How to Play Slapjack
Flip in turn and slap every Jack before anyone else.
Also known as Slap Jack
Learn Slapjack for 2–6 players: flipping onto the center pile, slapping Jacks, false slaps, getting back in with no cards and the flip limit. Follow one pile, then play in your browser.
One pile, two slaps
The center pile holds the 4♦ with the K♣ on top. An app opponent slaps the K♣ by mistake and its top card, the 9♠, goes under the pile. The next flip is the J♥: you slap it first and take all four cards onto the bottom of your pile.
| Situation | Result |
|---|---|
| J♥ on top, you slap first | You take the whole center pile |
| K♣ on top, someone slaps | False slap: their top card goes under the pile |
| Your pile is empty | Skip your flips; slap the next Jack to get back in |
| Someone else takes the Jack while your pile is empty | You are out of the round |
| Flip limit reached (300 by default) | The most cards wins the round |
Only a Jack may be slapped. Won piles go to the bottom of your pile without a shuffle, and a match is 1 round unless you set up to 5 rounds to win.
Practise this game in your browser🎯 Objective
Be the last player holding cards by slapping each Jack first. A match is 1 round unless you set more at setup, up to 5 rounds to win.
🃏 Slapjack Setup & Rules
- The whole 52-card deck is dealt face down, one at a time from the dealer's left, as evenly as it goes. Nobody looks at their own pile.
- The app seats 2 to 6 players. The player to the dealer's left flips first.
▶ How to Play Slapjack
- In turn, each player flips the top card of their pile face up onto the center pile.
- When a Jack lands on top, anyone may slap it, on their turn or not. The first slap takes the whole center pile onto the bottom of their own pile, unshuffled.
- Slap any other card and your top card goes face down under the center pile.
- With an empty pile you skip your flips but are not out yet: slap the next Jack to get back in. If someone else takes it, or you slap falsely, you are out.
- If nobody has a card left to flip and no Jack is on top, the center pile goes back to the last player who flipped.
- The last player with cards wins the round. If the flip limit (300 by default) is reached first, the player holding the most cards wins it.
🎬 Watch: How to Play Slapjack
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📖 Detailed Guide
Setting up your table
- From the game menu choose Slapjack, then pick 2 to 6 seats and fill the empty ones with AI players at Easy, Medium or Hard.
- Set the rounds to win: 1 by default, up to 5.
- Set the flip limit: 300 by default, from 20 to 500. When it is reached, the round stops and the player with the most cards wins it.
- The whole 52-card deck is dealt face down, as evenly as it goes, and nobody looks at their own pile.
Flipping
- The player to the dealer's left flips first, then play moves around the table. Tap Flip to turn your top card face up onto the center pile.
- Players with an empty pile are skipped until they win cards back.
- While an app opponent is still in the round, a Jack on top must be slapped before anyone flips again.
- If nobody can flip and no Jack is on top, the center pile goes back to the last player who flipped, so the round never stalls.
Slapping
- When a Jack lands on top, hit Slap. You may slap at any moment, on your turn or not, even on a Jack you flipped yourself.
- The first slap takes the whole center pile onto the bottom of your pile, in order, without a shuffle.
- Slap anything but a Jack and your top card goes under the center pile. Slap falsely with no cards and you are out.
- App opponents slap after a short delay: about 1.6 seconds at Easy, 1 at Medium and 0.6 at Hard.
Winning the round and the match
- With an empty pile you are not out yet: slap the next Jack to get back in. If someone else takes it, you are out.
- The last player with cards wins the round.
- If the flip limit is reached first, the player holding the most cards wins the round.
- The first player to win the set number of rounds takes the match, and the deal passes to the left between rounds.
📊 Slapjack Scoring
There are no points: the last player holding cards wins the round, or the player with the most cards when the flip limit is reached (300 flips by default, 20 to 500 at setup). The first to win the set number of rounds, 1 by default and up to 5, takes the match. The app seats 2 to 6, a false slap sends your top card under the center pile rather than to the player who flipped, and won piles are not shuffled.
❓ Slapjack — Frequently Asked Questions
How many players do you need for Slapjack?
Slapjack is played with 2–6 players. On Vanikar, empty seats can be filled with AI opponents so you can always start a game.
What happens if you slap a card that is not a Jack?
Your top card goes face down under the center pile. If your pile is already empty, a false slap puts you out of the round.
Can you still play with no cards left?
Yes, until the next Jack. You skip your flips, but if you slap that Jack first you take the pile and are back in; if anyone else takes it, you are out.
How many players can play Slapjack in the app?
2 to 6. You can fill up to 5 seats with app opponents at Easy, Medium or Hard.
How long does a Slapjack round last?
Until only 1 player is left in the round, or until the flip limit is reached: 300 flips by default, set from 20 to 500. At the limit, the player with the most cards wins the round.