About Free Printable President (Scum) Rules
The 2. Cards rank 2, A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 from high to low, so a 2 beats an Ace. Suits never matter.
By the ToolFluency team · Updated October 2026
President, also known as Scum or Capitalism, is a shedding card game for 3 to 8 players (best with 4 to 7) played with a standard 52-card deck, or two decks for 8 or more. Players race to get rid of their cards by beating the last play with higher singles, pairs or triples; the first player out becomes President and the last becomes Scum, who must hand over their best cards next round. Each round takes about 15 to 30 minutes, and groups usually play several. The full printable rules sheet with card diagrams is on this page.
How to play President
- Deal: deal the whole deck one card at a time, starting left of the dealer. Uneven hands are fine. Cards rank from high to low 2, A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, and suits don't matter.
- Lead: in the first round the player left of the dealer leads; after that the President leads. The leader plays a single card or a set of 2, 3 or 4 cards of the same rank face up.
- Follow or pass: going clockwise, each player either plays a higher set with the same number of cards as the lead, or passes. A pair can only be beaten by a higher pair, a triple by a higher triple. Passing doesn't stop you playing on your next turn.
- Clear the trick: when everyone else passes in a row, the last player to play wins the trick. The cards are set aside and that player leads the next trick with anything they like.
- Finish: the first player to play their last card becomes the next President, the second becomes Vice-President, and so on. The last player still holding cards becomes the Scum.
- Exchange cards: before each later round, the Scum shuffles and deals, then must give their single highest card to the President, who hands back any one card they don't want. With the extended exchange, two cards go each way and the Vice-Scum and Vice-President swap one.
- Keep score (optional): score President 2 points, Vice-President 1 and everyone else 0, and the first player to 11 points wins. Many groups just play round after round.
President titles and series points
| Title | Finish position | Next round | Points |
|---|
| President | First out | Receives the Scum's best card(s), leads first | 2 |
|---|
| Vice-President | Second out | Receives one card from the Vice-Scum (extended exchange) | 1 |
|---|
| Citizen | Middle finishers (5 or more players) | No exchange | 0 |
|---|
| Vice-Scum | Second to last | Gives one card to the Vice-President (extended exchange) | 0 |
|---|
| Scum | Last with cards | Deals and gives best card(s) to the President | 0 |
|---|
Examples
Strategy tips
- Get rid of low singles and low pairs early, when other players are still happy to play over them.
- Save your 2s and Aces to win tricks you need, then use the lead to dump your weakest cards.
- You can pass even when you could play. Holding back a high pair until a pair is led is often better than breaking it up.
- Keep sets together. Splitting a pair of Kings to beat a single often leaves you with a lone King that can't win later.
- Track the 2s. Once all four have been played, Aces become the highest cards left.
- As President, give back your most useless card in the exchange, usually a lone 3 or 4, not a card from one of your sets.
Example: one trick
Ana leads a pair of 7s. Ben plays a pair of Jacks over it. Cara holds three Queens but can't play all three on a pair, so she plays two of them as a pair of Queens. Dev has a pair of 2s but chooses to pass to save them. Ana and Ben pass too, so Cara wins the trick, sets the cards aside and leads her last Queen as a single.
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest card in President?
The 2. Cards rank 2, A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 from high to low, so a 2 beats an Ace. Suits never matter.
Can you beat a pair with three of a kind?
No. You must play the same number of cards as the lead, so a pair can only be beaten by a higher pair. The exception is the four-of-a-kind bomb house rule, where playing four cards of the same rank clears the trick no matter what was led.
If you pass, can you play again in the same trick?
Yes. Passing doesn't take you out of the trick; you may play on your next turn if you want to. The trick only ends when every other player passes in a row after the last play.
Does the President have to give back their lowest card?
No. The Scum must hand over their highest card (or two highest in the extended exchange), but the President may return any card they don't want. It is usually a low one, but it doesn't have to be.
Who deals and who leads after the first round?
The Scum always shuffles and deals every round after the first. The President leads the first trick, though some groups let the Scum lead instead, so agree before you start.
Are 2s wild in President?
Not in the basic rules, where a 2 is simply the highest card. Many groups play a house rule where a single 2 can be played on any card or set and may clear the pile. Agree before dealing.
What are the titles with 4 players?
With 4 players the finishers are President, Vice-President, Vice-Scum and Scum, with no Citizens. With 5 or more, everyone finishing between the two Vices is a Citizen.
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