Flaps is a commercial card game released in 1994, and is a shedding-type card game for two or more players. It is based on the game Crazy Eights, and uses a custom deck of playing cards with additional rules written in both English and Czech. The game has seven levels, each level adding new functionality. The aim of the game is to discard all of the cards in one's hand; the first player to do so wins the game.

History

The game was invented by Paul Feagan of England in 1981, when he wrote special rules onto regular playing cards in a game of Crazy Eights. The first edition of the game was published in 1994. The game was translated into a dual English-Czech version by Martina Krupičková in 2009.

Object

Flaps is played with a custom deck of playing cards. Each player at his turn may play any card from his 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 his hand. Should the player not have any card available to play or not wish to go, he must pick up one card.

Game rules

Players are initially dealt seven cards. The remainder of the deck is placed face down and serve as a "pool" or drawing stack. At the beginning of the game the topmost card from the "pool" is revealed and play begins. 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 10 of spades, only a spade card or a 10 may be played. If a player is not able to place a card or doesn't want to lay a card, he takes a card from the drawing stack. If the drawing stack is empty or nearly so, the playing stack or discard pile (except for the topmost card) is inverted and placed face down beneath the remaining drawing stack, preserving the order of the cards previously played.

Level cards

The game includes seven levels of cards with special effects. Those at Level 1 are:-

Endgame

If a player has only one card left in their hand, they must say "Last Card". Failing to do so requires the player to draw a penalty card. When a player plays their last card, so long as the card is eligible as a last card, they win the game. If the last card is a card that cannot be finished on, they must take another card from the drawing stack.

Additional levels

The third pack in the Flaps Card box contains cards for additional levels. The idea being that when players are comfortable with the basic level one card game, they open the third pack and shuffle in the cards for Level Two. Players then add a level as soon as they believe they are ready to move up. There are seven levels in total: