Village Idiot

Also known as the slightly less polite “trou de cul”, this is a game of many rounds. May seem slightly complex at first, but is pretty simple overall.

Objective: To get rid of all your cards as soon as possible.

Players and Cards: About 4 to 7 people using a standard 52 card pack. The suits are irrelevant and the cards rank, from high to low, A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2. Jokers are wild.

Deal: The game is played clockwise. All the cards are dealt out. Some players may have one more than others.

Play:

The player to dealer’s left starts by leading (face up) any single card or any set of cards of equal rank (for example three fives). Each player in turn must then either pass (i.e. not play any cards), or play face up a card or set of cards which beats the previous play.
A single card is beaten by any higher single card. A set of cards can only be beaten by a higher set containing the same number of cards. So for example if the previous player played two sixes you can beat this with two kings, or two sevens, but not with a single king, and not with three sevens (though you could play two of them and hang onto the third).
Passing is always allowed and passing doesn’t stop you from playing the next time it’s your turn.
The play continues as many times around the table as necessary until someone makes a play which everyone else passes.
All the cards played are then turned face down and put to one side, and the player who played last (and highest) to the previous “trick” starts again by leading any card or set of equal cards.

Social Status:

The first player who is out of cards is awarded the highest social rank – King or Queen. The last player to be left with any cards is known by various terms of abuse. The ranks can be King, (Minister, Mayor, Councilor, Citizen,) Peasant/Village Idiot. If keeping score, the players get points depending on their position - for example 2 for the King, 1 for the Minister and nothing for the others. The players of higher status are entitled to enjoy and generally abuse their power over the lower ranking players.
For the next hand the players move seats. The King selects the most comfortable chair, the Minister sits to the King’s left, and so on around to the Peasant who sits to the King’s right, probably on a crate or packing case. The Peasant is responsible for shuffling, dealing and clearing away the cards when necessary. As the players are now seated clockwise in order of rank, the first card is dealt to the King, the second to the Minister, and so on down. When the deal is complete, the Peasant must give his highest card to the King, and the King gives back in exchange any one card which he does not want. The King then leads any card or set of cards and the game continues as before.

End of Game: If scoring, set a target and the game ends when someone reaches (say) 11 points.