Spit (Speed)

Spit, also called Speed or Slam, dates back to at least the early 1900s as a two-player shedding game. The name comes from the 'spit' pile, the central stack where players race to dump their cards. Playing fast card games like Spit exercises rapid pattern recognition and split-second decision making. The challenge lies in scanning five stockpiles, identifying valid plays across two center piles, and acting before your opponent. Start a game right now in your browser, no download needed.

1. The deck splits evenly: 26 cards for you, 26 for the CPU. Each side deals five stockpiles (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 cards) with only the top card face up.
2. The remaining 11 cards per player form your spit pile, kept face down.
3. Both players flip one spit card onto the table to create two center piles. This starts the round.
4. Play any face-up stockpile card onto a center pile if it is one rank higher or lower than the top card. Ace wraps to both 2 and King.
5. When you play a stockpile card, the next card below it flips face up automatically.
6. If an entire stockpile empties, you can move a face-up card from another pile to fill the gap.
7. When neither player can move, both flip a new spit card onto the center piles to resume play.
8. The first player to empty all five stockpiles ends the round. Pick the smaller center pile; your opponent takes the larger one.

• A standard 52-card deck is used. Suit is irrelevant. Only rank matters.
• A card may be placed on a center pile if its rank is exactly one above or one below the current top card.
• Ace is both high and low: it plays on a 2 or a King, and a 2 or King plays on an Ace.
• Each player manages five stockpiles. Only the top card of each pile is playable.
• When a stockpile card is removed, the card beneath it turns face up.
• An empty stockpile slot may be filled by moving any face-up card from the top of another pile.
• If both players have no valid moves, each flips one spit card from their reserve onto a center pile.
• A round ends the moment one player clears all five stockpiles. That player claims the smaller center pile; the opponent gets the larger.
• All collected cards are shuffled and re-dealt. The first player who cannot deal a full set of stockpiles loses the game.

• Scan all five stockpiles before playing. Players who react to the first visible card often miss a faster play on another pile.
• Prioritize emptying short piles. A pile with one card clears instantly, reducing your total stockpile count and bringing you closer to ending the round.
• Watch both center piles simultaneously. A card that fails on one pile may be valid on the other, so always check both before discarding a move.
• Save your spit cards. When the board stalls, having spit cards in reserve lets you flip new center cards and keep the game moving on your terms.
• Fill empty slots strategically. Moving a card to an empty pile can reveal a new face-up card that opens up fresh plays, so choose the source pile that uncovers the most useful rank.

• Speed: Same core rules as Spit. Some rule sets deal only one center pile instead of two, making the game even faster and more competitive. Play Speed online here.
• Slam: A British variant where players slap the center pile they want at round end instead of choosing verbally. The fastest slap wins the smaller pile.
• California Speed: Each player gets only one stockpile of cards plus a spit pile. The game moves even faster with fewer piles to manage.

• Spit rewards speed and observation over luck. A sharp-eyed player can win consistently by reading the board faster than their opponent.
• The simultaneous play creates genuine tension. There are no safe turns to plan your move. You act or you lose.
• Games are short. A full match wraps up in under 15 minutes, making it perfect for a quick break.
• The round-based scoring system means a single bad round does not end the game. Comebacks happen regularly.

Play Spit right here in your browser. Choose your CPU speed (Slow, Normal, or Fast), deal the cards, and race to empty your stockpiles first. No sign-up, no download, no waiting. Just click and play.

Spit is a test of reflexes and observation. Deal the cards, flip the spit piles, and race to clear your stockpiles before the CPU does. Pick your speed and start playing now.

• Spit (card game) - Wikipedia
• Spit Rules - pagat.com