Asshole
Also Known as...
President, Kings, Presidents and Assholes, Bum, Butthead, Emperors and Scum, Ethel, Janitor, Landlord, Rich Man Poor Man, Schlub, Scum, Scumbag
Players
4+
Equipment
One cup per player, Large table and chairs, A full Deck of playing cards (No Jokers), Plenty of Booze
Intoxication Level
High
Setup
Asshole is an americanized version of Dai Hin Min, It is a drinking game that it played in a large variety of ways. There are a few things that stay consistent in this game of incredible variation. The entire deck is delt, There is a pecking order (President, VP, ... Asshole), and Players race to get rid of all of the cards in their hands in order to become President in the following round.
The basic rank of the cards is (most powerful to least powerful) 2, A, K,Q,J,10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3. (Although this can very slightly)
Gameplay
The first hand establishes the pecking order (who is the President, V-Pres, Normal People, and the Asshole for the next round). The first hand begins with the 3 of clubs (4 of clubs in some versions, and some simply allow the person to the left of whoever dealt to go first). The President will deal first in future rounds. It is generally good strategy to play the lowest card as you can in order to get rid of cards quicker.
After the first card is dealt, the next player may play a card higher than (but not equal to) the previous card or pass on that turn and drink.
Play continues clockwise.
For example, if Mel lays a 4, a next player must play HIGHER than a 4,then the next player has to play higher than that. The last person to play a card, leads the next hand.
A new hand starts when all players pass, or when someone plays a 2 (the most powerful card).
Twos (and occasionally threes or two threes) are declared "clear cards" which can be played on top of any card, allowing the player to "clear" the stack and start fresh. The Player who played the "clear card" starts the next round.
This proceeds until all players are rid of their cards. The first player out of cards is the President for the next round, the next out becomes the VP, the next players out are normal, and the last person out is the Asshole.
In basic rules, players must lay singles on singles, doubles on doubles, and ect. Lets say it's Mel's turn and she has two 5's, she may play them both, then the next player must play two of the same card HIGHER than five; this player cannot play one card or three cards, only two. The only time a player may lay one card in a situation like this is if it is a two (the power card); a single two, beats everything, and the hand ends followed by a new lead.
If a player passes, he or she must drink.
After the first round has determined player rank, subsequent hands are opened by the President.
Basic roles for each player are as follows:
President: The winner of the previous round, can make any player drink at any time, no-one may mak the President drink but themself. The President is the first player to start each round (benefits of power). And the President should never have to refill own beer.
Vice President or "VP": Second place in the previous round can make any player drink at any time (except President), the only the President or themself can make the VP drink. The VP goes second in each round.
Normal People: These players can make a player who was out of cards after them drink as well as the Asshole. They play in the order they finished the previous round, first normal out follows the VP, second normal out follows first, etc.
Asshole: This player has to do all dealing of cards, all sweeping of cards after the hands, and can not make any other player drink. The asshole plays last in each round.
More or fewer titles may be used, depending on how many players are in the game.
Secretary one level below VP or one above Asshole, Normals, Neutrals or Average Joes
Treasurer one below VP or one below Secratary.
Clerk one or two above Asshole
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. Asshole clears (or "sweeps") the cards when either a clear card has been played or play returns to the person who last laid down cards.
At the end of each round, the players should move seats in order to reflect the hierachy, and proper playing order. The president chooses their seat and all others must sit in order behind the president.
Play continues as long as Players want but a Player may not leave the game if they are Asshole.
Jokers can be used as aditional Wild 3s or as Wild cards in-place of 3s to accomidate more people or to make the amount of cards per person equal. Heigherachy can be 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,J,Q,K,A,Joker,2 or 4,5,6,7,8,9,10,J,Q,K,A,3/Joker,2 or 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,J,Q,K,A,2,Joker
Strategic Tips
Climb the Ladder: Players should play their lowest cards first.
