Spite & Malice is an engaging competitive patience game designed for two players, offering a thrilling blend of strategy and anticipation. Each player begins with a hand of 5 cards, a pay-off pile of 20 cards, and 4 empty side stacks to assist in their gameplay strategy.
At the center of the game setup, you'll find 3 empty center stacks and a stock pile that holds the rest of the deck. The ultimate goal? To be the first to empty your pay-off pile and emerge victorious.
The center stacks are built up from the ace to the king, regardless of suit. You can start with an ace of diamonds, then lay down a two of spades, followed by a three of hearts, and so on. Kings are your wild cards here; they can be played on any center stack and will transform into the card needed to continue the sequence. For instance, if you place a king of spades on top of a ten of clubs, that king becomes a queen, keeping the game moving forward.
Once a center stack reaches completion with a queen or king on a jack, the stack is shuffled back into the stock pile, keeping the game dynamic and unpredictable.
Side stacks serve as temporary holding areas where you can place any card, but remember, only the top card is accessible for play. This adds another layer of strategy as you plan your moves.
At the start of your turn, you'll draw cards from the stock pile to ensure your hand contains 5 cards, setting the stage for your strategic plays. During your turn, you have several 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 directly onto one of the center stacks.
- Play a card from your hand onto one of your side stacks, which will conclude your turn.
The game reaches its climax when a player successfully plays their last card from the pay-off pile onto a center stack, winning the game and scoring points equivalent to the number of cards remaining in their opponent's pay-off pile.
Should the stock pile run dry before either player empties their pay-off pile, the game ends in a tie with no points awarded. The first player to accumulate 50 points across multiple games is declared the champion of the match!
