It is often prudent to save a joker in one's hand for when one is otherwise out of options or for when it would act as a missing link for a long string of moves.
It is, of course, possible to have more than four players in a single game, but the playing field quickly becomes confusing and muddled simply because of the distance and amount of action.
[citation needed] California Spit is a fast-paced shedding card game that has the added bonus of shuffling the deck.
The two players sit at opposite sides of a horizontal playing surface.
This requires that players pay attention to the cards they are laying down on the pile.
When there are no more groups of cards remaining, each player scoops up the four piles directly in front of them and places them face down on the bottom of his or her deck.
In Speed each player holds up to five cards, and has one stock pile, face down.
The game starts with each player simultaneously turning over the card in their Spit Pile.
Subsequent played cards are placed face up on either of these Spit Piles, in ascending or descending order (with aces fitting next to both kings and twos).
In Speed cards are played from the hand, which is replenished from the player's stock pile.
(In both games the replenishment of the hand or stock piles is not necessarily done immediately.)
The game is won by the first player to get rid of their stock cards (and, in Speed, their hand).
Strategy in Speed is limited by the fact that players must attempt to play everything they have in their hands, but there are many tricks that can help slow an opponent or speed the process of getting rid of cards.
Each card in the game must be played individually, this may be a disadvantage to some, however can prove to be advantageous.
If both options are available, it is best to "explore" the former, by playing a card, then drawing back up to five to see if more moves can be made.
It is common to attempt to distract an opponent by making conversation or announcing one's moves aloud as they are made.