You have a deck of cards, a group of friends, and the need for a game that’s fast, fun, and a little bit chaotic. The Jackass card game is the perfect answer, and the rules are so simple you can start your first round in the next five minutes. To know more, check out UFAZEED
First, let’s clear up one common point of confusion. The name “Jackass” is used for several different card games across the country. In practice, the most popular and widely played version is the game better known as “Spoons.” If you’re looking for the frantic game of collecting cards and diving for objects in the middle of the table, you are in the right place. This guide covers the Jackass card game rules for that exact version.
The core concept is incredibly easy to grasp. Your entire objective is to be the first player to collect four cards of the same rank—for example, four Kings or four 7s. The moment you do, you must quietly grab a “spoon” (or any agreed-upon object) from the center of the table, triggering a mad dash as everyone else tries to grab one before they’re all gone. Let’s get you ready to play.
Your Mission: What You Need and How to Win Jackass
Before dealing the first card, let’s go over what you need to play Jackass. It’s a very short list:
- One standard 52-card deck.
- Players (the game is best with four or more people).
- Small objects, like spoons, bottle caps, or even shoes. Crucially, you need one fewer object than there are players. For example, with five players, you’ll use four spoons.
The Jackass game objective is a frantic, two-part race. Your first goal is to collect four cards of the same rank in your hand (e.g., four Kings, four 7s, etc.). The moment you have your set, your second goal is to subtly grab one of the objects from the center of the table. Once the first object is taken, it’s a free-for-all, and every other player must immediately try to grab one of the remaining objects, whether they have four-of-a-kind or not.
So, how do you become the jackass? In every round, one player will be left empty-handed and miss out on grabbing an object. That person loses the round and earns a letter, starting with “J.” The next time they lose, they get an “A,” and so on. The first player to get all seven letters and spell out “J-A-C-K-A-S-S” loses the game and officially earns the title.
Game On: How to Set Up Jackass for a Perfect Start
Getting the game started is quick and easy. First, arrange the spoons (or whatever objects you’re using) in a small circle in the middle of the table. The key is making sure everyone has an equal chance to lunge for them—you don’t want to give anyone an unfair reach! Once the objects are set, one person takes the role of the dealer, shuffles the deck, and deals exactly four cards to every player, face down.
After everyone has their four cards, the dealer will have the rest of the deck left over. They should place this stack face down right beside them to create the draw pile. This pile is what kicks off the action and keeps the cards cycling around the table. With cards in hand and spoons at the ready, you’re all set to learn the simple rules of passing cards.
Keep It Moving: The Simple Rules of Passing Cards
The action for each round kicks off with the dealer. To begin, the dealer draws the top card from the deck beside them. This gives them five cards in their hand. After quickly looking at their new card, they must decide which one to get rid of and pass it, face down, to the player on their left. This single, quick action is the starting gun for the entire round of passing cards in the Jackass game.
As soon as that first card is passed, a chain reaction begins around the table. When you receive a card from the player on your right, you briefly add it to your hand, then immediately choose one of your own cards to pass to the person on your left. The key is to act fast—don’t hold onto the cards and slow the game down! This creates a constant, fast-paced flow of cards from player to player, which is the core of how to play the card game Jackass.
This frantic passing continues until it reaches the final player in the circle—the person sitting to the dealer’s right. This player will receive a card from their right, but since the dealer started with the draw pile, they have no one to pass to. Their job is simple: they take their unwanted card and place it face down to create a discard pile. This completes the circuit and gets everyone ready for the dealer to draw a new card and start the process all over again. All this passing has one simple goal: to collect four matching cards.
The Big Moment: What to Do When You Get Four of a Kind
All that frantic card passing pays off the second you look down and see four matching cards in your hand—for example, four 8s or four Kings. The moment you have your set, your objective immediately changes: you must grab one of the spoons from the center of the table. This is where the real fun of this card game with spoons in the middle begins. You have a crucial choice: do you snatch a spoon dramatically to cause instant panic, or do you try to slip one away quietly, hoping no one notices for a few precious seconds? Both strategies are valid and lead to hilarious results.
