Egyptian Ratscrew

Egyptian Ratscrew
In Egyptian Ratscrew, certain consecutive card combinations, such as a pair (pictured), allow any player to slap the pile and claim it.
OriginUnited States
Alternative nameSlap
TypeMatching
Players2+
SkillsSpeed, counting, pattern recognition
Cards52
DeckFrench
Rank (high→low)A K Q J (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2)
PlayClockwise or Counterclockwise
Playing time10+ minutes
ChanceModerate
Related games
Beggar-my-neighbour • slapjack • Snap

Egyptian Ratscrew (ERS), also known as Slap,[1] is a modern American card game in the matching family, popular among children. It resembles the 19th-century British card game Beggar-my-neighbour,[2] but includes the additional element of "slapping" certain card combinations when they are played.[3] This slapping concept may have been borrowed from the game Slapjack.

  1. ^ Egyptian Ratscrew at pagat.com. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  2. ^ "Egyptian Ratscrew" in 50 Card Games: 50 Popular Card Games for Hours of Fun. Igloo Books. 2018. p. 34. ISBN 9781784409852.
  3. ^ Carlisle, Rodney P. (2009). Encyclopedia of Play in Today's Society, Volume 1. SAGE. p. 71. ISBN 9781412966702.