Spite and Malice

• 🎴  How to Play Spite and Malice
• 🧑‍🎮  How to Play Spite and Malice Solo
• 🃏  Spite and Malice Rules
• 🎯  Spite and Malice Variations & Themes
• 👾  FAQs about Spite and Malice

You know that one friend who swears they’re not competitive, then suddenly turns into a card-flinging maniac the second the game starts? That’s the vibe of Spite and Malice. It’s equal parts strategy, sabotage, and satisfaction when you block someone’s perfect move.

Often called “Cat and Mouse,” this isn’t your quiet after-dinner card game. The Spite and Malice card game is a race to burn through your pile while stopping everyone else from doing the same. You’ll build, discard, and sneak wild cards into play, all while plotting ways to slow down your rivals.

Let’s dig into the mechanics before the claws come out.

👉 If you like games where the whole point is making each other laugh, Joking Hazard is another card game built on outrageous setups and punchlines.

How to Play Spite and Malice

The game is played with two decks of cards and usually two to four players. The goal? Get rid of your payoff pile before anyone else. Here’s how to set it up and play:

1. Deal the payoff piles

Each player gets a pile of 20 cards, face down, with the top one flipped face-up. This is your payoff pile—you need to empty it to win.

2. Hand out starting cards

Each player draws five cards to form their hand. The rest of the deck stays in a draw pile.

3. Build the center stacks

Up to four center stacks can be built in ascending order starting from Ace (1) up to Queen (12). Kings are wild and can be played as any number.

4. Play from your hand

On your turn, draw until you have five cards in hand, then play as many cards as you can onto the center stacks. You can play from your hand or from the top of your payoff pile.

5. Use your discard piles

Each player has up to four personal discard piles, where you can place cards to use later. These pile up face-up and can only be played from the top card.

6. End your turn

When you can’t play anything else, place one card from your hand into a discard pile and pass the turn.

7. Win condition

The first player to completely clear their payoff pile wins. If no one clears it, the person with the fewest cards left takes the crown.

👉 If Spite and Malice is all about sabotage, Phase 10 is about staying sharp through a marathon of strategy.

How to Play Spite and Malice Solo

Don’t have a sparring partner handy? You can still play malice and spite solo. It’s a fun way to practice strategies, and it feels surprisingly satisfying.

1. Set up as normal

Use two decks, make yourself a 20-card payoff pile, and draw five cards to your hand.

2. Create dummy piles

Set up two “opponent” payoff piles (20 cards each) that you’ll treat as rivals.

3. Limit your plays

Follow the usual play rules, but whenever you can’t continue, flip a card from an opponent’s payoff pile into play. This simulates competition.

4. Manage your discards

Use your discard piles wisely—pretend you’re playing against a real person who might pounce on your mistakes.

5. Adjust difficulty

Want it harder? Give your dummy opponents extra payoff piles or allow them to “auto-play” a card whenever you stall.

6. Winning solo

Your win condition is the same: clear your payoff pile before the dummy piles run out.

Spite and Malice Rules

The spite and malice card game already has clear rules, but most players add their own house tweaks. These extra “rules” make games more cutthroat, funny, or just plain faster.

1. No mercy on wild cards

Some groups ban holding onto Kings—if you can play it, you must.

2. Shorter payoff piles

Want a faster round? Deal only 10 cards to the payoff pile instead of 20.

3. Limited discards

Cap the number of discard piles at two instead of four. It adds tension and forces creativity.

4. Slap rule

If two people try to play to the same center stack, whoever’s card hits first wins the spot.

5. Team play

Pair up in twos, sharing discard piles but not payoff piles. Chaos guaranteed.

6. Penalty draw

If you mess up the order in a center pile, you draw two penalty cards into your hand.

Spite and Malice Variations & Themes

The beauty of malice and spite is that it bends easily into themed or party versions. Here are a few favorites:

1. Drinking Malice

Every time you discard a King, you take a sip. If someone clears their payoff pile, everyone else drinks.

2. Speed Malice

Set a timer—turns last no more than 30 seconds. Miss your window, and you skip your chance.

3. Giant Group Malice

Play with more than four players by adding extra decks. Just be ready for longer, louder rounds.

4. Story Mode Malice

Assign characters or roles—pirate captains, wizards, rival CEOs—so every payoff pile feels like a narrative showdown.

5. Reverse Malice

Instead of building up from Ace, build down from King. Kings are no longer wild; Jokers take over the wild role if you want to include them.

6. Sudden Death

When the draw pile runs out, the game ends immediately and the lowest payoff pile wins.

FAQs about Spite and Malice

1. How many people can play Spite and Malice?

Usually 2–4, but you can add more decks for bigger groups.

2. Can I play Spite and Malice with Jokers?

Normally, no. But in some variations, Jokers are added as extra wilds.

3. Is Spite and Malice the same as Skip-Bo?

They’re very similar—Skip-Bo is a commercial version of Spite and Malice with a few tweaks.

4. Can Spite and Malice be played online?

Yes—plenty of apps and browser versions let you play solo or against friends.

5. How long does a typical game take?

Usually 30–45 minutes, depending on how big your payoff piles are and how ruthless your group plays.