Speed is a for two, played at the same time. Both of you race to put cards on two piles in the middle, one rank higher or lower than the top card. The first to get rid of every card wins.
Quick hands help, but sharp eyes help more.
Use a standard 52-card deck without jokers. Sit facing each other with room between you for a row of four piles.
Suits don’t matter at all. Only the ranks count, from ace, 2, 3 up to jack, queen and king.
Deal each player 20 cards. Each of you takes five as your hand and puts the other 15 face down in front of you as your .
The last 12 cards go in the middle, face down: two of five cards at the ends, and two single cards between them. The single cards start the two centre piles.
20 + 20 + 5 + 5 + 1 + 1 = 52.
When you are both ready, turn up the two centre cards at the same moment. From then on there are no turns: play as fast as you can.
The centre shows the 6 of diamonds and the jack of clubs.
You may play a card from your hand on either centre pile if it is exactly one rank higher or one rank lower than the top card. Suit doesn’t matter.
On the 6 you could play your 5 of hearts or 7 of spades. On the jack, your queen of diamonds fits. The 2 of clubs and 9 of hearts must wait.
You play the 7 of spades on the 6. Whenever you hold fewer than five cards, draw from your own draw pile to get back to five. You may never hold more than five.
You draw the 8 of clubs. Meanwhile North plays the 6 of hearts on your 7.
Use only one hand, and move one card at a time.
One hand. Sit on the other.
Ranks run round in a circle: an ace can go on a king or a 2, and a king or a 2 can go on an ace.
You play the queen of diamonds on the jack, North plays the king of hearts on your queen, and you drop the ace of diamonds on the king. Your 2 of clubs can follow on the ace.
A little later the centre shows the 3 of spades and the 2 of clubs, and neither of you can play. At the same moment, each player turns the top card of a side pile onto a centre pile.
The new cards are the 4 of spades and the 10 of diamonds: your 9 of hearts fits on the 10.
If the side piles run out, keep the top card of each centre pile, shuffle the rest and make two new side piles.
A single round of Speed needs no score: the first player with no cards wins.
For a longer match, the winner of each round scores 1 point for every card the loser still has in hand and in their draw pile. Play to an agreed total, such as 25.
When your draw pile is gone, keep playing from your hand. The first player to play their very last card wins the round. Many players slap the table and shout “Speed!”
You play your last card. North still holds three: with match scoring, you take 3 points.
Slap gently. Tables have feelings.
Point at a dot to see why it matters
20 each: a hand of five and a draw pile of 15. The other 12 cards make two side piles of five and two single centre cards.
No. In standard Speed a card must be exactly one rank higher or one rank lower than the top card of a centre pile.
Both. The ranks go round in a circle, so an ace can go on a king or on a 2.
Both players turn a card from the side piles onto the centre piles at the same time, and play goes on.
In Speed you play from a hand of five cards. In Spit you play from a row of stock piles laid face up in front of you.
Easy to read
Extra-large numbers and suits. Readable across the table, for kids learning their first game and grandparents alike.
The classic
The deck most people picture. Poker size, standard faces, shuffles well. If you buy one deck, make it this.
Lasts for years
Two 100% plastic decks in a hard case. Washable and hard to bend, and a double deck is what Canasta and Spider need.
The British classic
The pack found in British homes for generations. Paper cards with a linen finish that fan and shuffle smoothly.
The gift
A luxury deck with a navy and gold tuck box. The one to give, or to bring out when the good whisky is poured.
Match the pile, play an 8 when stuck, empty your hand first.
2 to 5 players · 15 min · 6+Play cards face down, claim what they are, and call out the liars.
3 to 8 players · 20 min · 8+Beat the last play, empty your hand, climb from beggar to president.
4 to 7 players · 20 min · 8+