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Egyptian Ratscrew

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Egyptian Ratscrew
Players2+
Setup time1 minute
Playing time10-20 minutes, although games may last for many hours
ChanceMedium
Age rangeall competent ages, normally ranging 9+
SkillsSpeed, Slight memorization, Tough hands

Egyptian Ratscrew, commonly abbreviated as ERS and known by many other names, is a card game of the accumulation family, reminiscent of Slapjack and Beggar-My-Neighbour, but more complex. The game is played with a standard 52-card deck (or with multiple standard decks shuffled together with large numbers of players). As a variation, one or more jokers may be added.

Names

This card game has many names among various groups of people and geographical regions. Other names include Egyptian Rummy, Rat Slap, Egyptian Ratfink, Egyptian Rat Killer, Egyptian Rat Slayer (MN term), Egyptian Rat Fuck, Egyptian Ratslap, Egyptian Raffle, Egyptian Rat War, Egyptian Rascal, Egyptian Rhapsody, Egyptian Rattrap, Egyptian Road Kill, Egyptian Ratkill, Egyptian Sewer Rats, Slap(s), Egyptian Rat Race, Egyptian Rugrat, Egyptian War, Egyptian Slap, Iranian Rat Screw (IRS), Iranian Ratfuck (IRF), Iraqi Rat Screw (IRS) Extinction, Egyptian Ratfuck, Jack Seven (a very frequent sequence during gameplay), Slippy-Slap, Listen Up Jack, Sixth Hour Slap, Slap Stylin', Egyptian Rats, Egyptian Rescue Squad, Bloody Palms (TX term) or simply plain Egyptian or Ratscrew or Slap.

Gameplay

Players are dealt equal packs of cards (in the case of three players, the nine of diamonds can be removed from the game) from the deck. Players are not to look at their cards at any time, including while placing them upon the center pile (players should flip cards outwards from the top of their pack). A player begins by placing a card face-up to start a central pile. Play proceeds in a pre-defined order and each player lays down a single card on the pile until a face card or ace is played. The next player then has a certain number of chances to play another face card or ace (usually four chances after an ace, three after a king, two after a queen, and one after a jack or one for an ace, two for a king, three for a queen and four for a jack, although variations exist). If the player is able to do so, play proceeds and the next player must attempt to play another face card or ace in the newly prescribed number of chances. If the player is unable to do so, the most recent player to play a face card or ace claims the pile. In addition, if a player is unable to finish playing, the pile automatically goes to whoever laid the face card or ace.

Which version of the game is played is a matter of common practice amongst the players. For certain sequences of cards (see next section), the pile may be claimed by slapping it. In these cases, any player, including those holding no cards — and, in some games, even bystanders — may slap the pile to attempt to claim it. Depending on the agreed rules, either the first to slap the pile claims the cards or the owner of the hand on the bottom of the pile of hands claims the cards. If the successful claimer had no cards before the slap, this is called 'slapping in'. Slapping in can be used to allow the player back in the game, as long as they have cards in their hand needed to play.

The game ends when a single player holds the entire deck, regardless of how many players began the game. Games can be very lengthy, in part because a player who is developing a small pile is likely to hold concentrated face cards, having lost non-face cards in failing to beat a face card. Such a player will be in a good position to grab cards back.

Note: In some versions, if a single player has been eliminated before the end of gameplay, that player has the option to slap the pile at any appropriate time and the cards are rightfully theirs.

Variations

Redneck Rules

This is a direct variation on slapping, which will effectively prevent stall slapping (Further down in the penalty variations page). When playing with redneck rules, whenever a slap arises the player must touch their palm to their forehead and then to the cards. This way, everyone has a fair chance to slap the pile. This often results in pain after a point, because people will begin slapping their foreheads and the cards, instead of touching the forehead and slapping the cards. This is the only variation effectively preventing cheaters slapping the cards in unfair ways.