As soon as a spoon is securely in your hand, your part in the round is over. You are now officially “safe.” This means you can stop passing cards, put your hand down, and lean back to watch the chaos unfold. You can’t lose the round, and your only job is to see which one of your friends was too slow to react. This is often the best seat in the house, as you get a front-row view of the frantic scramble you just started.
The instant one player grabs a spoon, it’s a signal for everyone else. All other players must immediately abandon their cards—whether they have a matching set or not—and lunge for one of the remaining spoons. Because there is always one fewer spoon than there are players, the game suddenly becomes a test of pure reaction speed. This mad dash for safety leaves one unlucky person empty-handed, and that’s how the game finds its loser for the round.
Don’t Be Last: How to Figure Out Who Becomes the Jackass
Once the dust settles and the frantic grabbing is over, one player will be left staring at the empty space where the last spoon used to be. According to the official Jackass card game rules, this person is the loser of the round. It’s that simple: if you’re the spoons card game loser, you’re the one left empty-handed. Everyone else who successfully snatched a spoon is safe for the time being and has nothing to worry about until the next round begins.
Losing a round doesn’t knock you out of the game just yet. Instead, it comes with a penalty. The player who failed to get a spoon earns the first letter in the word “Jackass”: a “J.” If they lose a second round later on, they get the next letter, “A.” This continues round after round, with the goal being to avoid accumulating letters. A small notepad is helpful to keep track of everyone’s letters as the game progresses.
This process of collecting letters continues until one unlucky player has lost enough rounds to spell out the entire word: “J-A-C-K-A-S-S.” That player is the ultimate loser of the game, and everyone else can claim victory. To start the next round, the person who just received a letter gathers the cards, shuffles them, and deals again. Of course, the real goal is to avoid getting any letters at all, and there are a few simple ways to improve your chances.
3 Simple Strategies to Help You Win (and Not Be the Jackass)
Winning at Jackass isn’t just about having fast hands; a simple card game strategy can dramatically increase your chances of snatching a spoon. The best place to start is with your own hand. The moment the cards are dealt, look for pairs or three-of-a-kind. If you start with two 9s, for example, commit to collecting 9s. Making a quick decision gives you a clear goal from the very first pass, preventing you from wasting precious seconds hesitating over which cards to keep.
Once you have a plan, your focus should shift from your cards to the other players. The game is often won by seeing a grab, not by getting four-of-a-kind first. Pay attention to your opponents’ body language. A player who suddenly stops talking, whose eyes dart toward the center of the table, or who subtly shifts their hand closer to the spoons is giving you a major clue. Watching people is just as important as watching the cards.
When you’re feeling confident, you can even try a risky but powerful move: the bluff. If the game feels tense and you suspect someone is close, make a sudden, sharp motion toward the spoons without actually grabbing one. This feint can panic other players into making a move, causing chaos and revealing who was a threat. This is an excellent strategy for winning Jackass, but use it sparingly—if you bluff too often, your opponents will catch on.
Combining these tactics—committing to a number early, watching your opponents like a hawk, and throwing in a sneaky bluff—will give you a serious edge. As you’ll see, these skills become even more crucial as more people join the game, making the competition for spoons that much more frantic.
How to Play Jackass with a Large Group (5+ Players)
Got a big crowd? Jackass is the perfect party game because it only gets better with more people. The most important setup rule stays the same: always have one fewer spoon than the number of players. For a game with 10 people, you’ll set out 9 spoons in the middle. The only thing you’ll need to adjust is the deck itself to make sure everyone has enough cards to play.
With a single 52-card deck, you can comfortably play with up to about eight people. But once you hit nine or more players, everyone is dealt so few cards that the game can end before the fun really begins. The solution is simple: just shuffle a second standard deck of cards into the first. Mixing two decks together ensures everyone has a decent-sized hand, making the rounds more competitive and the final grab more suspenseful.
