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There are many variations and local rules for ERS. Here are some of the other rules I've heard of over the years. If you know of a variation that's not included here, I'd love to hear about it.
- Sandwiches tend to be controversial; some people love them and other people hate them.
- Jokers are usually not included.
- Years ago it seemed more common for people not to finish out the pile when only one player was left; whoever laid down the last card was the winner. That seems to have changed in recent years.
- If all cards have been laid down and for some reason the pile is still not finished, the last person to lay down a card is often considered the winner.
- Sometimes the game is not considered over; the deck is instead shuffled and re-dealt.
- Jokers are wild cards, or can be slapped. My high school seems to have been unique in using Jokers strictly as their own face cards.
- Tens stop a face card, and play continues as if no face card was laid down. I've also heard of people using fours and eights for this.
- One card instantly stops the pile. I've heard of the two of clubs, the queen of hearts, or the queen of spades for this. The previous person to lay down a card gets the pile.
- Sometimes slaps are allowed to override this.
- Twos can be slapped. I've also heard of people using threes, eights and nines.
- Cards that sum to ten can be slapped.
- Four (sometimes only three) consecutive cards of the same suit can be slapped.
- A consecutive king and queen (either order) of the same suit can be slapped. This is called "lovers", "couples" or "marriages".
- I've also seen this extended to any two consecutive hearts ("sweethearts").
- Sometimes a king/queen combination can be slapped if another card is between them. This is called a "divorce".
- A straight of four (sometimes only three) cards can be slapped. They do not have to be the same suit.
- Sometimes only certain straights can be slapped. I've heard of one group only allowing seven-eight-nine straights to be slapped.
- Sometimes only ascending straights are allowed, sometimes both directions.
- Sometimes wrapping around (three two ace king) is allowed.
- Two cards of the same value with two other cards between them (six queen five six) can be slapped. This is often called a "manwich". Manwiches seem to be very unpopular, even among circles that allow them.
- Instead of burning cards, the penalty for a misslap is that the offending player cannot win any slaps for the next five or ten cards.
- Instead of putting burned cards in the pile, burned cards are given directly to the last person that got a pile, or one card is given to each of the other players. Recipients may or may not be allowed to look at the cards before putting them in their hands.
- In a two-player game, a misslap causes the opponent to win the pile.
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[Last updated: 2021-10-28]