Spades Rules

How to play Spades

To fully understand Spades rules, you need to know how bidding, trick-taking, and scoring work together. Spades is traditionally played by four players split into two teams, with partners sitting opposite each other.

Each round follows the same structure:

• Cards are dealt
• Players place bids
• Tricks are played
• Points are calculated

Spades is always the trump suit, which defines the core strategy of the game.

Setup and preparations

Before starting a game of Spades, make sure everything is set up correctly.

• Players: 4 players (2 teams of 2)
• Deck: Standard 52-card deck
• Teams: Partners sit opposite each other
• Dealing: Each player receives 13 cards
• Trump suit: Spades (always)

No jokers are used in standard Spades rules.

Bidding in Spades

Each round begins with a bidding phase, which is central to the game.

How bidding works

• Each player bids the number of tricks they expect to win
• Bids range from 0 to 13
• A team’s bid is the sum of both players’ bids
• Bids are binding and affect scoring

Bidding accurately is one of the most important skills in Spades.

Nil bids

• A player may bid Nil, meaning zero tricks
• The goal is to avoid winning any tricks
• Successful Nil bids earn a large bonus
• Failed Nil bids result in a significant penalty

Nil bids are often used strategically to swing the score.

Gameplay and trick-taking

After bidding, the trick-taking phase begins.

Basic trick rules

• The player to the dealer’s left leads the first trick
• Players must follow suit if possible
• If unable to follow suit, a player may discard any card
• Spades cannot be played until they are broken

Breaking spades

• Spades are broken when a player plays a spade because they cannot follow suit
• Once broken, spades may be played at any time
• Any spade beats cards of other suits

The highest card of the led suit wins the trick unless a spade is played.

Winning tricks in the Spades card game

• Highest card of the led suit wins the trick
• If spades are played, the highest spade wins
• Ace is the highest card, two is the lowest

All tricks won are counted toward the team’s total.

Scoring according to Spades rules

Points are awarded based on how well a team meets its bid.

Standard scoring

• Making your bid: 10 points per trick bid
• Extra tricks (bags): 1 point each

Bags and penalties

• Each extra trick counts as one bag
• Accumulating 10 bags results in –100 points
• After the penalty, the bag count resets

Nil scoring

• Successful Nil bid: +100 points
• Failed Nil bid: –100 points

How do you win Spades?

A game of Spades is usually played to a target score.

Common winning scores:

• 500 points (standard)
• 300 points for shorter games

The first team to reach the agreed score wins, unless both teams cross the limit in the same round.

Strategies and tips for Spades

Spades is a highly strategic card game where teamwork is essential.

Basic strategy tips

• Pay attention to which spades have been played
• Avoid collecting unnecessary extra tricks
• Support your partner’s Nil bid when possible
• Communicate through card play, not words

Advanced strategy

• Force opponents to break spades early
• Control suits by playing high cards strategically
• Sacrifice tricks to disrupt the opposing team’s bid

Strong coordination between partners often decides the outcome.

Common Spades variations

Many groups play the Spades card game with house rules.

Blind Nil

• A Nil bid made without looking at your cards
• High risk, high reward

Joker Spades

• Two jokers added to the deck
• Jokers outrank all spades

Whiz

• Players must bid exactly the number of spades in their hand

Summary of Spades rules

• Spades is always the trump suit
• Played by two teams of two players
• Players bid the number of tricks they expect to win
• Extra tricks create bags and penalties
• Nil bids can drastically affect scoring
• The first team to reach the target score wins

Spades is a skill-based card game where planning, memory, and teamwork matter far more than luck. Visit Playiro.com for more game rules.