Speed

Speed is a race between two players, here you and the computer, with a standard 52-card pack. Across the middle are two reserves of ten cards face down, with two single cards between them. Each player has a stock of fifteen cards face down and draws a hand of five from it.

The two single cards are turned up to start two centre piles, and the race begins. There are no turns: as fast as you can, play a card from your hand onto either centre pile if it is one rank above or below the top card. Suits don't matter, and the Ace and King are next to each other, so the ranks go round in a circle. Every time you play, your hand is refilled from your stock.

• When neither player can play, a card is turned from each reserve onto the centre piles and the race goes on. If the reserves run out, the centre piles (all but their top cards) are shuffled to make new ones.
• The first player to empty their stock and hand wins the deal and scores a point for every card the other player still has.
• The first player to 25 points wins the game.

• Tap a highlighted card to play it. If it fits both centre piles, the piles light up: tap the one you want.
• New centre cards are turned automatically when neither of you can play.
• The CPU button sets how fast the computer plays in practice games: slow, normal or fast. The daily game is always normal, so everyone races the same opponent.

• Daily: everyone gets the same deals and the same normal-speed opponent each day.
• New Game: a fresh game with new deals, at the CPU speed you choose.

• Look for chains: a 6 then a 7 then an 8 can go down in a burst before the computer reacts.
• Don't wait for the perfect card. Every play refills your hand and gives you new chances.
• Watch both piles. The one the computer isn't using is often your best way to keep going.

Speed is a game of the shedding family and a form of competitive patience, similar to Spit, in which players keep a row of face-up stock piles instead of a hand. Versions differ: according to Wikipedia, the number of cards in the piles can vary, and its description also allows a card of the same rank to be played, which pagat's does not. The rules here follow pagat.com's description: a hand of five, a stock of fifteen and reserves of ten, written in our own words.

Speed is a free browser version of the classic racing card game, played against a computer opponent at the speed you choose, with a daily game and online leaderboards. There's nothing to download and no sign-up.

A free, original browser game on PlayPendium. No download, no install.