Spite and Malice is a competitive multiplayer version of the card game Solitaire. Players take turns trying to get rid of a pile of “goal cards” by playing them on play piles begun with an ace and ending with a queen.

A game of Spite and Malice consists of 2 to 4 players. 

Spite and Malice uses 3 standard 52-card decks. Suits are irrelevant in this game. 

After the deal, all the remaining cards become part of the draw Pile. All cards in the draw pile are face down. When the draw pile is empty, the cards from any completed play piles are shuffled and become the new draw pile. 

If the draw pile runs out and there are no cards in the completed pile, 156 new cards are shuffled and added to the draw pile. 

Each player is dealt a goal pile at the beginning of the game. All cards in the goal pile are face down except the top card, which is always face up. Goal pile sizes vary between 6, 12, and 18 depending on the desired game length.

There are (number of players + 1) play piles in the game. Play piles may only be started with an ace and played in sequence (A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q). Once a play pile is completed it is removed, its cards added to the completed pile, and a new pile can be started in its place. All cards in the play pile are face up. 

Each player can build up to 4 discard piles. A player can add any card to any of their discard piles. However, only the top card of each discard pile can be played. All cards in the discard piles are face up. 

Each player is dealt a hand of 5 cards. If, at the start of their turn, a player has fewer than 5 cards, they draw cards as needed until they once again have a hand of 5 cards. If during their turn (without having put a card on the discard pile) they run out of cards, they draw 5 cards from the draw pile.

Setup 

1. The cards are shuffled. 

2. The dealer deals each player's goal pile (size may vary depending on desired game length). 

3. The remaining cards become the draw pile. 

The goal of the game is to be the first playing to play all of the cards in their goal pile. 

The player with the highest (non-wild) goal card goes first. Players take their turns in clockwise order. Each player must finish their turn before play passes to the next turn. A turn has the following phases: 

1. Draw cards 

2. Play cards 

3. Discard cards Players keep taking their turns in order until one player empties their goal pile. 

At the start of each turn, the player draws as many cards as needed from the draw pile until they have 5 cards in their hand. 

The player may then place any of the following cards onto a play pile.  

• Any card from their hand; 

• The top card from any of their discard pile; or 

• The top card from their goal pile. 

The player plays a card by either starting a new play pile (if there are any empty piles) or by adding a card to an existing pile. Play piles may only be started with an ace. Cards must be played in sequence (A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q). 

Once a play pile is completed it is removed, its cards added to the completed pile. 

If a player runs out of cards in their hard they must immediately draw 5 more from the draw pile. 

The play phase continues as long as the player wishes, provided they have cards left in their goal pile and valid moves to make. 

If their goal pile is empties they are declared the winner and the game proceeds to scoring. 

Phase 3 – Discard 

When a player has finished playing cards, they end their turn by discarding one card from their hand to any of their discard piles. 

If the draw pile is emptied, the completed pile is shuffled and is added to the draw pile. If the draw pile runs out and there are no cards in the completed pile 156 new cards are shuffled and added to the draw pile. 

Each player is ranked based on how many cards they have left in their goal pile with the winner being the single player with an empty goal pile.  

We hope this helped. Please see our other Help pages. If you would like to report any bugs or have any questions, please contact us through the settings menu of the game. 

Enjoy Spite & Malice!