A fantastic game for children and adults alike and an entertaining card game for a family game night, the Slapjack game is as easy as its name. It translates to ā slap the jack as you see it! Many of us may have played fun card games as children, and slapjack is one of them.
This card game is bound to create nostalgia, but if you have never played the game before, Fret Not! Slapjack rules and gameplay are pretty straightforward, and even a child can learn the game within seconds. Hereās all about how to play slapjack and its rules. You will also find some fun slapjack variations to help you spice up the game. How quickly the players react to spotting the jack and slapping drives all the fun in the game.
Ahead, we tell you everything about how to play slapjack!
What is Slapjack?
Also known as Slaps, Slapjack card game is a popular card game among children. It is played with a standard deck of cards. The game is a blend of Egyptian Ratscrew (also known as Heart Attack) and Beggar My Neighbour games. Simple slap card games like Snap are also related to it.
Slapjack is fast-paced and interactive and doesnāt involve memory or verbal skills. All that is needed is some excellent hand-eye coordination to win the game. In this game, players take turns placing cards from their hands into a central pile. When a Jack card appears on top of the pile, everyone tries to slap it first. The fastest player wins the pile of cards. The goal is to collect all the cards. The game continues until one player has all the cards.
How to Play Slapjack
Number of Players
Slapjack can be played between 2 and 9 players. However, it is more reasonable to play with a maximum of six players.
Card Deck Used
You use a standard deck of cards, excluding jokers. You can also use two decks of playing cards with more players.
The Objective of the Slapjack Card Game
The gameās object is to be the first player to slap the jack as any player places a card at the center and wins all the cards, leaving the other players with no cards in hand.
Deal
Before the game begins, a dealer is selected based on the draw of the lowest card. Each player draws a card from the shuffled deck, and the player who gets the lowest card becomes the dealer. The dealer deals the cards one at a time to each player until the entire deck has been dealt. The hands donāt necessarily have to be even, so if a player has one more card than the others, it wouldnāt matter. After the cards have been dealt, the players form a pile of their cards, face down, without looking at their cards.
Gameplay
Now, let’s see how to play slapjack!
The player sitting at the dealer’s left begins the game by playing the topmost card, face-up, from their pile and placing it at the center. The other players follow by playing the topmost cards on their piles clockwise. The play continues, and players keep playing cards in such a sequence until a jack is placed in the center.
When any player plays a Jack, every player slaps the jack. This is where all the fun lies. The player that slaps the jack first gets to pick the entire pile of cards that have been played. That player places the cards underneath their existing pile and shuffles them to form a fresh pile.
More often than not, all the players slap the jack as soon as a player plays it. In such circumstances, the player whose hand is placed directly on top of the jack wins the pile.
Also Read: How to Play Tonk Card Game
What are the Slap jack rules?
- Slap jack rules say that the game is generally played between 2 to 4 people with a standard deck of 52 cards, but the maximum number of players can increase to 9.
- Players must not look at their cards in advance while turning them to place at the center.
- When a player slaps a card placed on the playing surface, which is not a jack, the player must return one card, face down, to another player that played the slapped card.
- If a player doesnāt have any more cards left in hand, they can still be in the game and slap the next jack to win the pile. If the player is unable to win a pile until the next jack is turned, that player loses the game and cannot play further.
- The first player to win all the cards and leave the other players with no cards in hand wins the game.
Fun Slap Jack Variations
If you start losing interest or getting bored of the basic slapjack card game, you can spice up the gameplay with a few variations. Here are some of the variations you can consider playing.
Snap
Snap is another popular card game played amongst children. So, how to play slapjack card game variation snap? The goal is to be the first player to react when a pair of same-value cards are seen. This is one of the first card games that most children play using a standard deck of cards or cards featuring popular childrenās TV characters.
The game proceeds similarly to slapjack, but as players spot two same-value cards, the first player to say Snap collects the pile. The player who collects all the cards wins the game.
