Dive into the thrilling world of Spite & Malice, a competitive patience game designed for two players. Each player begins with a hand of 5 cards, a pay-off pile of 20 cards, and 4 empty side stacks. At the center of the table, you'll find 3 empty center stacks and a stock pile that holds the rest of the deck.
The goal? Be the first to empty your pay-off pile and claim victory over your opponent. The center stacks are built up starting from an ace and moving upwards, regardless of suit. For example, you might start with the ace of diamonds, then add the two of spades, followed by the three of hearts, and so on. Kings are wild cards in this game; they can be played on any center stack and will transform into the card needed to continue the sequence. So, if you play the king of spades on a ten of clubs, it'll magically turn into a queen!
Once a center stack reaches completion (by playing a queen or king on a jack), it's shuffled back into the stock pile. Meanwhile, side stacks are more flexible—you can place any card on them, but remember, only the top card is in play. At the start of your turn, replenish your hand from the stock pile to ensure you have 5 cards ready to go.
During your turn, you have several strategic moves at your disposal:
- Play the top card from your pay-off pile onto one of the center stacks.
- Play the top card from one of your side stacks onto one of the center stacks.
- Play a card from your hand onto one of the center stacks.
- Play a card from your hand onto one of your side stacks, which will end your turn.
The game reaches its climax when a player successfully plays the last card from their pay-off pile onto a center stack, winning the game and earning points equivalent to the number of cards left in the opponent's pay-off pile. If the stock pile runs dry before this happens, the game ends in a tie, with no points awarded to either player.
The ultimate champion is the first player to accumulate 50 points across multiple games. Ready to test your patience and strategic skills against a friend? Spite & Malice awaits!