Be prepared for the game’s dynamic to change. A larger group means more chaos and less control over which cards come your way. It’s harder to track what your opponents are collecting, which makes watching for that sudden grab even more critical. The frantic energy builds with every pass, leading to an explosive and hilarious climax when the spoons are finally snatched. Now that you’ve mastered playing with any size group, you might be ready to add another layer of fun.
Spice It Up: Jackass Drinking Game Rules & Playing Without Spoons
For those looking to add another twist, Jackass easily transforms into a lively drinking game. The conversion is as simple as it gets: the person who loses the round and ends up being the “Jackass” (the last one to grab a spoon) takes a penalty drink. It’s a straightforward rule that raises the stakes and guarantees a few extra laughs with every frantic grab.
What if you want to play but don’t have spoons handy, or prefer a game of stealth over speed? You can play an objectless version that is sometimes called “Nosey” or “Signal.” Instead of grabbing a spoon, the first player to collect four-of-a-kind performs a secret, silent gesture. The last person to notice and copy the signal loses the round. Common signals include:
- Quietly placing a finger on the side of your nose.
- Casually laying one hand flat on the table.
- Subtly scratching your ear or head.
This variation completely changes the dynamic. The game shifts from loud, physical chaos to quiet, tense observation. You have to split your focus between your own cards and watching your opponents’ hands and faces for the slightest tell. It becomes a game of bluffing and sharp eyes, where the most unobservant player is caught last. But this isn’t the only major rule change you might encounter. For many people, the game isn’t about spoons or signals at all, but about avoiding one specific card.
Wait, That’s Not How I Play! The “Jack of Spades” Rule Variation
If you’ve been reading along and thinking, “This is nothing like the game I know,” you might be right. The name “Jackass” is also used for a completely different—and equally popular—card game that has nothing to do with grabbing spoons or collecting sets. In fact, the goal is the exact opposite: to get rid of all your cards as fast as you can. It’s a shedding game where being the last one holding cards is the only thing that matters.
In this version, all 52 cards are dealt out to the players. The person to the left of the dealer starts a round, or “trick,” by playing any card from their hand. The next player must then play a card of the same suit if they have one. For example, if the first card is a Diamond, the next player must also play a Diamond. The person who plays the highest card of the original suit takes the pile of cards, and then they start the next round.
So, what if you don’t have a card of the required suit? Then you’re in luck. This is your chance to get rid of an unwanted card from your hand by playing it on the pile, even though you know it can’t win. Since your goal is simply to empty your hands, you’ll use these opportunities to discard cards strategically. The game continues like this, with players trying to shed their hands one trick at a time until they have no cards left.
But the entire game revolves around one crucial rule involving the Jack of Spades. While you want to get rid of all your cards, you absolutely cannot be stuck with the Jack of Spades as your final card. If all other players have emptied their hands and you are left holding only that single card, you instantly lose. You are officially crowned the “Jackass” until the next round begins.
You’re Ready to Play: A Quick Recap of Jackass Rules
You came here for the Jackass card game rules, and now you’re ready to deal. Just a few minutes ago, the game was a mystery. Now, you have everything you need to grab a deck of cards, gather your friends, and confidently teach and lead your first game tonight.
Ready to start the Spoons version? This quick card game is all about speed. Here is your four-step plan to get playing immediately:
- Setup: Gather your players, a standard deck, and one fewer spoon than the number of people playing.
- Deal: Give each player four cards and place the spoons in the middle of the table.
- Play: Everyone simultaneously passes one card to the player on their left until someone collects four-of-a-kind.
- Action: The player with four-of-a-kind silently grabs a spoon. Once you see it happen, grab one too! The last person left empty-handed gets a letter toward J-A-C-K-A-S-S.
The rules are simple, but the game is all about that moment of quiet panic when the first spoon vanishes. The cards are just the warm-up; the real fun begins when you have to watch your friends like a hawk. Now go start a game—and be ready to move fast.