Slapping variations

The following are commonly seen slap criteria. Any combination of these may be used in a particular game; however, the combination of Pair and Sandwich, or Pair alone, is the most common. Pair, Sandwich, marriage, and affair are other common combinations. It is highly important to use all of the rules in order to create a fun and rewarding environment for all players and observers in the act of playing or watching this exciting and rewarding game.

  • Raiders of the Lost Arc: If two people slap the card, and you cannot come to agreement on who slapped the card first, then it is a free for all to grab the cards.
  • Slap Jacks: Anytime a jack is played it can be slapped unless another card has been placed on top.
  • Pair: Two cards of the same rank played in succession.
  • Three of a kind: If slapping Pairs, a player slapping three cards of the same rank played in succession (only possible when everyone forgets to slap a pair) wins the game outright (unless the three cards are sixes, if playing the Pyromania variant).
  • Sandwich: A pair separated by a single card of a different rank, e.g. 5-7-5.
  • A Book, Double Sandwich, Submarine Sandwich, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich, Double Cheeseburger, Super Sandwich, Big Mac, Egg Salad Sandwich, or Hoagie: A pair separated by two cards of different ranks, e.g. 5-7-Q-5.
  • BLT Sandwich: A pair separated by three cards of different ranks, e.g. 5-7-Q-8-5.
  • Club Sandwich: Any card between two clubs.
  • Tops and Bottoms or Whoppers The bottom card is the same number as the top card.
  • Acey Deucey: An ace and a two played in succession, in either order.
  • Four Takes It: When a four of any suit is played the first player to scream "FOUR TAKES IT" and grab the pile gets all the cards in the pile. This action trumps any other!
  • Sevens: Any card, followed by another card that results in a sum or difference of seven (e.g. 3 and 4 or 9 and 2). The seven card by itself is also slappable. The ace is considered to have a value of one, or is sometimes not considered to have a value. Some players only allow numeral cards; others count face cards as 10.
  • 8: If any eight is played, players may slap.
  • Flaming Tens: If "red" 10s (10 of diamonds/hearts) is played, players may slap.
  • Tens: Any card, followed by another card that results in a sum of ten. The ten card by itself is also slappable in some variations. The ace is considered to have a value of one, or is sometimes not considered to have a value.
  • Fifteens: Any consecutive combination of cards adding up to fifteen. The ace is considered to have a value of one, or is sometimes not considered to have a value. Some players only allow combinations of numeral cards; others count face cards as 10.
  • Jack/Two: A jack and two are played in succession. Some variations dictate an order (e.g. jack followed by two is slappable while two followed by jack is not, or vice-versa).
  • Jack/Ten: A jack and ten are played in succession. Some variations dictate an order (e.g. jack followed by ten is slappable while ten followed by jack is not, or vice-versa).
  • Successive: Four, three, or two cards, depending on house rules, in successive order played back-to-back; e.g., 5-4-3, 9-10-J-Q, or A-2. (Ace-high and Ace-low sequences are both valid, but round-the-corner sequences (K-A-2) don't count.)
  • Sixty-Nine: A nine followed by a six or vice-versa. In some variations, the slapper must also shout "Sixty-Nine" loudly while slapping. A six followed by a nine however, is more common in many games.
  • Sixty-Nine Sandwich: A nine followed by a six or vice-versa, with one card of any rank in the middle.
  • Blackjack: An ace and jack played in succession, in either order.
  • Marriage: A queen and king played in succession, in either order.
  • Divorce: A king and queen separated by one card.
  • Gay Marriage: A king and jack played in succession, in either order.
  • Affair A queen and a jack played in succession, in either order.
  • A and 4 pair: An ace and a four, or vice-versa simply because they are easy to slap on at a glance because they look alike.
  • Suicidal Kings: The king of hearts, who in most decks is depicted as holding a sword horizontally behind his head. The image can be interpreted as the king stabbing himself through the head.
  • One-Eyed Jacks: The jack of spades and the jack of hearts, who are in most decks depicted in profile so only one eye is visible.
  • Joker: The joker is always considered the same as the last face card played (for example, in the sequence 9-4-Jack-King-7-Joker the Joker is a King). Therefore, the joker will always create a pair when played directly on top of a face card. If there are no face cards beneath the joker, it considered being a zero, or regular sloughable card. Other players use a joker, which can always be slapped. Trying to remember where the joker is can thus become important. Additionally players might have a joker acting like a court card, granting five chances.
  • Five: A five of any suit is played.
  • Luke Combo: Three cards: The first two cards can somehow be mathematically equated to reach the third; e.g., 2-5-7, because 2+5=7
  • Chances: When a face card or an ace is played, if, among the cards played by the next player, the card with the number of chances is played; it is possible to slap, e.g. J-A, Q-6-2, K-8-4-3, A-9-7-2-4, but the number can be any of the cards played by the next player.
  • Reverse Chances: If the number card is played directly before the face card or the ace, it is a possible slap, e.g. A-J, 2-Q, 3-K, or 4-A.
  • Jack-Seven: If a jack is played, followed by a seven then it may be slapped.
  • Round Table: If three of the four face cards (Jack, queen, king, and ace) are played in a row then you can slap and claim the pile.
  • Ten-Stop: If a ten card of any suit is played, you can slap and claim the pile.
  • Baker's Dozen: Any two cards that add up to thirteen may be slapped. Aces count as one, face cards as ten.
  • The Conundrum! If the square root of (the last card played * third to last card played * your birthday day) is an integer or greater than (your birthday * birth month), you may slap and claim the pile.
  • The Interracial Marriage If a black king or a black king follows a red queen is followed by a red queen, you may slap.
  • 2 reverse Whenever a two is played, it acts as a 'reverse' card (such as one from UNO) and the order of play changes direction.
  • JAK Whenever a jack, ace, and king are played in said order, to spell 'JAK'.