Hold Out: Even if you can beat the card in front of you, you do not HAVE to throw anything. You can reserve the right to pass at any time.
Board Meeting: (AKA Waterfall) Some Presidents like to honor themselves by holding a "Waterfall" at the start of each presidency. Everyone starts drinking and is not allowed to stop drinking until the person above him stops drinking (i.e. the VP cannot stop until the Pres. stops, the Tres. cannot stop until the VP stops, et cetera). Only the President can call a board meeting.
Run Sh*t Down Hill: Some Presidents like to give drinks to VP or a middle player with the option of drinking them all themselves or passing them down the line. This sorta "Passes the Buck" and minimizes future retrobutions. For Example: Mel could say "Paddy drink 5 or give them to Scotty" or "Paddy take 7, you may give all or any number of them to other players"
Toasting the President: Before the hand starts, someone must give the President a toast in an effort to kiss-ass. If no toast is presented, the President may give out a punishment.
Variations
Threes Wild
Threes are wild cards but NOT CLEAR Cards, They are one step below a 2 and can be played on singles, doubles, trips, quads, but can always be trumped by a 2. The initial game is lead of with the 4 of clubs. So the Heigherachy is 4,5,6,7,8,9,10,J,Q,K,A,3,2
2 Threes Equal a Two
Two threes Clear Exactly like a Two. So the Heigherachy is 4,5,6,7,8,9,10,J,Q,K,A,3,2 or Pair of 3s
Threes High
Some Play that the roles of threes and twos are oposite the Threes Wild variation. And the rank of cards is 4,5,6,7,8,9,10,J,Q,K,A,2,3
Beer Bitch
Beer Bitch : Second to last place, Often called Secratary, Clerk, Vicehole, Vice Ass, Vice Asshole, Touchhole, Treasurer, Taint, or other names, must make sure everyone has drinks.
VP Chooses Direction of Play
The President always chooses their seat but the VP may choose the direction of play (Clockwise or Counter-clockwise) by sitting on which ever side of the president they choose. All other players must seat themselves in the proper order behind the President and VP.
Skips
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 Mel plays a 4 and Paddy plays a 4 on top, the next player (Scotty) is skipped and must drink. If a 4 is then played by the player after the skipped player (Slice), the player after her is skipped and drinks. If Mel played a pair of fours, and Paddy played a pair of fours on top, it still only skips ONE person (Scotty) and they must drink.
Double Skips
When a player matches the previously played card, then one player's turn is skipped for each prior matching card played. All skipped players must drink. For example, If Scotty plays a King and Slice then also plays a King, then Junior is skipped and must drink. If player Paddy plays a third King then Mel and Scotty (second time around) are skipped and must drink.
Jump-in Social
If there are three cards (for example, fives) and you have the fourth, you can play out of turn. It clears, it's a social. The Player who layed the fourth card begins again.
Trip or Skip
A player is not skipped if they can throw the card that skipped them. For Example: If Paddy throws a 6, Mel throws a 6 on it, Dave must throw a 6 or he is skipped. If he does it skips the next player (Slice). This variation is Usually played with the "Jump in Social" Variation so that after the third card is played, there is a race between whoever has it, and who's turn it is. Taking our example: Let's say when Slice played that third 6, she skipped Junior and the turn is back to Paddy. Paddy should play as fast as possible because someone (Mel) has the fourth 6 and can play it out of turn. If Paddy lays first, Mel is stuck with the last 6. If Mel lays first, It is a social, the cards are cleared, and Mel starts again with whichever card she chooses. The combination of Jump-in Social and Trip-or-Skip makes the game much more fast paced and requires significantly more concentration and speed.
President Tax
Some Play that the asshole must give up their best card (a two if they have one) to the President and in return the President gives The Asshole an undesired card they choose. Taxes are to make Rank improving more difficult
Often times, this first play is a pair or a very high card, because they have already improved their hand, courtesy of The Asshole.
