JACK OFF



OBJECT OF JACK OFF: The object of Jack Off is to be the first player or team to complete a number of rows of 5 chips to win.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2 to 4 players

MATERIALS: Two traditional 52-card decks, poker chips, a Jack Off board (described below in setup), and a flat surface.

TYPE OF GAME: Card Game

AUDIENCE: 10+


OVERVIEW OF JACK OFF

Jack Off, also known as Jack Foolery, One-eyed Jack, and commercially as Sequence, is a card game for 2 to 4 players. 4 players usually are played in teams of 2. The goal of the game is to be the first team or player to get a completed row of 5 chips. This is done by playing cards from hand to match to the board. 

SETUP 

For setup, you may need to do a few things. If playing with the commercial game Sequence all supplies should be available to you. If playing one of the other instances of the game, you will need to curate your supplies. 

For 2 or 4 players 50 chips each of 2 separate colors are needed. For a 3-player game, 40 chips each of 3 colors are needed. each player or team will receive their own color of chips to use in the game. 

You will also need to make your board if you have not already. You will need a separate full deck of 52 cards plus jokers, glue, scissors, and something sturdy to glue pieces on. All jacks will be removed from this deck leaving you with 50 cards. From each card 2 square pieces (usually opposing corners) are cut. These 100 pieces are used to make the board. While the jokers must be placed in the 4 corners of the board, all other pieces may be placed in any way the maker would like as long as the board is even and gridded. 

Once the board is complete, dealing may begin. There is no official way to determine dealer so random is fine. The dealer will shuffle the cards and deal each player a number of cards based on how many players there are. Hands are 7 cards for 3 players, 6 cards for 3 players, and 5 cards for 4 players. All remaining cards are placed facedown centrally to create a draw deck. 

Card Ranking 

There is no card ranking, only card matching. 

GAMEPLAY

The game begins with the player to the dealers left and continues clockwise. On a player’s turn, they will play a card from their hand and place one of their chips on a corresponding spot on the board. Again, the goal is to reach 5 in a row. You finish your turn by drawing the top card of the draw pile and passing. 

If a jack is played there are special rules followed. If a red jack is played it is a wild card, that player may place a chip in any open space on the board. If a black jack is played that player may have an opponent remove any chip off the board, they wish. 

END OF GAME

The game ends when a player or team completes the uninterrupted straight lines of 5 chips. It may be diagonal, vertical, or horizontal on the board. 

In 2 and 4 player games, 2 rows of 5 chips are needed to win. In a 3-player game, only one row is needed. in 2 and 4 player games their rows may intersect in one space or they may have 2 complete lines of 5 chips. 

The first player or team to complete their needed rows wins the game. 

Amber Crook
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