The Card Room · Medium
How to play Spades
A team game of bids and tricks. Spades always win: bid exactly what you can take.
- 4 players, 2 teams
- 52 cards
- 20–40 min
- Medium
“Spades are trumps. Fast, sharp, a bit like me.”
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The goal
With your partner, win at least the number of tricks your team bid. Spades are always trump. The first team to 500 points wins.
Setting up
- Partners sit across from each other. Deal 13 cards to each player.
- Each player bids how many tricks they expect to take; partners' bids add up to the team bid.
A turn, step by step
Lead. The player left of the dealer leads. Spades can't be led until a spade has been played ("broken").
Follow suit. Play a card of the suit led if you can.
Trump or discard. With none of that suit, play a spade to trump, or discard any other card.
Win the trick. The highest spade wins; with no spade, the highest card of the suit led.
Score. Make your bid: 10 points per trick bid, +1 for each extra trick (a bag). Miss it: −10 per trick bid. Every 10 bags cost 100 points.
Beginner mistakes
- ✗ Overbidding
- Count sure tricks: high spades and Aces. Kings and Queens in short suits are only maybes.
- ✗ Trumping your partner
- If your partner is already winning the trick, don't spend a spade on it.
- ✗ Collecting bags
- Extra tricks add up. Once your bid is safe, duck when you can.
- ✗ Leading spades too early
- Pulling spades early can strip your partner's trumps. Lead your strong side suits first.
Find the best move
Three real situations. Pick a move, then read why it works.
Best move 1/3
Make a bid
Spades
Hearts
Diamonds
Clubs
How many tricks do you bid?
Best move 2/3
Partner's trick
The trick so far (diamonds led)
Your hand (no diamonds)
Your partner played the A♦ and is winning. What do you play?
Best move 3/3
Bid made
Team bid / tricks taken
Your hand
Trick so far (hearts led)
Your team already has its 5 tricks. You can win this trick with the K♥ or duck. What do you do?
Frequently asked questions
What is a nil bid?
Bidding nil means you promise to take zero tricks. Succeed for +100, fail for −100; your partner's bid stands alone.
Can I lead spades on the first trick?
Not until spades are broken, unless your hand has only spades left.
Do Jokers play in Spades?
Some variants add two Jokers as the highest trumps. Standard Spades uses a plain 52-card deck.
Sponsored · doesn't affect scores
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