How to Play Speed Card Game: Rules and Setup

Here is how to play Speed card game, a lightning-fast race for two players where nobody takes turns. Both players slap cards onto two center piles as quickly as they can, and the first to run out of cards wins. These Speed card game rules cover the exact setup, how cards are played one rank up or down, what to do when both players get stuck, and fun ways to play with 3 or 4 players. A game takes only a few minutes, so expect plenty of rematches.

Quick rules

• Two players, one standard 52-card deck.
• Each player gets a 15-card draw pile and a 5-card hand. Two side piles of 5 cards and two center cards sit in the middle.
• Both players flip a center card at the same time and play at once, with no turns.
• Play a card from your hand onto either center pile if it is one rank higher or lower. Suits do not matter.
• Refill your hand from your draw pile so you never hold more than 5 cards.
• When neither player can move, both flip a new card from the side piles onto the center.
• The first player to get rid of every card in their hand and draw pile wins.

What you need

• One standard 52-card deck, jokers removed.
• Two players sitting across from each other.
• A table or floor space with room for four piles in the middle.

Speed card game setup

Getting the Speed card game setup right is the trickiest part, so follow these steps in order:

1. Shuffle the deck.
2. Deal two face-down piles of 5 cards each and place them on the outer edges of the middle area, one on each side. These are the side piles (also called replacement or spit piles).
3. Place two single cards face down between the side piles. These will start the two center piles.
4. Split the remaining 40 cards evenly so each player has 20.
5. Each player picks up the top 5 of their 20 cards as their hand and places the other 15 face down in front of them as their draw pile.

Your table now looks like this, from left to right across the middle: side pile, center card, center card, side pile, with each player's draw pile in front of them.

How to play Speed

Starting the race

1. When both players are ready, one says "Ready, set, Speed" and both flip a center card face up at the same moment.
2. Play begins immediately. There are no turns.

Playing cards

1. You may play any card from your hand onto either center pile if it is exactly one rank above or below the top card. On a 7 you can play a 6 or an 8.
2. Suits and colors do not matter.
3. Ranks wrap around in the usual rules, so an ace can go on a king or a 2, and a king or 2 can go on an ace.
4. Play one card at a time, with one hand. If both players reach for the same pile, the card that lands first stays, and the other player takes theirs back.
5. After you play, draw from your draw pile to bring your hand back up to 5 cards. You may never hold more than 5.
6. Once your draw pile is empty, keep playing from your hand without refilling.

When both players are stuck

1. If neither player can play, both say "Speed" (or "stuck") and each flips the top card of the side pile nearest them onto the center pile on that side.
2. Play continues on the new top cards.
3. If the side piles run out and the game is still stuck, take each center pile, leave its top card in place if you like, shuffle the rest and deal them out as two new side piles.

Scoring

A single game of Speed has no points: the first player to empty both hand and draw pile slaps the table, calls "Speed" and wins. For a longer match, many families use this simple scoring:

Use our scoreboard to keep track of a best-of-seven match.

How to win

You win when your hand and draw pile are both empty. In some homes the winner must also be the first to slap the smaller center pile, so agree before you start.

Variations

• Speed with 3 players: deal each player 14 cards (5 in hand, 9 in a draw pile), then use two side piles of 4 cards and the usual two center cards. Everyone may play on either center pile. Alternatively, shuffle two decks together for a longer game.
• Speed with 4 players: shuffle two decks together, give each player a 5-card hand and a 15-card draw pile, and set up four center cards, each with a 5-card side pile beside it. Partners can sit across from each other and win together.
• No wrap-around: aces are low only, so nothing plays on an ace except a 2. This slows the game down for younger players.
• Same suit only: cards must match the suit of the center card as well as being one rank away. Much harder.
• Spit: a close cousin played from a solitaire-style layout instead of a hand. See our Spit card game rules.

Tips and strategy

• Arrange your hand in rank order the moment you pick it up so you can spot runs.
• Look for runs like 5, 6, 7 and play them up or down in quick succession.
• Watch both center piles, not just the one nearest you.
• Keep a mix of ranks in your hand. Five cards far from both center cards will leave you stuck.
• Draw quickly. A full hand of 5 gives you more chances to play.

House rules to agree first

• Whether aces wrap around kings and 2s.
• One hand only, or both hands allowed.
• What happens when a player plays a wrong card: most families make them take it back plus draw one penalty card from the center pile.
• Whether the winner must slap a pile or call "Speed".

If your family loves fast games, try Slapjack, Nertz and War, or browse more card games for two.