Irish Snap
In the Irish Snap game, the objective is wholly reversed ā you need to get rid of cards in hand to win the game. After the cards have been dealt face-down, the players place cards, face-up, one at a time, at the center by calling out card ranks. For instance, the first player calls Ace, the second two, the third three, and so on. If the card played matches the card rank called out, the players slap the cards like in the slap jack game, and the last one to slap the pile has to collect the pile. The last player left with cards in hand is the loser.
Silent Slap
How to play slapjack card game silent slap? Well, in this version, players are not allowed to yell or make any noise when a Jack appears. If someone speaks, they lose the chance to slap! This twist means you must put extra focus.
Cabin 6
Cabin 6 is a slightly complex game for the older demographic, played with a deck of 54 cards, including jokers. The cards are dealt face down, and the players turn over the top card of their hand. If two cards reveal the same number or a joker, the first player to call snap gets all the cards played. Players move on to turn the next card to continue the play. If a player runs out of cards, they have until the next turn to win some cards. The player with all the cards is the winner.
Alternate Slap Jack Rules
How do you play slapjack? These rules can bring additional elements of fun to the game.
- If the card you play matches the rank of the card directly beneath it (like two 5s in a row), everyone can snap. This makes for a fast, high-energy moment where everyoneās hands race to the pile!
- Whenever a Queen is played, players snap, regardless of whatās underneath. This makes Queens extra exciting, as they give everyone a fair shot to react and win cards.
- When a seven (or any agreed card) comes up, players stop counting card ranks out loud and must keep track in their heads. This adds challenge since you donāt know exactly what card comes next unless you are paying close attention. It stays silent until another seven resets it.
- Here, you must look out for sandwiches in the pile, which means two matching cards surround a different one, like 5-7-5 or Jack-3-Jack. Spotting sandwiches gives you extra snap opportunities.
- If a King is played, players must saluteĀ beforeĀ snapping. Forgetting this extra step can cost you the chance to snap.
- Players without cards can still call numbers out loud. This can mess with everyoneās rhythm, creating unexpected snap opportunities for those still in the game.
- If you slap the pile when thereās no valid snap, you take all the cards as a penalty, but only if you touched the pile. If you simply call out āsnapā or gesture without touching, the game continues.
Strategies For Slapjack Game
Here are a few strategies that can help you ace the game.
Stay Focused
Pay close attention to the central pile, especially the top card, so you can quickly spot a Jack. Donāt get distracted; be ready to slap the pile at any moment.
Practice Quick Reactions
Work on your hand speed to react quickly when you see a Jack. Regular practice can help you slap the pile faster than your opponents.
Observe Opponents
Notice if your opponents have any patterns in their card play or reactions. Try to anticipate when a Jack might appear based on the flow of the game.
Control Your Slap
Make sure your slap lands properly on the pile. A precise slap helps you avoid penalties for mistaken slaps on non-Jack cards and keeps you in control of the game.
Stay Calm Under Pressure
Itās easy to get tense, especially when the pile builds up. Stay relaxed and steady your nerves so you can react smoothly without rushing. This can be used to your advantage, especially when your opponent is nervous.
Anticipate Jack Patterns
In some games, Jacks appear at certain intervals. So, study the cards and pay attention to any patterns in Jack’s appearance. Whether itās the number of rounds or cards passed, try to analyze it further.
FAQs
What happens when you slap the wrong card in slapjack?
If you happen to slap the wrong card in the slapjack game, you need to pay the penalty. You will have to return a card from your pile, faced down, to the player whose card you slapped incorrectly.
How do you lose Slapjack?
If you run out of cards, you lose the slapjack card game. That means if you canāt slap a Jack when it appears, you must give up some of your cards to the winner of that round. The game ends when only one player has cards left; they win, and others lose.
Is slapjack a 2 player game?
Yes, Slapjack can be played with two or more players. Itās fun with more players, but a 2-player game works just as well. The main goal is to be the fastest to slap the pile with Jack and collect all the cards to win.
Can 3 people play slapjack?
Yes. The slapjack game is very flexible regarding the number of players who can play the game. While the game is usually played between 2 to 4 players, up to 9 players can also play the game. If the deck falls short, many players use more than one deck.
How does the slapjack game end?
As per the slapjack rules, the game ends when only one player wins all the cards, and the other players run out of cards.
