The Sample Games

During the trial period*, 10 sample games are available to play. The sample game number you are currently playing is shown in the status bar at the bottom of your game window. At least 5 of the sample games are winnable.

The coin toss for who goes first, is always random. If you want to play the same sample game and change who goes first, select "Restart Current Game" from the Game Menu.

The Tutorial game (Help Menu, Tutorial) is a winnable game. It is a good place to start learning and to test your skills. You can play out the Tutorial game as many times as you like and you do not need to play it with the tutorial guidance. Just start the Tutorial and after the cards have been dealt, cancel out of the tutorial and continue playing that game on your own. When you can win the Tutorial game, you're on your way to becoming a good Spiteful Bank player!

If you want to make your own test score card, click here and then print out the page. You can save each sample game from the Game Menu and then replay it from the beginning whenever you want (otherwise the next sample game is dealt each time you start a new game). After you restore the saved sample game, to restart it from the beginning, choose "Restart Current Game" from the Game Menu. At that point you will be prompted as to whether you want to switch who goes first.

Here's the break down on the Sample Games:

Sample Game Who went first Who
can Win		 Average
Score		 Tester rating
1 Player Player 48 Moderate
Opponent      
2 Player Player 49 Moderate
Opponent      
3 Player      
Opponent Opponent 36 Difficult
4 Player      
Opponent Opponent 47 Moderate
5 Player      
Opponent Player 35 Difficult
6 Player Player 85 Easy
Opponent      
7 Player      
Opponent Opponent 34 Difficult
8 Player Opponent 31 Very Difficult
Opponent      
9 Player      
Opponent Player 70 Easy
10 Player      
Opponent Player 53 Moderate

PLEASE NOTE: This sample game scorecard has not been completedly updated for Version 4, in which SB's card playing logic was greatly improved. Test scores are for games played with the default "Who Goes First" setting; player with lowest reserve.

Average Score reported gives a good indication as to how easy or difficult the game is. The lowest possible score is 31 points (30 for the win and 1 point for the opponent having only one card left). So if a player won with a score of 85, that would indicate a big win and that the game was fairly easy to win. Having a score in the 30s would indicate that it was struggle for whoever won.

The Tester rating is based upon how the tester felt about how easy or hard it was to win that game. "Easy" means that they won every time they played. "Difficult" or "Moderate" means that they lost that game once. "Impossible" means that they couldn't win.

Who can win is based upon reports from test players who played each sample game at least 4 times (2 with the player going first, 2 with the opponent going first).
Things to remember:
  • Never give up! The game can turn on a dime. You may be behind 20 cards and then in the last 2 moves of the game, you may be able to easily manipulate tableau cards so that you can win.

  • What goes around comes around! While loading your Opponent's Waste pile might feel good, eventually that Waste pile will be turned over and you may have set up your opponent to have a really good run of cards that are playable in sequence to a Center pile.

*After you have purchased the game, the sample games are playable by going to the Help Menu and selecting "Play Next Sample Game." [Back]