Switch (card game)

Card game

Switch (also called Two Four Jacks or Black Jack, or Last Card in New Zealand) is a shedding type card game for two or more players that is popular in the United Kingdom, Ireland and as alternative incarnations in other regions. The sole aim of Switch is to discard all of the cards in one's hand; the first player to play their final card, and ergo have no cards left, wins the game. Switch is very similar to the games UNO, Flaps and Mau Mau, both belonging to the larger Crazy Eights or Shedding family of card games. The game is also commonly known as Jack Change It, Crazy Eights, Take Two and Peanuckle in the UK and Ireland.

Switch is played with a regular, single deck of playing cards, or with two standard decks (shuffled into one) if there is a large number of players. Each player at their turn may play any card from their hand that matches the suit or the rank of the card previously played; for example, if the previous card was a seven of clubs, the next player may put down any seven card, or any club card, from their hand. Should the player not have any card available to play, they must pick up one card.

Players are initially dealt a similar sized hand of cards (often seven per person), but the exact number may vary depending on how many players are present. The remainder of the deck is placed face down and serves as a "pool" or drawing stack. At the beginning of the game, the topmost card from the "pool” is revealed and, so long as this card is not a trick card, play begins. (Switch may not start with a trick card, and so if the "starting card" is a trick card, cards shall continue to be selected from the pool until a non trick card is revealed.) The first to play (generally, the player on the dealer's left) should select from his or her hand a card that matches either, the suit or the rank of the open card (the card that is "top"); for example, on a 9 of spades, only a spade card or a 9 may be played. The card played must be of the same value or higher. If a player is not able to place a card, he draws cards from the stack until he can play a card. A player may choose to withhold a card due to personal strategy but will incur the penalty of having to pick a card from the deck. If the drawing stack is run down and becomes empty, the playing stack or discard pile (except for the topmost card) is shuffled, and placed face down to become the new "pool."

The first player to get rid of all of their cards wins the game. If a player has two cards in their hand, they must say "last card" when playing one of them, to announce that they now only hold a single card. Failing to call "last card" (or breaking any other rule) results in a penalty of drawing two cards from the deck.

The dealer deals each player 7 cards (or 5 cards if there are more than 4 people), then places a single card face up on the table and the remainder of the deck in a pile face down on the table. A pre determined method is used to decide which player plays first. It is usually the player left of the dealer who plays first. The game continues from there going clockwise. Play starts from the single card facing up.

On each turn, the player attempts to place cards from their hand onto the stack. A card can only be placed in the stack if it matches either the rank or suit of the top card. A player can place consecutive cards of the same suit down to remove more cards. If a player cannot take their turn, they pick up a card from the remaining deck. If a player makes an error by placing an illegal card down (putting a card or cards down which goes against the rules of the game such as attempting to put a 7H on top of a 8S, or attempting a run containing one or more illegal cards) or putting a card down a wrong time (when it is not their turn, this is an easy mistake to make such as forgetting that the previous player putting an eight down makes them skip their turn), then this is declared a 'blunder' and the offending player must take back the card(s) they attempted to put down and pick up two more cards from the remaining deck as a penalty. Once the player has played their turn, they must say "Last card" if they only have one card left. If another player thinks that they can play their cards in one turn they say "cards". If they fail to do so, there is a penalty (see Endgame). An alternate method of doing this is 'knocking'. If a player thinks he can win on his next turn, he must warn the other players by making a knocking noise on the table or by saying 'knocking' (or both). If they fail to do so, there is a penalty.

Certain cards have special effects on the gameplay. Aces: The player who puts down an ace nominates a new suit, which all the players must follow. The ace can be put down at any time, of any suit, it does not have to follow the suit that the last card was, with a run on top of it if possible. It can also be used to block a two. Two: The next player is forced to pick up two cards unless he is able to lay another two, black Jack or an ace which makes the next player pick up the cards. Alternatively, a red Jack or an ace can be used to cancel the card pickup. Seven: All other cards held by that player in the same suit as the 7 may be played. Eight: The next player misses a turn unless they have an eight. Black Jack: A Black Jack causes the next player to pick up 5 cards, unless he can follow with another black Jack. If one red Jack is placed, one black Jack is cancelled. Red Jack: One red Jack cancels one black Jack. Queen: A queen must be covered by a card of any suit or rank. King: Reverses order of play.

