Games / Spite and Malice Online
Spite and Malice online
Spite Street is our Spite and Malice: race a computer neighbor to empty your pay-off pile, or play another person by passing one phone, tablet or computer back and forth. Nothing to download.
Our Spite and Malice game
1 game
More card games for two
One rival across the table · 4 games
How to play Spite and Malice
Spite and Malice is a race for two players using two decks shuffled together. Each of you has a pay-off pile, usually 20 cards, with the top one turned face up. The first player to play their whole pay-off pile into the middle wins. It feels like a solitaire you play against someone, which is why some people call it competitive solitaire.
The middle piles
Up to four shared piles sit in the middle. Each starts with an Ace and climbs one rank at a time up to the Queen, ignoring suits. A finished pile is shuffled back into the stock. Kings are wild and take the next value on a pile, so a King on a 6 counts as a 7.
Your turn
- Draw from the stock until you hold five cards.
- Play as many cards to the middle as you like, from your hand, the top of your pay-off pile or the top of any of your four side stacks.
- If you play all five hand cards, draw five more and keep going.
- End your turn by putting one card from your hand on a side stack. Pay-off cards never go there.
Every card you play could be the one your opponent needed next. That tug of war is where the name comes from.
Winning and scoring
| Result | Points |
|---|---|
| Empty your pay-off pile | 5, plus 1 for each card left in the other pile |
| The stock runs out | The smaller pay-off pile wins by the difference |
| Equal piles when the stock runs out | A tie |
After each game we show how the points added up and your record against that neighbor.
Play the computer or another person
On the Street you take on twelve computer neighbors across four blocks, from gentle to expert. Each has a house rule of their own, so the game keeps changing as you move along. They never peek: they see the face-up cards and their own hand, nothing more, and every deck is a fair shuffle.
Pass and Play is for two people on one device. Each hand is hidden between turns, so you can share a phone or tablet at the kitchen table. The Daily Feud is one deal for everyone each day, with a short 13-card pile and a spot on the daily leaderboard.
House rules you can pick
Spite and Malice has always been played a few ways. In Quick Game and Pass and Play you choose:
- A pay-off pile of 13, 20 or 26 cards.
- Four middle piles, or three for the older rule.
- Whether a King can start a pile, or only a real Ace.
- Jokers as extra wild cards.
Spite and Malice tips
- Your pay-off card comes first. Every other play should help set it up.
- Build side stacks downward, 8 then 7 then 6, so one good pile can take the whole run later.
- Save your Kings for the gap to your own pay-off card. Spent early, they often help your opponent.
- Watch their pay-off card. If they show a 7, think twice before taking a pile to 6.
- Keep one side stack open for an awkward card.
Our full Spite Street guide lists every neighbor, the keyboard controls and how the Daily Feud scores.
More games for two
If you like racing someone to empty a pile, Updraft Duel is our own two-player solitaire with a shared middle and a mirror deal. Cribbage Cabin and Gin Garden are classic two-handed games against a friendly rival. Our card games for two page puts them all side by side.
Questions
Can I play Spite and Malice online against the computer?
Yes. Spite Street has twelve computer neighbors from easy to expert, plus a Quick Game where you set the house rules. It's free and runs in your browser.
Can two people play Spite and Malice on one device?
Yes. Pass and Play hides each hand between turns, so two people can share one phone, tablet or computer.
Are Kings wild in Spite and Malice?
Yes. A King can be any card, and on a middle pile it takes the next value. In Spite Street a King can also start a pile unless you switch that house rule off.
How many cards are in a Spite and Malice pay-off pile?
Usually 20. Short games use 13 and long games use 26, and you can pick any of the three.
What happens when the stock runs out?
The player with fewer cards left in their pay-off pile wins and scores the difference. Equal piles make a tie.