JACK OFF

Hey there! Let me tell you about Jack Off, a cool card game that goes by a few different names like Jack Foolery, One-eyed Jack, and commercially as Sequence. It’s a game designed for 2 to 4 players, where teams of 2 can also join in the fun. The objective is to be the first player or team to complete a row of 5 chips. The way to do this is by playing cards from your hand and matching them to the cards on the board. Exciting, right?

SETUP

Now, before we get started, let’s talk about setting up the game. If you’re playing with the commercial game Sequence, everything you need should already be included. But if you’re playing a different version, you might need to gather a few things yourself.

For a game with 2 or 4 players, each player will need 50 chips in two different colors. If you’re going for a 3-player game, then each player will need 40 chips in three different colors. Make sure to assign each player or team their own color of chips to use during the game. Got it?

If you haven’t made your board yet, don’t worry—I’ll walk you through it! You’ll need a deck of 52 cards, plus jokers, some glue, scissors, and a sturdy surface to work on. First, set aside all the jacks from the deck, so you’re left with 50 cards. Now, take each card and cut out two square pieces from opposing corners. These 100 pieces will be used to create your board.

Next, it’s time to assemble your board. Start by placing the jokers in each of the four corners. Then, you can arrange the remaining pieces however you like, as long as they create an even and gridded pattern. Get creative—you can make a symmetrical design or mix up the colors and patterns!

Once the pieces are in place, use your glue to secure them to the surface. Make sure you press down firmly to ensure they stick. Leave the glue to dry completely before you start playing.

And there you have it! Your very own custom board for your card game. Now you’re ready to gather some friends, grab your deck, and start playing!

Once the board is finished, we can start dealing. No need to determine the dealer officially, so randomness is the way to go. The dealer will shuffle the cards and give each player a different number of cards, depending on how many of us are playing. Each of us will have 7 cards if we’re 3 players, 6 cards if we’re 3 players, and 5 cards if we’re 4 players. Any remaining cards will be placed face-down in the middle of the table to create a draw deck.

Card Ranking

We don’t rank cards in this game; we only match them.

GAMEPLAY

The game starts with the player to the left of the dealer and continues in a clockwise direction. When it’s your turn, you’ll play a card from your hand and put one of your chips on a corresponding spot on the board. Remember, our goal is to get 5 chips in a row. Then, you’ll end your turn by taking the top card from the draw pile and passing it along.

When you play a jack in this game, there are some special rules that come into play. If you play a red jack, it becomes a wild card. This means that you can place a chip in any open space on the board. On the other hand, if you play a black jack, you can choose to remove any opponent’s chip from the board.

The End of the Game

The game comes to an end when a player or team manages to create an unbroken line of 5 chips. The line can be diagonal, vertical, or horizontal on the board.

In games with 2 or 4 players, you need to create 2 rows of 5 chips in order to win. However, in a 3-player game, you only need to create one row. In the 2 and 4 player games, the rows can intersect in one space or there can be 2 complete lines of 5 chips.

The first player or team to create the required rows is declared the winner of the game.

I’m Amber (They/Them), an Austin-based writer and expert in gaming. I consider myself a gaming master and I have a deep affection for dogs, plants, and D&D.