It may come up that someone slaps on a pile that could be slapped for two or more reasons. For example, a 69 sandwich could also be a club sandwich if they are both clubs. In these cases (in some games), all players give the winning player a card at random.

  • Cantonese War: An example of a "combined" variation, Cantonese War employs four slap criteria: Blackjack: any three cards that add to 21, or A + (10 or face card); Triple Sequence: any three cards next to each other in value (e.g.: 3-4-5, 5-3-4, etc.); Triple Flush: three cards of the same suit; and Three of a Kind. Slapping on pairs is given a greater penalty, since most players are hardwired to do so from ERS.
  • The Pull Away Rule: In the case that two or more players successfully slap the pile for even stakes, a neutral player can declare "Pull Away Rule", wherein the slappers frantically scrap as many cards away as possible. Often, cards will be evenly dealt instead, or an agreement on a distribution of face cards and aces to non-face cards to both players with equal claim to the pile can be reached, based on things like number of remaining cards in each player's hand or just fast talking.
  • 420: It is when a 4 is followed by a 2 or vice-versa
  • Ten stops: Whenever a ten is played, all chances are stopped and the next player lays down a card (K is played, next player lays down 2 then 10. Next player lays down a card, K player wins nothing).

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Penalty Variations

A penalty may be exacted for false slapping. A false slap occurs when a player slaps the center pile when a slap criterion is not met. In some games, penalties can be dealt for playing out of turn or out of order, as well as not playing quick enough. Some penalty variants for false slapping are as follows:

