Spit – Rules
Play Spit against the computer
1. Quick overview
| Name | Spit (also: Speed, Slam) |
| Game type | Reaction game – both play at the same time |
| Players | 2 |
| Recommended age | 7 and up |
| Duration | 5–15 minutes |
| Material | 52 cards |
| Goal | Be the first to get rid of all your own cards. |
| Difficulty | easy to learn, quick to play |
What is it about? There are no turns – both players put cards onto two centre piles as fast as they can. A card that is one rank higher or lower may go on. Speed and overview decide.
2. Cards and material
- Deck: 52 French cards.
- Ranking: A, 2 … 10, J, Q, K; King and Ace are connected. Suit does not matter.
3. Setup and start
- Each player gets 26 cards.
- Each lays out five piles (1 to 5 cards), with the top card face up.
- The rest is your own spit pile.
4. Goal and winning
- Won: Whoever has no cards left at the end of a round.
5. Play in detail
- Spit! Both put the top card of their spit pile in the middle at the same time – two centre piles appear.
- Playing: From now on both play face-up cards from their piles onto a centre pile if they are one rank higher or lower.
- Turning up: When a card is freed, turn up the one beneath. If a space is empty, you may move a face-up card there to turn up another card.
- Stuck: If nobody can go on, spit again.
- End of round: Whoever has emptied their five piles slaps the smaller centre pile and takes it; the other takes the larger one and their remaining cards.
- The next round starts with these cards.
Example. The centre shows a 7 and a Queen. You play an 8 on the 7, then a 9 on top. At the same time your opponent plays a King on the Queen and an Ace on the King.
6. Scoring
- No points – whoever gets rid of all cards first wins.
7. Special rules and important situations
- No spit pile left: Then only the other player spits.
- Finished without a spit pile: Whoever empties their piles with no spit pile left has won.
- Fewer than 15 cards: Then not all five piles are full.
8. Variants
| Variant | What changes? | For whom? |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | With hand cards instead of piles. | American version |
| Three centre piles | More options. | Fast players |
On cardgames.zone you play against the computer; you set how fast it plays as easy, medium or hard. With ⏸ you can pause at any time.
9. Tips for beginners
- Watch both piles: A card often fits the other centre pile.
- Play chains: 5-6-7-8 is faster than single cards.
- Use empty spaces: Move cards to turn up face-down ones.
10. Summary in 10 steps
- Each player gets 26 cards.
- Lay out five piles of 1–5 cards.
- Top cards face up.
- The rest is the spit pile.
- “Spit!” – one card each into the middle.
- Play simultaneously: one higher or lower.
- K and A connected, suit does not matter.
- Stuck: spit again.
- Piles empty: take the smaller centre pile.
- Whoever has no cards left wins.
11. Frequently asked questions
Do I have to wait until the other player has played?
No – both play at the same time.
What if both play onto the same pile?
The card that lands first counts.
Origin & history
Spit is a fast card game from the English-speaking world, mostly known as Speed in the USA. Both players play at the same time – there are no turns, only speed and overview.