Asshole (card game)

For other uses, see Asshole (disambiguation).

Asshole

Alternative name(s)	Bum, Butthead, Emperors and Scum, Ethel, Janitor, Landlord, President, Presidents & Assholes, Rich Man Poor Man, Schlub, Scum(bag), and many others
Type	Drinking
Players	3+
Cards	54 (2 Jokers)
Deck	Anglo-American
Play	Clockwise
Card rank (highest to lowest)	Joker, Deuce (2), Ace, King etc
Playing time	5 min.
Related games
Dai Hin Min

Asshole (also known as President, Kings, and many other names), an Americanized version of Dai Hin Min, is a card game for three or more in which players race to get rid of all of the cards in their hands in order to become President in the following round. It is often played as a drinking game.

General rules

Gameplay is similar to Dai Hin Min, in which players attempt to get rid of their cards first. When played as a drinking game, the following rules may be used:

• A card of rank equal to the number of players in the game (generally 3-6) is a "social", and when played all players must drink twice. This card may be played on any card or combination of cards. Multiple "socials" can be played at once or consecutively. The following player then plays based on the combination of cards that was played before the "social".
• If a player passes, he or she must drink. Sometimes this is limited so it only applies if anyone else can play before the pile is cleared.
• When a player matches the rank of the previously played card combination (only possible when playing singles, pairs or with wilds), the next player's turn is skipped. A skipped player must drink. For instance, if a 3 is played on top of another 3, the next player is skipped and must drink. If a three is then played by the player after the skipped player, the player after him is skipped and drinks.
• Twos (and occasionally red threes) are declared "clear cards" which can be played on top of any card, allowing the player to "clear" the stack and start fresh. Playing a clear card does not forfeit a player's turn, as he/she is responsible for starting the next pile.

Special titles

There may be many titles used by players during the game, and each player is permitted to give drinks indiscriminately to any lower-ranked player. Often, players move seats to sit in the order of their place, so as not to forget the order. There is generally at least a President, Vice President and Asshole.

• President - The winner of the previous round.
• Vice President ("VP") - Second place.
• Vice Asshole - Second to last place. Often called Beer Bitch, Vicehole, Vice Ass, Treasurer, Taint, or other names
• Asshole - Last place in the previous round (may wear beer case on head saying "Asshole").

More or fewer titles may be used, depending on how many players are in the game. Common extra titles include the Secretary one level below VP, Normals, Neutrals or Average Joes in between the high and low named ranks, and Clerk one level above Vice-Asshole. Other ranking systems use the presidential line of succession. The Secretary and Clerk are generally only used with six or more players, and rules regarding card passing or drinks can be changed to accommodate these two positions as desired. A large and/or odd number of players generally calls for having at least one Average Joe, and there can be as many as needed.

Asshole deals the cards, starting with himself and proceeding in order of player hierarchy from low to high until all cards are dealt. This ensures that the President begins with the fewest number of cards if the hands are uneven. While dealing, the Asshole may order anyone to drink (unlike during play). Similarly, no one may make the Asshole drink while he is dealing, in order to keep the game moving.

Asshole clears (or "sweeps") the cards when either (1) a clear card has been played or (2) play returns to the person who last laid down cards. Only the Asshole may clear the cards. If anyone else attempts to clear the cards, he can be made to "drink for Asshole tendencies".

Elsewhere

A number of mobile phone apps and PC games have been made for Asshole.^{[citation needed]}

Asshole terms

• Single - a card that is played alone
• Double (Dub) - a pair of cards of the same value (ex. Two 5s are known as dub 5s)
• Triple (Trip) - three cards of the same value (ex. Three 5s are known as trip 5s)
• Bomb - four cards of the same value (ex. four 5s are known as a bomb of 5s). However, there has to be a kicker card along with the bomb for it to be playable over a full house, flush, etc. A four-of-a-kind can only beat other four-of-a-kinds.
• Kicker - a single card played with a four-of-a-kind to make it a bomb
• Hand - any valid play (single, dub, trip, bomb, etc.)
• Clear - when someone plays a hand and everyone else passes, it "clears" to the person who played the hand. This person may lead with whatever hand they wish. Also, if a player gets rid of all of their cards, it clears to the next person who can beat the hand, or if no one can or doesn't wish to, it clears to the player after the one who got rid of their last card.

How to play

In many versions of Asshole, the 2 is the high card and the 3 is the low card. Also, the suits are often ranked. From lowest to highest, the rankings are Diamonds, Clubs, Hearts, Spades. For example:

Someone plays the 5 of diamonds, and the next person beats that with the 5 of hearts. The next person could beat that with the 5 of spades, but not the 5 of clubs.

The game normally begins with the 3 of diamonds, as it is the lowest card in the game. If playing with more than four players and more than one deck of cards, another opener will be decided by the players. The 3 of diamonds may be played with other cards, as in dub 3s, or in a five-card hand (a strait, flush, full house, etc.). The 2 of spades is the highest card in the game, and if it is played in someone's last hand or as their last card they are automatically the asshole and the game clears to the next player. After the first round has determined player rank, subsequent hands are opened by the President.

In pop culture

• The film American Pie 2 featured the main characters playing a game of Asshole at a party, including in a deleted scene where they argue over the rules.
• The film Jackass: The Movie
• The film Beerfest, in which the main characters are depicted playing Asshole in a bar.

See also

• The Great Dalmuti, a commercial variation of Asshole with a non-standard deck.

External links

• Examples of "house rules"
• Alternate rules