G4A: Spite & Malice

If you're in the mood for a strategic showdown, Spite & Malice is the perfect competitive patience game for two players. Here's how it unfolds:

Each player begins with a hand of 5 cards, a pay-off pile of 20 cards, and 4 empty side stacks. In the center of the table, you'll find 3 empty center stacks and a stock pile containing the rest of the deck. The ultimate goal? Be the first to empty your pay-off pile and claim victory!

The center stacks are built up from the ace upwards, regardless of suit. You could start with the ace of diamonds, followed by the two of spades, the three of hearts, and so on. But here's where it gets interesting—kings are wild! Play a king on any center stack, and it magically transforms into the card needed to continue the sequence. For example, if you place the king of spades on a ten of clubs, that king becomes a queen.

When you complete a center stack by playing a queen or king on a jack, that stack gets shuffled back into the stock pile. As for the side stacks, you can place any card on them, but remember, only the top card is in play.

At the start of your turn, replenish your hand to 5 cards from the stock pile. Now, you have several move 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 onto one of the center stacks.
• Play a card from your hand onto one of your side stacks. This move ends your turn.

The game concludes when one player successfully plays their last card from the pay-off pile onto a center stack. That player wins and scores points equal to the number of cards left in their opponent's pay-off pile. However, if the stock pile runs dry before anyone wins, it's a tie, and no points are awarded.

The first player to accumulate 50 points wins the match! So, strategize, outsmart your opponent, and let the games begin!