  • One Under The player at fault must place the next card of his pack face-up underneath the center pile. Also called "burning a card" or just "burning". The card will normally have no effect on slap criteria. This is probably the most common penalty.
  • Two Under This variation is identical to "One Under" except the player at fault must give up two cards instead of only one.
  • Deck Under This variation is identical to "One Under" and "Two Under" except the player at fault must put his entire deck under the pile, or give it to the last player to play a card. In a sub-variation of this rule, that player may not slap back in to the game.
  • Hand Slap If the person that is slapping does not have any cards, they put their hand under the pile until the next time someone slaps.
  • Share the Wealth This penalty variant dictates that a player must give a card to every player in the game, sometimes including those who do not have any cards.
  • Punishment In this variant a person who slaps falsely is punched in the shoulder by the next player who would lay a card. In a sub-variation of this rule, a person who slaps falsely may be slapped by any number of players. Physical punishments and slap restrictions are usually extended to "players" without cards to prevent wanton slapping by those without cards to re-enter the game simply because they do not have cards to lose.
  • Three Strikes In this variation a person is only allowed three false slaps, and then they must put all their cards in the center pile. They are not allowed to "slap in" or receive cards by any method until a clear winner of the current game is found and the cards are re-dealt.
  • Rookie Move In this variant, the first player/bystander to call out "rookie move" and slap the pile (should one exist) gets to take ownership of the entire pile when a false slap occurs (as well as other offenses such as playing too many or not enough cards based on the preceding face/ace, or playing out of turn). It is also possible to call "rookie move" on someone else's call of "rookie move" when the original call was incorrect. In the drinking version of this variant, the object of the "rookie move" must drink a shot.
  • Three Seconds This penalty is enacted when person wins a pile but does not realize and/or pick up their winnings within three seconds. At this point, the pile is available to the quickest people in play. Variations on this include time length changes, allowances for rookies, slapping to claim new ownership, and counting within "ERS Seconds", which basically means counting as fast as possible and then sweeping in.
  • Stall Slaps In this violation, a player puts a card down, but holds his/her hand over the stack. This violation means that other players cannot fully see the new card placed on top and gives the violator a chance to simply lift his/her hand an inch (or so) and slap the stack without giving the other players room to come in and slap. This rule is universal and violators automatically lose the accumulating stack and sometimes must place their non-dominant hand under the next stack. Another violation of the same type occurs when a player does not lift his hand before slapping after playing a card, making their play into a slap as well. Penalties incurred are similar to Stall Slaps.
  • Mahoney Box (Extinction) Unique to the Extinction version of the game, the Mahoney box is a type of penalty box. The player at fault for a false slap must put their top card face up on a separate stack to the dealer's left of the main stack. Play then continues with the main stack. The Mahoney Box may be slapped if valid criteria are met, i.e. if one player false slaps and puts a 7 in the Mahoney box, and then another player false slaps and puts a 7 in the box, the it may be slapped if the game is played using pairs. If a player false slaps the Mahoney box, they must place their entire stack face up on it.
  • Hubbard Box (Extinction) This variant is only used if the Mahoney Box is in use. If a player false slaps the Mahoney Box, they must put a card face up in the Hubbard Box, which is to the dealer's left of the Mahoney Box, instead of forfeiting their entire stack. The same rules apply to the Hubbard box as do for the Mahoney box. If a player false slaps the Hubbard box, they must forfeit their deck and place it face up on the Hubbard box.
  • Taker (Extinction) Used with either the Mahoney or Hubbard Boxes, a single card rank is designated as the taker at the beginning of a game, usually a ten. The Taker may be slapped at any time, even if normal slap criteria are not met. The player that slaps the Taker may take the main stack and both boxes. Play then proceeds with the main stack.
  • Side Slaps (Extinction) Used with either the Mahoney or Hubbard boxes, this variant allows the top card in either box to be considered in determining the slap criteria for the stack immediately to the dealer's right of that box (The Hubbard Box and Mahoney Box are combinable, and the Mahoney Box and Main Stack are combinable, but not the Hubbard Box and the Main Stack), i.e. in a game played with Pairs, if a 5 is on the top of the Mahoney Box and a player plays a 5 on the main stack, then any player may slap the main stack and take both it and the Mahoney Box.
  • Bad-Eyes: When a player slaps the pile early, he must close his eyes until someone else slaps the pile and the player with eyes closed yells "GLASSES". The player who slapped then gets his eyes closed even if he won the pile.
  • Vicious Must be declared at the start of game. When a player makes a mistake of any kind he and every other player has to put their top card face up under the center pile. This rule punishes the group for the inadequacies of the one, just like in boot camp.

