Printable Speed rules

Speed in one page

2 players · 1 deck

Each player gets a 5-card hand and a 15-card draw pile, with two side piles of 5 cards and two single cards in the middle. Flip the two center cards at the same time, then both players play, without taking turns, any card one rank higher or lower than either center card, refilling your hand to 5 from your draw pile. When nobody can play, flip new center cards from the side piles, and the first player to get rid of all 20 of their cards wins.

In brief

• Each player: 5-card hand + 15-card draw pile
• Center: 2 single cards, flanked by 2 side piles of 5
• Flip both center cards at once: go!
• No turns. One hand, one card at a time
• Play one rank up or down on either center pile
• Aces wrap: K or 2 on an A
• Draw back to 5 cards after each play
• Both stuck? Flip a side-pile card onto each center pile
• Side piles gone? Reshuffle the center piles into new ones
• First to play all 20 cards shouts "Speed!" and wins

Setup

1. Shuffle a standard 52-card deck. Deal each player a 5-card hand and a 15-card draw pile, face down. That's 20 cards each.
2. Deal two single cards face down side by side in the center. These start the two center piles.
3. Deal the last 10 cards into two face-down side piles of 5, one to the outside of each center card. These are the replacement cards for when you both get stuck.
4. Both players pick up their 5-card hand. Keep your draw pile face down beside you.
5. When both players are ready, flip the two center cards face up at the same moment and start playing.

On your turn

1. There are no turns. Both players play at the same time, using one hand, one card at a time.
2. Play any card from your hand onto either center pile if it's one rank higher or one rank lower than the top card. On a 7 you can play a 6 or an 8. Suits and colors don't matter.
3. Aces wrap around: a king or a 2 can go on an ace, and an ace can go on a king or a 2.
4. After you play, draw from your draw pile so you hold 5 cards again. You can never hold more than 5 cards.
5. If both players are stuck, each flips the top card of their side pile onto a center pile at the same time, then play resumes. If the side piles run out, shuffle each center pile except its top card and use them as new side piles.
6. If two cards hit the same pile at once, the card that landed first stays. The other player takes their card back.

Scoring

Winning

The first player to get rid of all 20 cards wins. Most people shout "Speed!" and slap the table to claim it. If you're playing a match, add up points after each game and play until someone reaches the target, such as 25 points. There are no ties: someone always runs out first.