Slapjack
Quick Guide
Proficiency Grade
Beginner
Young Children &
Elderly Adults
# of Players
Friendly
2+
Ideal # of Players
4
Replay-ability
Low
Strategy Needed
Low
Amount of Luck
High
Ability to Learn
Easy
How to Play Slapjack
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Slapjack is a fast-paced and slap-based card game for 2 or more players. The objective of the game is to win all the cards.
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Setup
To play Slapjack, you need at least one standard deck of 52 playing cards. The cards are shuffled and then dealt clockwise to the players, with each player receiving an equal number of cards. Players keep their cards in a face-down stack in front of them.
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Playing
In each turn, the player on the left of the dealer plays the top card from their stack onto a face-up pile in the center of the playing area. The next player then plays a card, and so on, until a Jack is flipped up.
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The first player to slap the pile when a Jack is played, wins all the cards in the pile. If multiple people slap, only the first (the hand at the bottom of the pile), wins it. After a successful Slapjack, the player takes all the cards and puts them on the bottom of their deck, then starts the next round with their top card.
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Other Slapjack Rules
Slapping Back In: If a player ran out of cards, or a new player wants to join the game, they may "Slap Back In." They will watch the players flip cards and if there is a Jack played, they can slap in and if won, take all the cards and now be a normal player in the game.
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Mis-Slapping: If a player slaps and there is not a Jack, they must take their top two cards from their pile and put it on the bottom of the played pile face up (so that everyone can see). The winner of that pile receives those cards.
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No "Slapping On the Draw": Players are not allowed to slap the pile when a card is still in their hand. They must let the card go before slapping.
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Flip out: Cards must be flipped away from the flipper so that they cannot see the card before everyone else. This makes slapping equal opportunity for everyone.
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Game Ending
The game ends when one player has all of the cards, that player wins!
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Alternatively, as this game can go on for quite some time, whoever has the most cards when everyone is ready to end the game, that person wins!
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*Note: the game is intended to be fast-paced, with cards flipping rapidly.
Variations / House Rules
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Number of Players
Slapjack can be played with any number of players, and can include multiple decks of cards. To start each game, just deal out the cards as evenly as possible. The player to the left of the dealer will flip first to start the game.
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Multiple Jacks
Some variations allow players to win the discard pile with any face card, not just Jacks.
Thoughts
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Slapjack is super simple, and only really good for the youngest of children to get used to cards.
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If you want a game similar to Slapjack but a lot more fun and dynamic, check out Egyptian Ratscrew (ERS)!
Where to Buy
Coming Soon