Players of all ages can enjoy Snap, a well-liked and frantic card game. Being the first player to “snap” or shout out when two cards of the same rank are dealt consecutively is the game’s goal.
Setup
To begin, you will need a standard 52-card deck. Shuffle the cards thoroughly and deal them face-down evenly among the players. In a traditional game of Snap, the number of cards dealt to each player may not be equal, but in the end, this does not affect the gameplay.
Gameplay
The player to the dealer’s left goes first, and the turns proceed clockwise. Each time a player takes a turn, they reveal the top card from their pile and lay it face-up on the middle pile.
Snap
If two cards of the same rank are played consecutively, any player can call out “Snap!” as quickly as possible. The first player to call out “Snap” wins the central pile of cards and adds them to the bottom of their own pile. It is important to be alert and react swiftly, as calling out “Snap” incorrectly can lead to a penalty.
Penalties
If a player calls out “Snap” when there is no matching pair on the central pile, they must pay a penalty. The penalty typically involves placing a specified number of cards from their pile onto the central pile, making it a high-stakes gamble.
Snap Pot
In larger groups or extended gameplay, a “Snap Pot” can be introduced. This is a separate pile formed when players call “Snap” incorrectly or when multiple players call “Snap” simultaneously. The Snap Pot can be won by the first player to call “Snap” correctly after a certain condition is met, such as running out of cards or reaching a predetermined number of rounds.
Winning the Game
The game goes on until one person collects all the cards, or until the allotted amount of time or rounds is up. At the conclusion of the game, the player with the most cards is crowned the winner.
