Slap Jack Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Slapjack

Slapjack

There are at least two versions of Slapjack. Both the versions I know involve slapping cards.

• In Slapjack, only jacks are slapped, the first slapper collects the cards, and the aim is to collect cards.
• In the Irish Snap, cards are slapped when they match a called card, the slowest slapper collects the cards, and the aim is to get rid of cards.

Both versions are played with a standard 52-card pack and can be played by any reasonable number of players from 2 upwards. They are probably best for about 4-10 players.

Divide the pack roughly equally between the players. Everyone holds their cards as a face down pile. Going around the table clockwise, each player paces [sic: "places" in the source] the top card of their pile face up in the centre of the table, making a face-up pile. When someone plays a jack, the first player to slap it - i.e. put their hand palm down on top of the centre pile - wins the centre pile and adds these cards face down to the bottom of their own pile. Play then continues starting with the player to the left of the one who won the cards.

When playing a card you must not peek at it in advance; you must turn it over so that everyone sees it at once. It is best if the card is moved to the centre of the table face down and then turned "away from" the player (so that if anything the others will see it a split second before the player).

If several people slap, the person whose hand is underneath (i.e. in contact with the card) is the winner of the cards. A referee might be needed if you are very competitive about this.

If a player slaps a card that is not a jack, the player who slapped has to give the top card of their own pile face down to the person who played the card that they wrongly slapped. That person adds it to the bottom of their own pile.

If you run out of cards you no longer play a card when it is your turn, obviously. You are still entitled to take part in the slapping of the next jack and if you win you are back in the game. If someone else wins, or if you meanwhile slap a card that is not a jack, you are out of the game.

When one player has all the cards, that player wins. If you wish, you can play with the time limit, and if no one collects all the cards before then, the person holding most cards when the time limit is reached is the winner.