Slapjack Card Game Rules: From Classic to Cheers

Slapjack is a classic card game that requires quick thinking and high reactivity. It’s fun to play on any occasion! Here, we will take you through the slapjack card game rules of both the party and the normal version.

The game can be played in teams or individually and has one simple objective: be the first to slap the pile of cards when you spot a Jack.

What do you need?

• A standard deck of 52 playing cards
• A flat surface for playing (table or floor)
• Enough players:
  • Individual play: 2 or more players
  • Teamplay: 4 or more players

The Setup

Before dealing the cards, it’s important to know that all cards should remain face-down until they are revealed during the game.

1. Decide whether to play in teams or individually.
2. Choose a dealer who will distribute the cards.
3. Shuffle the deck thoroughly and equally distribute the cards face-down.
   • Individual play: distribute cards among individual players.
   • Teamplay: distribute cards among teams.

Got everything setup? Let’s continue to the actual gameplay below.

How to Play Slapjack

In Slapjack, players or teams take turns drawing cards from their stock pile and placing them face-up on a center pile. Here’s a step-by-step description of how this should go:

• Determine who starts the first round.
• Players take turns in a clockwise direction.
• Without looking at their cards, each player places one card face-up in the center, creating a pile.
  • Teamplay: player 1 from team 1 starts, followed by player 1 from team 2, then player 2 from team 1…
• When a Jack is revealed, the first player to “slap” the pile claims the entire center pile.
• Continue until all the cards have been played.
• The player with the most cards at the end wins.

Slapjack Rules

To ensure smooth gameplay without discussions and disagreements, all players should stick to the following rules:

• While drawing a card, keep it faced-down until it reaches the center of the table. In this way, all players can see the card simultaneously.
• Draw the cards at a high pace. This keeps everyone focused and allows for mistakes.
• If a player slaps a card that’s not a Jack, that player must give a card to that card’s revealer.
• If multiple players slap a Jack, then the player who touches the Jack directly receives the pile.
• Players who lost all their cards are eliminated from the game.

Rules variations

You can make the game more interesting by the adding a new card rule after each round. These rules should stack onto the Slap Jack rule. For example:

• Dumb King: For each King that is drawn, everyone slaps their forehead.
• Suit Slap: If two cards of the same suit are consecutively drawn, everyone slaps the top card.
• Odd or Even: Slap when the sum of two consecutive cards is either an odd or even number.
• Color Match: Slap when two cards of the same color are consecutively played.
• Clap and Grab: Players clap their hands and quickly reach for the pile when an Ace is drawn.
• Seven Steal: Steal the pile from a different player when a 7 is drawn.

Slapjack Drinking Game

Note: Please remember to drink responsibly and be aware of your limits.

Another option is to play Slapjack as a drinking game, which is very similar to the classic game. You only need to add the following rules:

• Players or teams that miss a Jack take a sip.
• The losing players of a round take a drink.
• Player who slap a card while it’s not a Jack, take a drink.
• Players who win a round hand out five sips to another player.

The Slapjack Card Game is versatile and can be enjoyed in various settings, whether you’re at a party or just hanging out with your younger siblings. Feel free to be creative and make your own rules to match your gathering!

If you love the quick thinking in Slapjack as much as we do, you should definitely try the game Spoons! The objective of this game is to grab a spoon as quickly as possible after someone gets four of the same kind.

F.A.Q. Slapjack Card Game