- Breaking a pair to beat a single card is sometimes necessary, but it is often a waste.
Going further
Variants · Frequently asked questions · In the same family
Variants
Card exchange
Two cards (usual)
The Scum gives their two best cards to the President, who gives back two of their choice. One card between the Vices.
One card only
Lighter exchange: one card between the President and the Scum, nothing between the Vices. Rounds stay more open.
No exchange
Everyone keeps their hand. The ranking of the previous round no longer weighs on the next.
Revolution
With revolution
Playing four of a kind reverses the card order: the 3 becomes the highest until the end of the round.
No revolution
The order never changes, from 3 up to 2.
choose them when you start a game: the scorer adapts
Frequently asked questions
Who starts the game, and the following rounds?
In the first round, whoever holds the 3 of Clubs. After that, the President leads — and the Scum shuffles, deals and gathers the cards.
Which cards are exchanged between rounds?
The Scum gives their two best cards to the President, who gives back two cards of their choice. The Vice-Scum and the Vice-President do the same with a single card. The exchange is compulsory, and it is what gives the game its bite: the last player stays last.
What is a revolution?
Playing four of a kind turns the card order upside down: the 3 becomes the highest card and the 2 the lowest, until the end of the round. Some tables limit it to the current trick.
Can you pass and then play again in the same trick?
Yes, under the usual rule: a pass only counts for that turn, and you may play again when your turn comes back round, as long as the pile has not been collected. Some tables play it harder: whoever passes waits until the pile is collected and a new trick starts. Settle it before you begin.
Is the 2 always unbeatable?
It is the highest card, but many tables let it fall to four of a kind, or to the "kick" (coup de pied) — two 2s on a 2. Decide before the first deal.
How are points counted?
Usual scale: President 5, Vice-President 3, Neutral 2, Vice-Scum 1, Scum 0. Nothing about this is official: what matters is to fix a number of rounds and stick to it.