The first player to get rid of all of their cards wins the game. The game may end once a player has got rid of all of their cards, or the remaining players may continue playing until everyone has got rid of their cards (when done a player is declared to have "got out") bar one player (this player is declared "last place" or "the loser" and may be eliminated if there is an unwieldy number of people wanting to play). If the player places their last card, but failed to say "last card" at the end of their previous turn, then they must pick up two cards from the remaining deck (even if the player had multiple cards). A player can also declare their final card by 'knocking', usually by tapping the playing table.

"Jacks Twos and Eights" (J28 for short) evolved from earlier forms of rummy with the intention of being a faster, more complex game.

J28 is played with a standard 52 card pack of playing cards or if there is a large number of people playing one game then two packs may be mixed together and dealt as normal.

Dealership alternates from round to round (the dealer to the first round is usually determined by cutting the deck and then the lowest card deals). The dealer deals a seven card hand to each player. After seven cards are dealt the next card is placed face up in the centre of the table, this is the "discard" pile. The remainder of the pack is placed face down next to the "discard" pile, and is called the "stock". The next non dealing player to the right of the dealer lays the first card.

On each turn, a player plays a card or a run of card on to the discard pile. This card must be of the same suit, or the same value, a heart on a heart or a 10 on a 10. Once this card has been laid it is possible for that player to continue laying cards if a run of several cards is possible. There are several possible combinations the run may be formed from:
The player may lay a set of same value cards, on top of a 10 of hearts they may lay a number of 10s regardless of suit. The player may lay a run of numbers either ascending or descending, on top of a 10 of hearts they may lay a 2, 3, 4, 5, of hearts, or a King, Queen, Jack of hearts. The run must not skip numbers, and must be of the same suit as each other and the card they are being laid upon. The player may lay a combination of the two above. They may lay a set of same value cards, three 10s then providing that they follow on suit and begin at them next number lay a run of cards, for example. On top of a 10 of hearts a player may lay: 9 of hearts, 9 of spades, 8 of spades, 7 of spades and 7 of clubs. If the player is unable to lay any card then the player must pick up a card from the stock pile. If the player is then able to play then they can lay a card down on this go.

There are several rules which apply to certain cards in the game which change how the cards can be laid. Jacks can be played at any time on top of any card. Not only can it be played at any time in the game it also allows the player to change the suit of the cards to the one they prefer. For example, if a Jack is played the suit can be changed to hearts, then the player is allowed to lay a heart and any other appropriate cards on that go. If a 2 is played then the next player must pick up two cards, unless they can play a 2. This continues around the circle until a player is not able to play a 2. When this happens the player must pick up a number of cards (determined by the number or 2s laid multiplied by 2)
If an 8 is played the next person in the game must play an 8 also. Again this continues around the circle until a player is unable to lay an eight. This player must then miss a number of goes (determined by the number of 8s laid)
Another rule is that if a player has an ace of hearts the player next in turn must pick up 5 cards, unless they have an ace of spades, this cancels out the 5 cards they must pick up. Play continues, until one player no longer has any cards to lay. On a player's last card, “last card” must be said on their previous go in order to allow them to lay the card on their last go. One exception to this is if the player is able to end the game with a run or set of same value cards. The game cannot end on a Jack of any suit, 2 of any suit or 8 of any suit. The winner is the first player to have an empty hand.

Very similar to Switch, but with some changes. Played with a 52 card deck (No jokers) or a 54 card deck (With jokers.)

The dealer deals each player 5 cards, then places a single card face up on the table and the remainder of the deck in a pile face down on the table. The player left of the dealer plays first. The game continues from there going clockwise. Play starts from the single card facing up.

Decided by the host of the game. Whether or not placing two or more cards of the same value at once is allowed (placing two 5s in the same turn). Whether or not placing an ace requires the same suit. Whether a jack skips a player or reverses the order. Whether or not jokers are used, if they are the next player must take 5 cards from the deck when they are player. Jokers are rarely used. When using an ace of spades it may be placed on either the ace of hearts, or a 2 if any suit.