Egyptian Ratscrew Uno Version

This variation of Egyptian Rat Screw uses UNO cards in addition to a regular card deck. As with a multiple deck game, the UNO cards are mixed with the other cards before being dealt. All numbered UNO cards are played like numbered cards in a regular deck of cards. UNO decks, however, contain several special cards not found in regular decks.


The special UNO cards have the following results:
Card Rules of Play
Skip Skip the next player.
Reverse Reverse the direction of play.
Draw 2 This acts like a Queen; you get two chances.
Draw 4 This acts like an Ace; you get four chances.
The number "0"* First person to slap this card gets the pile (rules apply with Jokers).
Wild One chosen player gives one card to the player who played the Wild Card.
Draw Four Wild* One chosen player gives four cards to the player who played the Draw Four Wild Card.
Evil Card* Every player gives one card to the player who played the Evil Card.
*These cards may not be in all UNO packages.

Other variations

One variation is the left-hand right-hand rule, in which you must slap black cards with your left hand and red cards with your right, or the deck is forfeited.

For the adventurous, Egyptian Ratscrew can be played as a full-contact game: when a slap criterion is met, the pile is open to any competition: whatever cards are physically claimed by a player go into his stack. Restrictive variations also exist, mostly to curb the more violent or injurious aspects of slapping. The most popular is 'no rings', which requires players to remove rings and other jewelry from their hands while playing. A ring will create a pressure point when slapping on top of a prior slapper's hand, and some players may deliberately use this for psychological warfare to make people hesitate before out-slapping the ring-wearing player.

Other forms of psychological warfare include deliberately slapping hard well after ownership of the deck has been established for the sole purpose of injuring the hands of the players who made the slap on-time (therefore, the players with the best reflexes who should be theoretically doing best). Extreme players make their hands into fists for causing maximum damage.

One popular variant created for the purpose of game balance counters the power of the jack card, which allows only one chance to produce another face card, by giving the central pile to a player who plays a 10 card on top of the jack.

Another variation allows other players to force their opponents to discard (or "sluff"/"slough") cards if the player correctly calls the rank and suit of the next card to be played. For example, a player says, "slough Jack of Clubs" when it is another players turn, before the card is flipped over. If the card is correctly named, that card does not count and it is placed under the pile. If incorrectly named, the card counts as played and the player who made the incorrect call must discard the top card of his/her deck face up under the pile. When this rule is used, play sometimes becomes more frantic as players try to play faster to avoid having their good cards sloughed away.

A rather uncommonly used variant includes the use of a "cancel" card. The card (typically the 10 card, but always a non-face/ace card), when played will cancel any face/ace-card action now. So, if someone played a King on the stack, and the next person's 2nd card put on the stack was the cancel card, the King is then negated and play would continue as if the King had not been played.

A variant in Paris, Texas called Last Chance involves multiple packs of cards. Usually no more than two are used, but many more have been in play. Any slap criterion may be used. The difference between this game and "standard" Egyptian Ratscrew is that the first person to go out picks up the spare deck and continues play, after which both decks must be acquired to win. It is helpful to play with cards of different brands or colors, in order to identify the ownership of each deck.

As a method to prevent players hovering their hand over the pile, a rule can be placed where a player must first slap their forehead before they may slap the pile. A penalty may also be added for slapping the pile without first slapping your forehead, regardless if the pile is slappable or not. Furthermore, one option to discourage hovering is to allow "hover-slapping." Any play may smack the hoverer's hand onto the pile, thereby forcing the hoverer to be penalized without incurring the same penalty oneself, as the hover-slapper's hand has not actually touched the pile. Yet another option to discourage hovering is to require that the hand with which one slaps the pile be different than the one used to turn over the card in play, at risk of one's slap not counting.

