Red hands,[1] also known as hot hands,[2][3]slapsies,[4][5]slap jack, red tomato (Northern Britain), Pope slap, tennis, slaps, chicken, slappy-patties, or simply the hand slap game,[6] is a children's game which can be played by two players.
One player extends their hands forward, roughly at arm's length, with the palms down. The other player's hands, also roughly at arm's length, are placed, palms up, under the first player's hands. The object of the game is for the second player to slap the back of the first player's hands before the first player can pull them away.[5] If the slapping player misses, the players swap roles and play again.[6]
The slapper is on offense and must act with sufficient speed, because the slappee's goal is to pull their hands away, and out of the area where the hands overlap, to avoid the slap. The slapper can only slap the hand it is underneath.
The slappee is on defense and attempts to avoid having their hands slapped, by pulling their hands away as the slapper brings their hands over to attempt a slap. However, the slappee cannot flinch too much in attempting to avoid a slap: in one variation of the game, if the slappee pulls their hands away when the slapper has not brought their hands around a designated number of times in a row (normally three), then the slappee must submit to a "free slap" by the slapper. Also, the slapper must use both hands to slap the slappee. If they do one hand, a “free slap” will be awarded.
Another variation is where the slappee has their hands held palms together, held out at mid-torso height; the slapper then does the same with the tips of the fingers of both players hands around a centimetre apart, or with the tips of the middle fingers touching, and then (with just one of their hands) the slapper tries to slap the backs of the slappee's hands. You can slap the slappee's hands with just one of your hands as a strategical move.
A second variation is played as above but with one (or both) player(s) blindfolded. If both players are blindfolded, you will need someone else to make sure they start in the right positions.
Yet another variation is played with both players forming fists, held in front of the opponent's fists. The offensive player knocks their knuckles against the top of the defender's fist, as a more painful variant of the game. This version is sometimes called bloody knuckles, though not to be confused with other games of the same name.
^Hyun Seung Yang, Rainer Malaka, Junichi Hoshino, Jung Hyun Han; eds. (2010). Entertainment Computing - ICEC 2010, p.63. Springer. ISBN9783642153990. "We are reminded of the schoolyard hand-slapping game known as 'Red Hands', which despite its painful consequences, is played in good fun and is often cause for laughter among its players."
^Jim Elliott, Lois Jean Brady, America X. Gonzalez (2011). Speech in Action: Interactive Activities Combining Speech Language Pathology and Adaptive Physical Education, p.65. Jessica Kingsley. ISBN9780857005007.
^Rev. Abram Smythe Palmer (1882/1969). Folk-Etymology, p.180. Haskell House. ISBN0-8383-0279-3. "Rot-hands, a children's game where the hands of the twofold player are struck together in a regular alternation."
^Jaggs, Peter (2015). 1970's Billericay Boy: Life before Thailand, p.35-6. Booksmango. ISBN9781633233775.
^ abWright, John (2006). Why is that So Funny?: A Practical Exploration of Physical Comedy, p.88. Hal Leonard. ISBN9780879103439.
^ abJanine Tucker, Maryalice Yakutchik (2014). Women's Lacrosse: A Guide for Advanced Players and Coaches, p.155. JHU. ISBN9781421413983.
