Spite and Malice is a competitive solitaire game, also known as Cat and Mouse. Press the Play button to start the game (Fig. 1).
Deal
Each player receives 26 cards face-down for the stack pile and 5 cards for the hand, then the top card of the stock pile is turned over. The player with the highest-ranked card becomes the first player (Fig. 2). Note that a wild card is considered the lowest card.
Layout
Refer to Figure 3 for the layout of the game.
Stock Pile
The goal of the game is to deplete a stock pile.
Center Piles
A player can discard cards from the hand, the stock pile, or the discard piles. The cards in the center piles are discarded in order starting from A (Fig. 4). When the card of a center pile reaches Q, the pile is then moved to the waste pile.
Discard Piles
If a player cannot discard a card into the center piles, they must instead discard one card from their hand into the discard piles (Fig. 5). The turn then passes to the next player. Cards in discard piles can be stacked.
Drawing
Each player has five cards in their hand. If there are not enough cards, additional cards are drawn from the draw pile at the start of the turn. If a player runs out of cards during the discard phase, they draw 5 cards from the draw pile. If the draw pile is exhausted during drawing, the waste pile is moved to the draw pile. If there is no waste pile, all cards except for the stock piles are dealt again.
Wild Cards
Kings are wild cards and can be discarded in any center piles (Fig. 6).
End of Game
The game ends when someone's stock pile runs out (Fig. 7). Points are calculated as the number of remaining cards of the other player plus 5.
Variants
This application allows up to four players (Fig. 8). The partnership can play the game on two teams: north and south, and east and west. A stack pile is shared by each team in the partnership.
For three or more players, the information is displayed in the upper left (Fig. 9).
Center Piles Option
You can change the number of center piles in the Rule settings (Fig. 10). If "up down" piles are selected, piles starting from Q to A are mixed.
Discard Piles Option
If the Discard Piles option is set to allow only one rank lower or one rank higher, a pass button appears (Fig. 11). When you press the pass button, the turn moves on to the next player. If all players pass, the game is blocked.
The length and spacing of discard piles are adjustable in the Game settings (Fig. 12).
Options
Rules
Players
Sets the number of players. (2 players, 3 players, 4 players, partnership)
Decks
Sets the number of decks. If "Auto" is selected, the number of decks is determined by the number of players and the number of cards in stock piles. (Auto, from 2 to 10)
Stock Pile
Sets the number of cards in a stock pile. (13, 20, 26, 30, 40, 52)
Center Piles
Sets the number of center piles. (3, 4, 4 up down, 8, 8 up down)
Discard Piles
Sets the behavior when discarding a card to discard piles.
A player can discard any card.
A player can only discard a card one rank lower or one rank higher. A wild card can be discarded in any discard pile, and any card can be stacked on the discarded wild card.
Separating Decks
When dealing cards, the cards that form stock piles are separated.
Wild Cards
Sets the wild cards. (Kings, Jokers (2×decks), No wild cards)
Wild Card Ace
If enabled, a wild card can represent an ace.
Discarding Ace
If enabled, an ace can be discarded.
Blocked Game
Sets the behavior when a game is blocked.
Redeal: Cards except for stock piles are redealt.
The game ends.
Game
Card Counter
Sets whether to display the card counter.
Card Selection
If "Once" is selected, when a card in the stock pile or the discard piles is selected, it is automatically discarded to a center pile. If "Twice" is selected, you need two presses.
Sorting Hand
Configures the sorting of your hand.
Rearranging Hand
If enabled, the cards in your hand can be swapped.
Flicking
If enabled, you can select a card by flicking it. The behavior is the same as when Card Selection is set to "Once".
Message Dialog
Sets whether to display a message dialog when cards are redealt.
Pass Confirmation
Sets whether to show the pass confirmation dialog.
Game / Monitor / 2 players
Monitor Type
Set the monitor type for two players. (Details, Simple, None)
Size
Sets the monitor size.
Game / Monitor / 3 players or more
Monitor Type
Set the monitor type for two players. (Details, Simple, None)
Size
Sets the monitor size.
Game / Discard Piles / Portrait
Card Length
Sets the maximum length of cards displayed in the discard piles in portrait orientation.
Card Spacing
Sets the spacing between cards in the discard piles in portrait orientation.
Game / Discard Piles / Landscape
Card Length
Sets the maximum length of cards displayed in the discard piles in landscape orientation.
Card Spacing
Sets the spacing between cards in the discard piles in landscape orientation.