A variation on the "bystanders welcome" rule holds that -- with the exception of establishing among the players, which combinations and penalties are in play -- no verbal discussion of the rules may take place before or during the game. Bystanders who are not familiar with Egyptian Ratscrew may only slap in when they feel they understand the rules, and once they are part of the game they may not be coached or instructed by any player. Bystanders are also discouraged from speculating amongst themselves during play. It is at the players' discretion whether those who are new to the game will be taught the rules after one round or after play is over for the day, or if they will simply be instructed to "look it up."

A 'bystander' rule applicable to false slapping requires players with no cards to go 'in the hole,' building a deficit of two cards to be 'burned' per false slap from whatever pile they later acquire. Another 'bystander' rule is that if a player with no cards slaps falsely, he will be unable to slap for three other slaps. That is if a player with no cards slaps the pile when it is not the right time to do so, he must then wait until one or players slap the pile three times (two or more players slapping the pile at the same time only count as one slap). These other slaps do not have to be correct slaps (though if they are incorrect they also must wait out 3 slaps themselves). This means if player B slaps a pile falsely and has no cards, they have to wait three slaps. Then a pair comes up and players A, C, and D slap the pile trying to claim it (this is one slap). A little later, player D slaps the pile falsely and 'burns' a number of cards (that is two slaps). A little later, player C slaps a pair before anyone catches it (that's three slaps and Player B is free to try to 'slap in' after that). Stricter versions eliminate players from the game entirely for false slapping with no cards in hand.

Another variant known as "Pyromania" is typically only played by devoted players. It has only one difference: if anyone slaps three sixes played in a row, gameplay stops, the entire deck is collected and burnt before midnight, nobody wins and none of the party may play ERS again until next day. [1]

Another variant, created during a need for a good drinking game while camping, is called "ERShot" or "Egyptian Rat Shot." Usually, false slapping is punished by forcing the offender to take a shot (or double shot, depending on previously agreed upon rules) of liquor. In addition, the winner must take a shot (or double shot) so that, in theory, his reflexes will be lowered for the next round. Punishment shots are also given for not trying to slap back into the game once kicked out, or for not being able to slap back in at all or often.

Strategy

Although the game partially rests upon the luck of the draw from each player's stack of cards, the slapping aspect introduces skill, and this aspect can be played strategically. The most common strategy is memorizing doubles. If a player slaps the pile when doubles occur and claims the cards, he knows that the doubles will occur in that order once they reach the top of his pack. If he is laying down consecutive cards at that point, he has an advantage against other players because he does not have to visually recognize the set of doubles before slapping. Experienced players can take this strategy further by memorizing which cards precede jacks or other face cards in their pack, as well as sandwiches. By memorizing sandwiches a player may intentionally slap the pile with no combination, so as to put the separated, common cards together (i.e. upcoming cards- 646, slap after first six is placed, putting the four under the pile and moving the other six to the top of the hand.

Some game variants require all claimed piles to be shuffled before being added to the hand, to eliminate this element of memorization. Another variant allows the player with the most cards to force all other's to shuffle their hands whenever he/she wishes. Whenever a different player gains a larger hand, they become the new "leader calling a shuffle." However, if a player has control of a game, they could reintroduce the aspect of memorization by never forcing shuffles in the game.

Another strategy relative to the one above is to remember the placement of the joker in your or another's deck of cards. The way that you can do this is whenever you pick up the cards after a win pause and look at the card below the joker (unsuspectingly and brief of course). If you were not the one who won the hand then try to sneak a peek at the card below the joker before the other player places their cards at the bottom of their deck. Now whenever that card that you are keeping in your mind by repeating it repeatedly comes up then you can get ready (without alerting the other players) to slap the joker. I would advise that you show your competitors that there was indeed a joker there because you will have slapped it too fast for them to know what just happened. If this is executed well enough and fast enough, your friends will accuse you of having psychic powers, or cheating by looking at their cards.

