How to Play Presidents

Objective

Play every card in your hand before the other players do. Finishing order matters: it sets everyone’s title for the next round, and the titles decide who trades cards with whom. Higher titles get better cards, so a strong finish tends to lead to another one.

There is no fixed end. Most groups play round after round and enjoy holding the top seat for as long as they can.

Setup

Deal the whole deck, one card at a time. Some players will end up with a card more than others. Cards rank from high to low: 2, A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3. Suits do not matter.

For the first round, choose a dealer at random, and the player to the dealer’s left leads. From the second round on, many groups move seats so players sit in title order. The Scum deals, and the President leads.

How to play

The leader plays a single card, a pair, three of a kind or four of a kind. Going to the left, each player must play the same number of cards at a higher rank, or pass. A pair of 9s can be beaten by a pair of 10s, but not by three 4s and not by a single king.

Passing is always allowed, even when you could play. At most tables, passing does not stop you from playing later in the same round of plays if it comes back to you. When everyone else passes in a row, the last player to play clears the pile and leads anything they like.

When you play your last card, you are out for the round and your finishing place is set. Play continues until only one player still holds cards.

1. 1Lead a single, a pair, three of a kind or four of a kind
2. 2Beat it with the same number of cards at a higher rank, or pass
3. 3When everyone passes, the last player clears the pile and leads
4. 4Empty your hand first to become President

Winning

Presidents has no points. Each round’s finishing order hands out titles, and the titles carry into the next round through a card trade made right after the deal.

The simplest version is a one-card trade between President and Scum only. The two-card trade shown here is common in bigger groups. Agree on which you are using before the first round ends.

Variations

Twos clear: a 2 (or a set of 2s) clears the pile at once, and the player who played it leads again.

Skip on a match: playing the same rank as the last play skips the next player.

Revolution: playing four of a kind reverses the rank order until the next revolution, so 3s become the top cards and 2s the bottom.

Jokers: shuffle in two jokers as the highest cards in the game.

Tips from the table

Hold your 2s and aces until you need the lead back. Winning a round of plays only helps if you have a good card to lead next.

Get rid of low singles and pairs early. Junk cards are hardest to unload late in the round, when everyone else is down to strong cards.

Count the 2s. Once all four are gone, your aces are the top cards in the game.

As President, give back your two weakest cards, and remember them. You will know two cards in the Scum’s hand for the whole round.

Frequently asked