How to Play Spite & Malice

THE SETUP

1. Shuffle 2 decks of cards together. Remove the jokers. (We recommend using two decks with different backs so you can separate them out later)

2. Deal 20 cards to both players. Do not look at these cards. This is called the Seed Pile.

3. Set the Seed Pile on your right side and flip over the top card.

4. Deal a separate set of 5 cards to each player. Players may look at these cards. These cards are your Hand.

5. The remaining cards are set between the two players as the Draw Pile.

In this game, there are a few of piles to manage. Use this diagram to orient you on how to set them all up:

GAMEPLAY 

How to win: Get rid of all 20 cards in your Seed Pile before your opponent. Do this at all costs!

The gameplay area will include up to 4 stacks of cards being built from Ace to Queen in the middle of the table. These stacks, called Build Piles, must be started with an Ace and do not need to be built in the same suit. Any ascending card can be played on any Build Pile on your turn.

Once a Queen is played on a Build Pile, the stack is complete and cards from that pile are cleared. These will be recycled into the Draw Pile. 

Once four Build Piles are established in the middle, no more Build Piles can be started until a Pile is completed and cleared. Once a spot has opened up, a new Build Pile can begin with a new Ace.

Each player's turn begins when that player draws from the Draw Pile until he or she has 5 cards in his or her Hand.

Each player's turn ends when that player cannot make (or chooses not to make) a move. At this point, the player must discard a card (or cards) into one of his or her Discard Piles. Each player can build up to 4 Discard Piles in his or her own gameplay area. More on these later. 

Aces always must be played if possible. If you have an Ace in your Hand, you must play it in an open Build Pile spot. Should there be 4 active Build Piles, the Ace cannot be played and may be treated as any other card.

Kings are wildcards. If you encounter a King at any point in the game, move it to a Bonus Pile (we usually keep these somewhere adjacent to the Seed Pile). Kings do not count towards the cards in your Hand. If you draw one from the Draw Pile, set it aside and replace it with a new card from the Draw Pile. If you flip over a King in the Seed Pile, set it aside and flip over the next card. If you receive one on the initial deal, set it aside and take a new card. Kings can be used at any time during your turn in place of any card, except for the Ace. Kings may not be used to start new Build Piles.

On a your turn, use cards from your Seed Pile, cards from your Hand, Kings, and cards form your Discard Piles to make plays on the Build Piles in the middle. 

Strategy Tip: You win the game by clearing your Seed Pile. Your first order of business on every turn should be to move as many cards from your Seed Pile as possible. Cards from your Hand, Kings, and cards from your Discard Piles all exist to move these cards.

If you use all five cards in your Hand on your turn, draw 5 new cards and keep playing until you run out of moves. This re-draw can happen as many times during your turn as you use all of your Hand. At the end of your turn, you must still discard. 

During the game, cleared Build Pile cards will be shuffled and use to refill the Draw Pile.

DISCARDING & DISCARD PILES

To end a turn, you must discard a card from your hand into one of your Discard Piles. If you have multiple of the card you want to discard in your Hand, you must discard all of that card from your Hand. For example, if you want to discard a Jack and are holding 3 Jacks, you must discard all 3 into the same Discard Pile. These cards cannot be separated across Discard Piles.

You may maintain up to 4 Discard Piles in front of you throughout the game. The organization of these piles is at your discretion. Cards from these Discard Piles can be used to make plays during your turn, so be wise not to necessarily block cards you may need later. The top card of each Discard Pile is the only one accessible for use. It must be used before accessing cards further down in the stack. Discard Piles are deconstructed one card at a time. 

THE SPITE & MALICE PART 

"What a nice cordial card game," you might be thinking. This ain't called called Spite & Malice for nothin’! Here comes the spicy part.

Malice

If you have a card that is identical the top card on your opponent's Seed Pile, you can add it to the top of their cards, subsequently increasing the overall count in your opponent’s Seed Pile. This action can also be taken if you have a same-suited card that is one greater or one fewer than the card showing on their Seed. 

For example — if the top card in Chelsea’s seed pile is a 9 of hearts and Codie has a 10 of hearts, he can (and loves to) place his 10 on top of her 9. Now she has to move that 10 before she can move her 9. (He could also play an 8 of hearts or a 9 of hearts in this example).

There’s no limit to how deep you can bury your opponent under cards…as Codie has demonstrated to Chelsea many times. (CH interjection: I feel like I'm gettin' a bad rep here babe....) As long as you play the same suit and the cards you play meet the criteria above (identical or immediately adjacent to the top card in the Seed Pile), hit them with everything you've got. 

Kings cannot be played on top of your opponent's Seed Pile, only in the Build Piles. (nice try tho…)

This Malice Card can come from your Hand, your Seed Pile, or your Discard Piles.

Spite

In your efforts to win, be strategic. If your opponent has a 6 at the top of their Seed Pile, do everything you can to make sure he or she cannot play it. Withhold cards, block moves, generally taunt them (okay, don't do that last part). This is not the time to help someone out. Blocking and withholding are wonderful ways to demonstrate heretofore unrequited spite. 

STRATEGY RECAP

Always try to be moving your Seed Pile cards. Every turn, every move, should be focused on this. 

If you don't have any good options, try to discard as many cards as you can (remember, you can discard all of one card in your hand). This will lead you to draw more, fresh cards at the beginning of your next turn, giving you more options to work with. 

Use your Kings to move Seed Pile cards. Use multiples if you have to. 

Do your best to keep your Discard Piles as organized and accessible as possible. It's very frustrating when you need a 7 but it is two cards deep and you can't get to it. 

Take a moment and look at the whole board before you discard. Realizing you could have played a Malice Card on your opponent but missed it is the worst.

WRAPING IT UP

The game ends when one player gets rid of all the cards in his or her Seed Pile. Sometimes it seems like the outcome is inevitable. Sometimes it's a race to the finish. Other times, the underdog may be able to clear 15 cards in a single turn and astound the opponent who has only one card remaining and is certain of her victory. (Editorial note: none of these situations reflect actual stories or resemble reality in any way. Completely fictional. Really.)

After the conclusion of the game, look your opponent in the eye, shake his or her hand, and say with a clear and genuine baritone:

"I hold no spite nor malice in my heart towards you this day."

If our experience is any indication, this game will help that become most true.

May you enjoy many games and may your friendships be filled only with joy.