If you're looking for a thrilling test of strategy and patience, Spite & Malice is the perfect two-player card game for you. Each player begins with a hand of 5 cards, a pay-off pile of 20 cards, and 4 empty side stacks at their disposal. In the center of the table, you'll find 3 empty center stacks and the stock pile, which contains the rest of the deck.
The ultimate goal? Be the first to clear your pay-off pile and claim victory. The center stacks are built up sequentially from the ace, regardless of suit. For instance, you might start with the ace of diamonds, followed by the two of spades, and then the three of hearts. Kings are your wild cards; you can play a king on any center stack, and it will transform to fit the next card in the sequence. If you play a king of spades on a ten of clubs, that king becomes a queen.
Once a center stack reaches a queen or king on top of a jack, it's complete and gets shuffled back into the stock pile. Side stacks are more flexible; you can place any card on them, but remember, only the top card is playable.
At the beginning of your turn, draw cards from the stock pile to replenish your hand to 5 cards. Your turn can include several strategic moves:
- Play the top card from your pay-off pile onto a center stack.
- Play the top card from one of your side stacks onto a center stack.
- Play a card from your hand onto a center stack.
- Play a card from your hand onto one of your side stacks, which will end 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 remaining 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.
The first player to accumulate 50 points across multiple games wins the match. Dive into the strategic depth of Spite & Malice and enjoy the competitive edge it brings to your gaming sessions!