This sort of intentional false slapping can induce further strategy. If a player is attempting to play a face card and suspects that no such cards are near the top of their deck they may intentionally false-slap the pile. They are then required to put a card under the pile, which reduces the number of cards before a face card could potentially be found. This is a risky tactic, however, because it is very hard to judge where a face card might be, unless memorized, which can result in their loss unless you can win or slap the pile. However, outright intentional slapping to "waste a card", during times at which a player wishes to burn a non-face card that comes next in his/her hand in order to play a face card, is commonly considered bad etiquette and even penalized.

Fake slapping is another case of psychological tricks in the game. When cards that could be easily confused to qualify for doubles or other combinations (a 6 and then a 9, or face cards placed on each other, or having too many cards between two similar ones), skilled players will begin to slap but will stop short of touching the deck. So long as no contact is made, there is no penalty. The goal is to cause trigger-happy players (especially those who "hover" or keep their hands directly on top of the deck) to falsely slap the deck and take their respective penalties.

"Daisy-cutting", also known as "shlinking", is also another popular strategy, where the player keeps their slapping hand at a low angle relative to the deck so that when anther player begins to slap, they can sneak their hand under the hand of the other player's, thereby claiming the cards due to sheer speed rather than to reflexes. This also may fall under the 'bad etiquette' category.

Among speed players, the strategy known as the "Travisian Drop" has become popular. This strategy comes into play when a player notices a slappable pile after he (or she) has already begun the action of playing their next card. Rather than interrupt this action, the player will drop the card face down next to the central pile and slap the pile in a single motion. Since the card is dropped face down, it is not considered to have been played. It is customary for the "dropped" card to become the beginning of a new central pile, but not always. Another popular strategy in this situation, the "Entriken Drop," is to play the card in conjunction with an opponent's slap. This will usually cause the opponent to misslap on the unexpected card.

Another very common way to play is by using only the most common types of hands -- sandwiches, three in a row, and acey duecey.

The Jack allows for a significant claim of cards, if it is laid down at a moment when several cards are already on the table. Many players for this reason are eager to claim all of the jacks in the deck. For many players, aces are considered just as significant as the jack. Although the ace allows more chances than the jack does, it allows a player to accumulate a large amount of cards with one single card (assuming the player is lucky enough to win the hand).

Another common strategy is to slap the pile automatically after an opponent plays a card on top of your own jack. If a non-facecard is played, then you get the pile and any card you would put under is just put in the back of your own deck. In addition, if it was a slappable situation, putting your jack (the most important card in the game) in jeopardy, you automatically get it because you were there so quick. While this strategy puts you at risks of a misslap, chances are that the card played on your Jack will not be one of the three cards that could cause a misslap. This strategy can be applied after your opponent's last card on any face card.

Etiquette

It is considered impolite to play the cards in a way that advantages any particular player, especially oneself. Most importantly, cards should be flipped outward, presenting the face to the opponent, rather than inward, allowing the player to see his own card. Ideally, no one should see the card until it has been placed on the pile. Hand placement relative to the pile is also important, as being too close may give you or others an unfair advantage. Another common etiquette is to maintain a high level of speed, causing reflexes and adrenaline to be heightened which is how some players prefer to play. When you slap the pile, try not to hurt anyone. Get rid of any jewelry or anything you wear on your hand or wrist that may interfere with game play. No shuffling, although there are variants that allow the "leader", the player with the most cards in his/her hand, to call all other players to shuffle their cards. This is meant to reduce other's ability to predict card sequences. It is also considered good etiquette when playing with someone else's cards, to warn them that the deck may be burned (if playing the Pyromania variant)

History

The gameplay appears to be a combination of Beggar-My-Neighbour, a game known in Britain as early as the 1860s, and the concept of slapping for cards on certain combinations, possibly derived and expanded from the gameplay of Slapjack. The origins of the name are unknown. The game gained popularity in the mid-to-late-1990s and is now widely known throughout the United States, especially among schoolchildren. It is known to have existed at least back to the mid-1970s.

References

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