Speed (card game)

Speed is a card game in which each player tries to get rid of his or her cards.

Dealing

five cards to form a hand, and fifteen cards facedown to form a drawing pile. A stack of five cards is then placed facedown on each side between the players, and serves as a replacement pile. Finally, two cards are placed between the replacement piles in the center in two different places, also facedown. Players flip the two center cards and proceed to put down cards. After a card is played, another is drawn from the drawing pile to maintain five cards in the hand. In traditional Speed, a player cannot put down a card of the number identical to that already on the pile (a nine cannot be placed on top of a nine), only a card one step higher or lower in value than the card in the center. For ace cards, the two choices are king and two. The objective is to be the first person to play all his or her cards. Players do not take turns, and may play as many cards in a row as possible. It is considered unfair to put down more than one card at a time, but one may place them immediately after each other. For example, one may not put down 3,4,5 in one motion, but they could put down 3 then 4 then 5, in three separate motions. If neither player can put down any cards, they flip cards from the replacement cards at the same time and continue. If all cards are used up, the two piles are shuffled, and then used as the replacement decks. A card is drawn off of the top of each deck and play resumes.

Variations In Play

"Doubles:" In addition to ascending or descending order, players may play a card identical to the one in the pile. For example, if the card on top of the pile is a 4, the player may put down a 3, 4, or 5.

"Jokers:" You can play speed the same way with jokers. Jokers are used as wild/free cards. Let's say there is a two in the center, and in your hand you have a joker, four, and a five. You can use the joker as a three. It is a wild card. If a joker comes up in the replacement pile, it can be anything you want. If there is a three in the center, and it is replaced by a joker, you can play any card you want on that joker. Jokers are mixed in the card deck while shuffling. You can play with 1 or 2 joker(s).

References