How to Play President
President card game rules, also known as Scum, Capitalism and Daifugo, with the roles and card swap explained
What is the President card game?
President is a climbing card game where the goal is to get rid of your cards before everyone else. The first player out becomes the President, the last player left holding cards is the Scum, and those titles carry into the next round: the Scum has to hand over their best cards to the President before play starts.
The game goes by many names. It's called Scum, Capitalism, Presidents and Assholes, Kings and Scum or Rich Man Poor Man in different places, and in Japan it's Daifugo (大富豪, "grand millionaire"). It's a cousin of Big 2 and Tiến Lên, with simpler plays: only singles, pairs, triples and four of a kind.
Called Daifugō (大富豪) in Japan: play Daifugō with revolution and the 8-stop
President rules at a glance
- Players
- 3 to 7 (best with 4 or 5). Online at bs.fyi: 4 players.
- Deck
- One standard 52-card deck. Add a second deck for 7 or more players.
- Card order
- 3 (lowest), 4, 5 … K, A, 2 (highest). Suits don't matter.
- Plays
- A single, a pair, three of a kind or four of a kind.
- Beating a play
- Play the same number of cards of a higher rank, or pass.
- Winning a trick
- When everyone else passes, the last player to play leads again.
- Roles
- First out is President, then Vice President, Vice Scum, and last is Scum.
- Card swap
- Next round, the Scum gives the President their 2 best cards and gets 2 back.
- Match
- At bs.fyi, 3 rounds: 3 points for President down to 0 for Scum. Most points wins.
How to play President, step by step
- 1
Deal
Deal the whole deck out as evenly as possible. With four players, everyone gets 13 cards.
- 2
Lead
In the first round the player holding the 3 of Clubs leads. They can play any single card, pair, triple or four of a kind.
- 3
Beat it or pass
Going clockwise, each player must play the same number of cards of a higher rank, or pass. A pair of 8s can only be beaten by a higher pair, such as a pair of Jacks.
- 4
Win the trick
Once you pass, you're out until the next trick. When everyone else has passed, the cards are cleared and the last player to play leads the next trick with anything they like.
- 5
Go out
The first player to play their last card is the President. Play continues until only one player has cards left: the Scum.
- 6
Swap and play again
At the start of the next round, the Scum gives their two highest cards to the President, who gives back any two cards (at bs.fyi, their two lowest). The Vice Scum and Vice President swap one card. The Scum leads.
The President roles
- President
- First to go out. Receives the Scum's two best cards next round.
- Vice President
- Second out. Receives the Vice Scum's best card.
- Vice Scum
- Third out. Gives their best card to the Vice President.
- Scum
- Last with cards. Gives their two best cards to the President, but leads the next round.
President with different numbers of players
President card game with 2 players
Deal each player 13 cards and leave the rest face-down. With only two players the roles are simply President and Scum, and the loser gives one card instead of two. It plays fast, like a duel.
President with 3 players
Deal 17 cards each (the spare card goes to the President in later rounds). Roles are President, Neutral and Scum.
President with 5 or more players
Players in the middle are Neutral and don't swap. With 7 or more, shuffle two decks together.
Popular house rules
2s clear the pile
Playing a 2 ends the trick immediately and you lead again. Very common in the US.
Skips
Playing the same rank as the last play skips the next player.
Revolution
In Daifugo, playing four of a kind reverses the card order until someone else plays four of a kind.
Jokers
Add two jokers as the highest cards, or as wild cards.
President strategy: how to win
- •Get rid of low cards early. Lead your 3s, 4s and 5s while you have control, because nobody wants to follow them with a big card.
- •Don't break up sets. Splitting a pair to beat a single often leaves you with two weak cards instead of one strong play.
- •Save your 2s. A 2 wins any trick of its size, so keep it for when you need to take control or stop someone going out.
- •Count the high cards. Once all four Aces and 2s are gone, your Kings become unbeatable.
- •Plan your last play. Aim to finish on a card or set nobody can beat, so you go out as soon as you win control.
Frequently asked questions
What is the President card game?
President is a climbing card game for 3 to 7 players. Players take turns beating the last play with more powerful cards, and the order in which they run out of cards decides who is President and who is Scum for the next round.
Is President the same as Scum or Capitalism?
Yes. President, Scum, Capitalism, Presidents and Assholes, Kings and Scum and Rich Man Poor Man are all names for the same game. The Japanese version is called Daifugo.
What is the highest card in President?
The 2 is the highest card and the 3 is the lowest. Suits don't matter. Some house rules add jokers above the 2.
How does the card swap work in President?
At the start of each round after the first, the Scum gives their two best cards to the President and the President gives back two cards of their choice. The Vice Scum and Vice President swap one card the same way.
Can you play President with 2 players?
Yes. Deal 13 cards each and set the rest aside. The loser of each round swaps one card with the winner.
Who goes first in President?
In the first round, the player with the 3 of Clubs leads. In later rounds, the Scum leads to make up for the card swap.
Can you play President online?
Yes. At bs.fyi you can play President free in your browser against bots, or send friends a link to a private game. No download or account needed.
Ready to run for President?
Play President online for free against bots, or send your friends a link to a private game. No download, no account.