Double Tax
Some Play that the asshole must give up their best 2 cards (twos if they have them) to the President and in return the President gives The Asshole any 2 undesired cards they choose. Taxes are to make Rank improving more difficult
Often times, this first play is a pair or a very high card, because they have already improved their hand, courtesy of The Asshole.
First and Last
Asshole must deal themselves first, then AWAY from the president and must take the last card no matter where the shuffle ends.
Card Social
A card of rank equal to the number of players in the game is a "social", and all players must drink twice when the card is Played. 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".
Asshole Revenge
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. The Asshole may or may not want to exercise this power, for fear of retribution from other players when dealing is complete.
Table Manners
If a Player touches their cards before The Asshole is done dealing and picks up their cards, they are automatic Asshole, and all players below them are promoted up one spot.
Asshole Promotion
Some play that any person who makes the asshole drink during dealing must trade rank with the Asshole and start the deal themselves.
Asshole Monastary
While he's dealing no one may speak to the asshole. Speaking to the asshole immediately demotes you to asshole regardless of rank.
Timed Clears
If play goes around the entire table, or a 2 is played, the person who played last announces "CLEAR!" and begins counting aloud. It is now The Asshole's responsibility to pick up the discard pile. If it takes 3 seconds to pick up those cards, The Asshole drinks 3 drinks. This Variation is Basically Moot because the players higher than asshole can make the asshole drink no matter what. They could basically play any game they want with asshole.
Asshole Cap
Asshole often has to wear an 12 pack, cardboard beer hat for his reign. Sometimes the beer case has "Asshole" written on it.
Rank Seats
declare an asshole seat and a president seat. The President chair must be the best seat and the asshole chair should be of significantly lesser quality than the others.
Rank Caps
Asshole but you have hats that signify the president, vice president and so on. The
Presidents and assholes. President can tell everybody lower than him to drink, vice tells everybody to drink and so on. Asshole shuffles and can tell anybody to drink only during shuffling.
President's Choice
The president can pick his card(s). Cards that give The President more pairs or trips or so on can also be requested individually.
High Tax
Some Play that the asshole must give up their two best cards the the president and recieve any two cards the President chooses back. In addition the Beer Bitch must give up their best card to the VP and recieve any card from VP that the VP chooses back in return. Taxes are to make Rank improving more difficult
Asshole Tendencies
Only the Asshole may clear the cards. If anyone else attempts to clear the cards, he can be made to "drink for Asshole tendencies".
Harsh Asshole Tendencies
During the game the asshole is the only one allowed to clear the cards or touch the deck in the middle. Anyone else touching the deck immediately gets demoted to asshole regardless of rank.
Legacy Rule
If a person retains Presidency for 5 rounds (some play 3 or 4), they make a rule (Thumb master, Exemption from Table Manners, Reversing a Rule, etc), This rule continues even after the Player is no longer president.
Ranked Suits
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.
For example, if the Scottyplays a single 10, then Mel may play a pair of 5s or a King. Five card poker hands such as straights, flushes, or full houses may not be played. Then Paddy may then play a higher card or pair, and so on.
* Some play Suit Ranks are Spades, hearts, clubs, then diamonds.
Doubles on Singles
Some Play that doubles may be laid on singles but not vice-versa. The cards continue to count upword, the person who lays doubles, trips or quads simply gets rid of more cards.
Doubles Beat Singles
Any pair, three of a kind, or four of a kind is higher than a single card. Doubles beat singles, triples beat doubles and singles
Doubles Over Aces
Once play reaches "ace" level, pairs may be played (then trips and quads).
OCD Rules
A player can only make somebody drink ONCE per turn. Meaning when it a players turn to lay a card, they can make one person below them drink once. If a player is skipped, they can not make anybody drink.
Social Ghost Card
A 4 card is a "social", meaning all players must drink. This card may be played on any card or combination of cards. The next player must play on the card(s) played before the 4, it has no game value. The Ghost card must be determined before the initial game.
No Quitters
Players may only leave if they are president
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