Play Egyptian Rat Screw Online for Free

Egyptian Rat Screw Objective

To win Egyptian Rat Screw, you must collect all 52 cards by winning the pile through ace and face card challenges or by claiming it when doubles or sandwiches appear.

How to Play Egyptian Rat Screw on Solitaired

On Solitaired, you compete against the computer in Egyptian Rat Screw, also known as Egyptian Ratslap or Egyptian War, using a standard 52-card deck. While you have to have good reflexes, we offer features to enhance the game:

• Difficulty levels: One way you claim the pile is by clicking it (the online equivalent of slapping) when doubles or sandwiches are played, but you can give yourself more or less time by changing the difficulty level. Go to the Options menu to select Easy, Medium, or Hard, and the time in which you need to respond decreases with each level.
• Highlighted turns: If you’re not familiar with the game, you may not understand who needs to take a turn as challenges have players playing multiple cards in a row. So Solitaired highlights your side when it’s your turn so that you know you need to flip cards.
• Game cues: You don’t have to memorize the rules to get started. Solitaired adds came cues throughout the game so that you know things, such as whether you need to take 4 turns to meet a challenge or to slap the pile for a double.
• Undo button: If you panic slap the pile and get penalized or miss a double, which gives your opponent the pile, use the Undo button so you can redo the play. This is especially helpful as you get to know the rules of the game.

Egyptian Rat Screw Rules

• Each player begins with a stack of 26 facedown cards.
• Players take turns by placing a faceup card in the middle.
• If a player turns over an ace or face card, they start a challenge. Their opponent has a limited number of cards to flip in an attempt to reveal another ace or face card. The number of chances depends on the challenge card:
  • Ace: 4 tries
  • King: 3 tries
  • Queen: 2 tries
  • Jack: 1 try
• If the opponent reveals another ace or face card within their allotted tries, the challenge reverses, and the other player must flip cards, attempting to get another face card or ace. For example, if Player 1 turns over a king, then Player 2 can flip up to 3 cards to try and get an ace or face card. If Player 2 succeeds, it triggers a challenge to Player 1.
• If a challenged player fails to reveal an ace or face card, the player who started the challenge claims the entire pile.
• If two cards of the same rank are played in a row, the first player to click (slap) the pile wins the cards. For example, if Player 1 plays an 8 and Player 2 also flips over an 8, this is considered a double, and the first player to slap the pile gets the entire pile.
• If a sandwich is played, the first player to click (slap) the pile wins the pile. A sandwich refers to a double that has a non-matching card between them. For example if Player 1 plays and 8, Player 2 plays a 5, and Player 1 plays another 8, the 8s are sandwiching the 5. When a sandwich occurs, the first player to slap (click) the pile gets the entire pile.
• Panic slaps burn two cards as a penalty. If you panic slap the pile when there is no double or sandwich, two cards from your stack are “burned,” which means they’re taken from your stack and placed at the bottom of the pile.
• If you take all 52 cards, you win!

Egyptian Rat Screw Strategies

• Adjust the level to match your speed. You will lose the pile often if you don’t slap it quickly enough for doubles and sandwiches. So if you find yourself constantly losing the slap, adjust the difficulty level lower so that you have more time.
• Move your cursor to the pile after every click. To improve your reaction times, move your cursor up to the pile as soon as you’ve clicked your stack. That way, you’re poised to click if a double or sandwich requires a slap.
• Go after sandwiches. Doubles are simpler because it’s mainly visual, making them easier to catch. But sandwiches require you to remember two cards down. So before a new card is placed on the current card, keep the rank in mind for two flips in case the same rank creates a sandwich. By focusing on just sandwiches, you have a good chance of making the slap first each time.
• Keep your cool and watch game cues. You get penalized and have to give up two cards for each panic slap. So keep calm and watch the game cues Solitaired gives to ensure you’re clicking when it’s warranted.

Egyptian Rat Screw requires focus and quick reflexes, and if you enjoy the thrill of this game, you’ll want to try playing Speed, which keeps a fast pace, and Trash, which requires focus. You can play these and many other multiplayer card games as well as Solitaire games for free on Solitaired!