Card Games for Kids: Pig, Beggar, and Slapjack

 

PIG

Pig is a favorite "ice-breaker" for huge parties, whether of kids or adults. Any number of people could play, up to thirteen, and the more, the merrier.

From a regular deck, take four cards of a rank for every player in the game. For instance, having seven players, take the aces, deuces, and so on up to sevens, casting aside all higher cards. It does not matter what ranks you select.

After shuffling, deal the cards out one at a time, thence giving for each one player four. The entire play comprises in switching cards. All players take a card from their hands and place it to the left, then all at the same time pick up the cards they find at their right. In fact, it isn't important to keep these exchanges synched. The "ice-breaking" function is that the etiquette of the game allows the player to shout at his right-hand neighbor, "Hurry up, I'm waiting!"

If any player acquires four cards of the same rank into his hand, he should stop passing cards and place a finger to his nose. Every other player, on seeing this act, must promptly stop and place a finger to his nose. The last to comprehend that the game is all over is a Pig, and is generally required to pay a forfeit.

BEGGAR-YOUR-NEIGHBOR

This game depends solely on the luck of the shuffle. Two play. Every player receives half of the pack, face down. Nondealer shows up a card from the top of his packet and lays it on the table. Dealer then shows up a card from his packet and places it on the other. Play goes on in the same way till a face card or ace shows up.

When one player shows a high card, the other should place on it: four cards for an ace, three for a king, two for a queen, one for a jack. When the high card casts its quota in lower cards (ten or lower), the player of the high card gets the entire common pile, puts it face down under his packet, and goes for a new series of plays. But if a face card or ace comes out in the course of playing the quota on an opponent's high card, the duty is reversed, and the opponent should give a quota. This alternation keeps on until a player wins the pile.

The player who acquires the entire pack into his hands wins the game. This may happen in a "run-through" or the game may continue for a while.

SLAPJACK

Suitable for two to eight players. This game could get wild—we won't recommend using your best deck of cards for it!

Deal the cards out one at a time till the pack is entirely dealt. It is okay if some players have more cards than others. Every player keeps his cards in a pile face down in front of him. Each in turn, starting with player to dealer's left, shows up one card from the top of his pile and lays it in a common pile in the center of the table. Whenever a jack is turned, the first player to slap it gets all the cards in the common pile and places them at the bottom of his pile. The next player starts a new common pile. The object of play is to win all 52 cards.

© 2011 Tip Writer