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Official Spit Rules
Spit is a quick and exciting card game that tests your reflexes and strategic card playing. It's perfect for two players who want a fun and competitive challenge. Here's how to play Spit:
Objective
Be the first player to get rid of all your cards.
Setup
1. Shuffle the Deck: Mix all the cards in the deck face down.
2. Deal the Tableau: Deal five cards face down to each player in a row in front of them. This is their "tableau." The remaining cards form a face-down draw pile in the center of the playing area.
3. Deal the Spit Piles: Deal the top card from the draw pile face up in front of each player. These are the "spit piles."pen_spark
Gameplay
Spit is all about playing cards from your tableau onto the spit piles and getting rid of your cards as quickly as possible. Here's how it unfolds:
Simultaneous Play: There are no turns in Spit! Both players play simultaneously.
Saying "Spit" (Optional): Traditionally, players shout "Spit!" at the beginning to signify the start of playing their cards. This is optional, but it adds to the excitement.
Playing from Tableau: On each go, you can try to play the top card of any of your face-down tableau piles onto either of the spit piles in the center.
Playing Rule: The card you play must be one higher or one lower in rank than the card currently showing on the spit pile (suit doesn't matter). Aces are high (playable on a King) and low (playable on a Two).
Refilling the Tableau: Once you play a card from your tableau pile, immediately flip the next card in that pile face up to fill the empty space.
Discarding and Drawing:
Playing from Spit Pile: If you can't play any cards from your tableau and both spit piles are full (meaning two cards each), you can discard the top card from either of your spit piles face down to the discard pile.
Drawing a New Card: After discarding from a spit pile, you can draw a new card from the draw pile to replenish your hand (face down tableau pile). You can only draw one card per discard.
The Challenge:
The challenge in Spit comes from playing your cards quickly and strategically. You need to consider which tableau piles to play from first, anticipating potential plays onto the spit piles, and hoping to "empty out" your tableau before your opponent.
Winning the Game
The first player to get rid of all their cards from both the tableau and the spit piles wins the game!
Notes/Variations
One-Handed Play: Traditionally, Spit is played using only one hand. This adds another layer of difficulty and coordination to the game.
Stuck Situations: If both players get stuck with no playable cards in their tableau and both spit piles are full, the round can be declared a draw, and the cards are reshuffled for a new round.
Multiple Spit Piles: Some variations use more than two spit piles in the center, increasing the challenge and number of playable options.
Slapping (Optional): A very active variation involves slapping the discard pile when you play your last card from your tableau. The first player to slap the discard pile after playing their last card scores a point or gets a bonus in the next round.
Spit is a fast-paced and exciting card game that's perfect for a quick and engaging challenge. So grab a deck, shuffle the cards, and get ready for a Spit showdown!
