Spite & Malice is an engaging competitive patience game designed for two players, offering a thrilling challenge that tests your strategic skills. Each player begins with a hand of 5 cards, a pay-off pile of 20 cards, and 4 empty side stacks. In the center of the table, you'll find 3 empty center stacks and a stock pile containing the rest of the deck.
The ultimate goal? Be the first to empty your pay-off pile and claim victory. The center stacks are built up sequentially from the ace upwards, regardless of suit. For example, you could start with the ace of diamonds, followed by the two of spades, then the three of hearts, and so on. Kings are wild cards, adding a twist to the game. When you play a king on any center stack, it transforms into the card needed to continue the sequence. If you place a king of spades on a ten of clubs, it becomes a queen, seamlessly fitting into the stack.
Once a center stack reaches completion by playing a queen or king on a jack, it's shuffled back into the stock pile. Side stacks offer flexibility; you can place any card on them, but only the top card is accessible for play. At the beginning of your turn, draw cards from the stock pile to replenish your hand to 5 cards.
During your turn, you have several move options:
- 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 ends your turn.
The game concludes when a player successfully plays their last card from the pay-off pile onto a center stack, winning the game and earning points equal to the number of cards left in their opponent's pay-off pile. If the stock pile runs out before this happens, the game ends in a tie, with no points awarded to either player. The first player to accumulate 50 points wins the match, making Spite & Malice a thrilling race to the top!
