Speed rules

A two-player game with no turns at all. Both players play simultaneously, as fast as they can, and it is over in a minute.

The setup

A 52-card deck split in half, 26 cards each. From your half:

Deal five cards to your hand. Place fifteen face down as your draw pile. Put the remaining six face down as a side stack.

The two side stacks go in the middle, and one card from each is turned face up between them.

The start

Both players pick up their five cards, and the two middle cards are turned over at the same moment. From then on nobody waits for anybody.

The play

There are no turns. Both players play at once onto the two central piles.

A card may be played on a central pile if it is one rank above or below the top card. On a nine you may play an eight or a ten. Aces are both above kings and below twos, so the sequence wraps around.

After each card you play, draw from your pile to bring your hand back to five.

You may never hold more than five cards, and suits do not matter at all.

An example

The middle piles show a six and a jack. You hold 5, 7, 8, Q and 2. You play the seven on the six, the eight on the seven and the queen on the jack, drawing a card after each one.

When stuck

If both players are stuck — neither can play and neither can draw a fifth card — each turns up one card from the side stacks onto the central piles, and play resumes.

If the side stacks are exhausted, the central piles are shuffled and split again.

Winning

The first player to get rid of their hand and draw pile wins. Best of three or five is normal, because a single game takes almost no time at all.

Playing well

Look for runs: a hand holding 8, 9 and 10 can empty itself onto a seven in three quick plays. Watch both piles at once, and play onto the one your opponent needs.