President
CLIMBING-STYLE CARD GAME using a standard 52-card deck (or 2 decks for large groups). 4-8 players shed cards by playing SINGLES, PAIRS, TRIPLES, or QUADS of increasing rank. First to shed becomes PRESIDENT next hand; last is the ASSHOLE (aka SCUMBAG) — must give best cards to president. Persistent social hierarchy that inverts + reinforces over multiple hands. Party favorite worldwide. Family relative of Japanese DAI HIN MIN + Chinese DA VIFTY + Vietnamese TIẾN LÊN.
Quick facts
Category
Card Games
Type
Individual
Players
3–8
Duration
~30 min
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇯🇵 Japan
Estimated origin
Traditional East Asian; Western Americanized versions 1960s+
Olympic
No
Popularity
major
How it works
Objective
Be first to shed all cards; ascend the social hierarchy.
Rules
Basic rules
Play SINGLE, PAIR, TRIPLE, or QUAD of same rank higher than previous
Climbing mechanic.
Match combination type (singles on singles, pairs on pairs, etc.)
Type consistency.
Pass if you cannot/won't play; skipping cascades
Pass mechanics.
Everyone passes → last player collects trick + starts new one
Trick reset.
First to shed = President; last = Asshole
Signature ranking.
Next hand: Asshole gives 2 best cards to President; President returns any 2
Card exchange preserves hierarchy.
Scoring
Rank-based: 1st = President, 2nd = Vice President, ..., last = Asshole/Scumbag. Multi-hand social dynamic.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| First to shed | President (highest rank next hand) |
| Last player with cards | Asshole (must give best cards to president) |
Win condition · Casual game; no formal endgame — play continues as long as group wishes.
Equipment
Standard 52-card deck (or 2 decks for 6+ players)
Standard playing cards
Optional 2 jokers as high wild cards
House rule
Terminology
- President
- 1st place; highest social rank next hand.
- Vice President
- 2nd place.
- Asshole / Scumbag
- Last place; must give best cards to President.
- Bomb
- 4-of-a-kind that can be played out of turn to bust the trick.
Where it is played
Frequently asked
President = Asshole = Scumbag — why so many names?+
The game has been globalized under many names because different regions/circles adopt different terminology. Core rules identical. AMERICAN COLLEGE typically uses ASSHOLE or SCUMBAG (crude); FAMILY-FRIENDLY versions use PRESIDENT; East Asia has its own names (DAI HIN MIN, DA VIFTY, TIẾN LÊN). All refer to the same climbing game family.
Sources & provenance
- Wikipedia — President— Wikipedia