Deal the cards evenly to all players.
The objective of the game is to gain all the cards. Players hold their cards face-down in one hand, and take turns clockwise playing the top card from their hand onto the center pile. When a player plays a face card or A , the next player is challenged to play a certain number of cards, or the pile goes to the challenger:
J : 1 card, Q : 2 cards, K : 3 cards, A : 4 cards
Additionally, if any player notices that the top 2 face-up cards are identical, or that the top 3 cards form a sandwich (such as 4
♠ 9
♥ 4
♦ ), they may slap the pile, and the pile becomes theirs. A player that incorrectly slaps the pile must donate a card from the bottom of their deck to the bottom of the pile.
Some players allow 10 to "cancel" the challenge set forth by face cards. In this variation, playing a 10 when you've been challenged by a face card resets the game to normal play.
There are numerous variations on which sets of cards can be slapped:
Sequences: Such as 2
♦ 3
♥ 4
♥ or 9
♠ 10
♥ J
♣
Top-bottom: The last card played matches the bottom card in the pile
Marriage: The top 2 cards are Q and K in any order
Divorce: The top 3 cards are Q and K with any card in between them
Incest / scandal: The top 2 cards are J and Q in any order