1Object of the game
Collect the whole deck. You win cards only by being the first to slap a jack when it lands in the center, which gives you the jack and every card under it. Slapping any other card costs you a card, and a player who runs out of cards gets one last chance to win a pile.
2Setup
- Shuffle a standard 52-card deck. Jokers aren't used.
- Deal the cards one at a time, face down, until the whole deck is dealt. Some players will get one more card than others, and that's fine.
- Each player squares up their cards into a face-down pile in front of them without looking at them.
- Leave a clear space in the middle of the table for the center pile, within easy reach of everyone.
3The play
- Starting with the player to the dealer's left and moving clockwise, each player takes the top card of their pile and turns it face up onto the center pile.
- Turn the card away from you as you flip it, so the other players see it at the same moment you do, or a split second before.
- If the card isn't a jack, the next player turns their top card onto the pile.
- If the card is a jack, anyone may slap it by bringing a hand down flat on the center pile. The first player whose hand touches the jack takes the whole center pile.
- The winner turns the pile face down, puts it under their own pile, and shuffles the two together. Then play continues with the next player in turn.
4End of a hand
There are no separate rounds. Play continues around the table until one player holds every card. When your pile runs out, you stop turning cards but stay in for the next jack. If you slap it first, you're back in with a new pile. If you miss it, you're out.
5Scoring
Slapjack has no points. Each slap either wins you cards or costs you one, and the game ends when one player has the whole deck.
| For | Points |
|---|---|
| First hand on a jack | Wins the jack and every card under it |
| Several players slap the same jack | The hand touching the jack wins; hands on top don't count |
| Slapping a card that isn't a jack | Give 1 card face down to the player who turned it |
| Out of cards | Stay in until the next jack; win it or you're out |
| Holding all 52 cards | Wins the game |
Bicycle says the winner of a pile shuffles it into their own cards. Under the pagat.com version you add the pile to the bottom of your cards without shuffling, which is fine too. Just pick one method before you start.
6Winning
The player who wins all 52 cards wins the game. Players drop out when they've run out of cards and then fail to slap the next jack. With a big group, you can also stop at an agreed time and declare the player with the most cards the winner.
7A worked hand
Ana, Ben, and Cara are playing, and Cara dealt, so Ana goes first. Ana turns the 4♥ onto the center. Ben turns the 9♣. Cara turns the K♠, and Ben's hand twitches but he doesn't slap. Ana turns the J♦. Ben slaps first, and Cara's hand lands on top of his a moment later. Ben's hand is the one touching the jack, so he wins all four cards: 4♥, 9♣, K♠, and J♦. He turns them face down, puts them under his pile, and shuffles. Ben, next in turn, flips the next card, the Q♣. Cara slaps it, thinking it's a jack. That's a false slap, so she hands one card face down from her pile to Ben, who played the queen. Cara then turns the 7♦ and play goes on. Later Ana runs out of cards. She stops turning cards but keeps her hand ready. When Cara turns the J♠, Ana slaps first and is back in the game with a new pile.
8House rules
The rules above are the version most US players use. These are the variations you are most likely to run into; settle them before the first deal.
- Slap with your free hand
- Some rule sets have you slap with the hand you didn't use to turn the card, which keeps the player who just flipped from having an edge.
- Say "Slapjack!"
- Some groups require you to call out "Slapjack!" as you slap. In one version, a player who calls it on a card that isn't a jack loses the pile to the other players, who split it evenly.
- Top card as the penalty
- The pagat.com rules say a false slapper gives the top card of their own pile. Bicycle only says to give one card face down, so some groups let the slapper pick any card.
- Extra slap cards
- Some groups add slaps from related games like Snap, such as two cards of the same rank played in a row. Agree on every slap before the first card is turned.
- Time limit
- Slapjack can run long with a big group. Set a timer and give the win to whoever holds the most cards when it goes off.
9Mistakes people make
- Only jacks can be slapped. Slapping a queen, a king, or anything else costs you a card to the player who turned it.
- When two people slap the same jack, the pile goes to the hand touching the card, not the hand that lands on top.
- Running out of cards doesn't knock you out right away. You get one more chance at the next jack.
- Turn cards away from yourself so you don't see them before everyone else.
10Playing better
- Keep your free hand close to the center pile, resting on the table, so it has a short trip when a jack shows up.
- Watch the card, not the player's face. Jacks and kings look alike at a glance, and a false slap costs you a card.
- Turn your own cards away from you, as the rules ask. Peeking first is unfair, and the other players will call you on it.
- Stay alert when your pile is empty. The next jack is your only way back in.
- With young kids, slow the pace. Let each card sit a moment before the next one goes down so everyone has a fair chance.
Slapjack: questions people ask
- How do you play Slapjack?
- Deal the whole deck face down so each player has a pile. Take turns flipping your top card onto a center pile. When a jack comes up, everyone tries to slap it, and the first hand on the jack takes the whole pile. The player who collects all 52 cards wins.
- How many cards does each player get in Slapjack?
- You deal out the entire 52-card deck, one card at a time. With 2 players each gets 26 cards, and with 3 players two get 17 and one gets 18. The piles don't have to come out even.
- What happens if you slap the wrong card in Slapjack?
- If you slap a card that isn't a jack, you give one card face down from your pile to the player who turned that card. Under the pagat.com rules, it's the top card of your pile. The pile in the middle stays where it is, and play continues.
- What if two people slap the jack at the same time in Slapjack?
- The player whose hand is directly on the jack wins the pile. Anyone whose hand lands on top of another hand gets nothing. That's why a quick, flat slap beats a big wind-up.
- What happens when you run out of cards in Slapjack?
- You stop turning cards but stay in the game until the next jack is played. If you slap that jack first, you win the pile and you're back in. If someone else gets it, you're out of the game.
- Can you play Slapjack with 2 players?
- Yes. Each player gets 26 cards, and you take turns flipping onto the center pile. Two-player games move fast, since every jack is a straight race between the two of you.
- What's the difference between Slapjack and Egyptian Ratscrew?
- In Slapjack, the only card you slap is a jack, and you win cards only by slapping. Egyptian Ratscrew adds face-card challenges that make the next player keep turning cards. It also adds more slap patterns, such as doubles and sandwiches.
Sources
Checked by Morgan Hale against the sources below. Last reviewed September 28, 2026.