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How to play

How to play Spite and Malice

Spite and Malice is a two-player competitive patience. Each player races to clear a personal pay-off pile onto shared center stacks, while kings act as wild cards and side piles let you plan ahead.

Players
2 players
Time
20–30 min
Cards
Standard deck
Difficulty
Short rules read

What you need

Two standard decks shuffled together and two players. Kings are wild; aces are low.

Object of the game

Be the first to play every card from your pay-off pile.

Setup and deal

  1. 1Deal 20 cards face down to each player’s pay-off pile and turn the top card face up.
  2. 2Deal each player a five-card hand. The rest of the cards form the stock.
  3. 3The player with the higher face-up pay-off card goes first.

How to play

  1. 1Center stacks are shared and are built up from ace to queen in sequence, regardless of suit. When a stack reaches queen, it is cleared away.
  2. 2On your turn, play cards to the center from your hand, the top of your pay-off pile, or the top of your side stacks. A king can stand for any card.
  3. 3End your turn by discarding one card from your hand onto one of your four side stacks. At the start of each turn, refill your hand to five from the stock.
  4. 4If you play all five cards from your hand to the center, draw five more and keep going.

How the game ends

  • The first player to clear their pay-off pile wins.

Common variations

  • Some players deal larger pay-off piles of 26 or 30 cards for a longer game.
  • Commercial versions of the game use special decks.

Tips for your first game

  • Avoid building a center stack to the card your opponent needs next.
  • Organize side stacks in descending order so you can unload them in a run.

Spite and Malice FAQ

How many cards are in the pay-off pile?

Twenty in the standard game; some groups use more for a longer match.

Are kings wild in Spite and Malice?

Yes—a king can be played as any card on a center stack.

Spite and Malice appears on these lists

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