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