Playing Spit Card Game: Rules, Strategies & Tips to Win!

Spit is a traditional French party game sometimes referred to as slam or speed in some places. As the name implies, Spit is a fast-paced card game that plays differently than other popular two-player card games. 

Spit is undoubtedly worth playing if you’re searching for a more distinctive, fast-paced card game. But how exactly do we play Spit? That’s precisely what we’ll be looking at in this tutorial, so read on for more information on how to play Spit. 

Spit is intended to be a rapid card game that differs from comparable games in its gameplay.

The most peculiar aspect of having played Spit is that it does not follow the standard turn-by-turn approach used by most other card games. 

Spit’s fast-paced and hectic nature makes it ideal for those who don’t have much opportunity to enjoy or dislike lengthier, more drawn-out games. 

Spit is likewise a simple game to play and practice, but there is scope for strategy. 

If you want to add Spit to your next game night, or if you’re just seeking a new card game to play, you need to first understand the rules. That is precisely what we will be focusing on in this tutorial.

What is Spit?

only one spit pile

Spit is a fast-paced card game designed for two players. Belonging to the “shedding” family of card games, the goal is to get rid of all your cards first.

The game is played with a standard deck of 52 cards. Each player starts with a portion of the deck, usually 26 cards each, arranged in a specific pattern on the table.

Players simultaneously play cards from their own piles onto shared stacks in the center. Here, you follow specific rules like playing cards sequentially up or down from the center stacks. The game continues rapidly until one player successfully plays all their cards, winning the round.

How To Play Spit Card Game?

either spit pile

Now, let’s take a look at how to play spit and all the spit card game rules.

Number of Players

The game of spit is played between two players and you need a standard deck of playing cards for the game.

The Layout

The entire 52-card deck is divided equally between the two players. Each player gets 26 cards. Each player arranges five stacks of cards in front of themselves. The stacks are arranged in a row, and each stack has a specific face-up and face-down card configuration or layout.

  • Stack 1: No cards face down, 1 card face up.

    • Stack 2: 1 card face down, 1 card face up.

    • Stack 3: 2 cards face down, 1 card face up.

    • Stack 4: 3 cards face down, 1 card face up.

    • Stack 5: 4 cards face down, 1 card face up

Starting A Round

After a quick 1,2,3 countdown, both players play after yelling Spit.

Each player should pick the top card from their spit pile when the game begins and put it in the middle of the table/playing area. 

These cards will serve as the foundation for two spit piles, and the goal of Spit is for every player to get rid of their decks before their opponent by placing cards on the heaps. 

Players must begin transferring cards from their layout rows to one of the split piles in the middle of the table, in order to do this. 

This can be done if the hands in the row are one above or below the card on top of that list. For example, if one pile shows a 6, a 5 or 7 may be placed above it.

The suits need not matter in Spit, and Ace cards can be played high or low. When a card from your layout pile is used, it must be replaced with a card from your deck. As a result, in a game of Spit, cards will be traveling at a rapid and frenzied rate. 

Players will (typically) become trapped at some point because the cards in their row cannot be played. 

When this happens, both players must announce “Spit” again and rearrange the cards in the stack. 

This will set new cards on top of the pile, allowing the game to continue. 

To win Spit, you must utilize all your cards in your stack and layout row.

If you and your opponent both get stuck at the conclusion of the game, the one with the fewest remaining cards wins. When both players play cards of the same rank simultaneously in the Spit card game, a “spit” occurs. You must race to space your card on the center pile of the cards.

Winning

Once a player has successfully moved all the cards from their “spit” piles to the center or their opponent’s piles, they declare themselves the winner of that round. In some variations, players may also keep track of points based on how quickly they win rounds or by counting remaining cards in their opponent’s “spit” piles when they win.

ALSO READ: How to Play Kings Corner?

Tips For Spit Card Games

Spit appears to be a simple, quick, and frenzied card game, but don’t be fooled. There is a lot of space for strategy and creative tactics in this game, as in many others. 

Confuse The Opponent

The mounds are what make Spit so excited to play. There will be a lot of back and forth because each player can use either to get rid of their cards. 

All players obviously would want to use the same pile at some time, which implies there will be a race to place a card down. This implies you can dupe your opponent by deceiving them. You might appear to be walking towards one pile to confuse your opponent, only to dump your card on the other. 

Focus On One Pile

Some players claim that concentrating your attention on one pile would help you dispose of cards faster, while others argue that splitting your attention between both piles is the optimum way to play. 

Either strategy can succeed, but a lot depends on the cards in your layout row. Spit allows for strategy, but like with many related card games, a lot is based on luck.

ALSO READ: Tonk Card Game Rules & Gameplay

Spit Card Game Variations

Spit may be played in several different ways. Changing the number of cards in your layout row is the most typical change. Some versions utilize five or six cards in a row, while others only use three. 

Other variants include a third pile where players can place their cards. 

Extending the layout row or adding an extra pile is usually done to prevent players from being stranded and speed up the game. 

While some variants use the card suits to make things a bit tougher for players, others reduce the layout row to make things a little more complicated.

According to the conventional rules, any card that is one higher or lower than the top card in the pile can be placed down. 

This rule is maintained in specific Spit versions, but only red cards can be placed on black and vice versa. Exceptions also include the rule that cards of the same denomination can be stacked on top of one another, as in Snap.

FAQs

What are other names for Spit card games?

Card Game Spit is also known as Speed, Slam, Speed Spit, and also sometimes known as Spitfire. It is a fast-paced and exciting card game played between two players.

How to score a spit card game?

In the card Game Spit, scoring is often informal. Players might keep track of rounds won. Also, when you play spit, points can be awarded based on how quickly a player clears their piles.

How to play spit?

Spit is played by two players. Each player has 26 cards and sets up five spit piles. The aim is to move cards from their spit piles onto a central stock-pile in ascending or descending order as quickly as possible. The one who can get rid of all cards into the middle stock-pile wins the game.

What is the meaning of spit game?

Spit is the name of a fast-paced card game that can be played with two players.

How many cards are used in the spit card game?

Spit is played with a standard 52-card deck, which is divided equally between two players, with each player receiving 26 cards to start the game.

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