Egyptian Ratscrew - Drinking Game Rules & How to Play

Card slapping game with complex slap rules

Equipment Needed

  • Standard deck of cards
  • Drinks

Setup

Cards dealt face down. Quick flipping begins.

How to Play Egyptian Ratscrew

  1. Deal entire deck evenly face down
  2. Flip cards quickly to center pile
  3. Slap on: Doubles, Sandwiches, Top-Bottom match
  4. Correct slap = take pile
  5. Wrong slap = drink and give cards
  6. Face card played = next player must match
  7. Fail to match = pile goes to previous
  8. Run out = eliminated (but can slap back in)

Tips & Strategies

Know the slap rules cold. Hesitation loses. False slaps hurt.

Variations

Add more slap rules: Pairs, Runs, Wild cards. Speed version: Timed flips.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's a sandwich?
Two matching cards with one different card between them.
Can eliminated players still win?
Yes! A correct slap returns them to the game.

Players: 2-6 | Duration: 15-30 min | Difficulty: medium