How do you play "Dog" cards?

How do you play Dog cards? - briefly

To play "Dog" cards, each player is dealt an equal number of cards from the deck. The game begins with one player placing a card face up on the table, and subsequent players must place a card of the same color or rank as the previous card played. If a player cannot or does not want to play a matching card, they may pass their turn. The round continues until all players have passed or until a specific winning condition is met, such as playing the highest ranking card or the last card of a particular suit.

How do you play Dog cards? - in detail

"How do you play 'Dog' cards?" is a common query for those new to the game of Dog, also known as Egyptian Ratscrew or Slapjack. This fast-paced card game is played with a standard deck of 52 playing cards and can be enjoyed by two or more players. Here's a detailed guide on how to play:

Objective: The primary goal of the game is to collect all the cards from your opponents. The player who successfully does this first wins the game.

Setup:

1. Shuffle the deck thoroughly.
2. Deal all the cards evenly among the players, face down. It's okay if some players get one more card than others; this is part of the game's dynamics.
3. Players should not look at their cards but keep them in a pile or stack in front of them.

Gameplay:

1. The player to the dealer’s left starts by flipping the top card from their pile face up into the center of the table. This begins the central pile, also known as the "dog pile."
2. Play then proceeds clockwise, with each player in turn flipping a card from their own stack onto the dog pile.
3. Cards are played face up, and players must always play their top card.

Special Rules:

• Face Cards (Jack, Queen, King): These cards have no special effect and are simply added to the dog pile like any other numbered card.
• Aces: When an Ace is played, the next player has to play another Ace if they have one. If they do not, they must draw a card from their stack until they can play an Ace. This continues around the table until someone cannot play an Ace and must draw cards as a penalty.
• Sevens: When a Seven is played, the next player in line can choose to play any card, which then determines what the following players must do:
  • If they play another Seven, the next player can again play any card of their choice.
  • If they play a different numbered card (2 through 6 or 8 through 10), the following players must match that number.
  • If an Ace is played after a Seven, all subsequent players must play Aces until someone cannot and has to draw cards as a penalty.

Winning the Game:

• The game continues with players taking turns flipping their top card onto the dog pile.
• When a player runs out of cards in their stack, they are not eliminated from the game but can still participate by attempting to slap or collect piles based on the special rules outlined above.
• The first player to collect all the cards from the other players wins the game.

Strategy Tips:

• Pay close attention to the cards being played to anticipate when you need to act quickly, such as playing an Ace or following a Seven.
• Be ready to slap or grab piles based on the special rules to gain more cards and reduce your opponents' stacks.

By understanding these detailed rules, you can enjoy a lively game of Dog with friends and family.