Card Games
How to play Spades
Bid accurately and win tricks with your partner.
QUICK ANSWER
How do you play Spades?
Each player bids expected tricks. Play one card and follow the led suit when possible. Spades trump other suits but normally cannot be led until broken. Score teams according to bids, tricks, and agreed bag rules.
Jump to the step-by-step rules ↓EDITOR'S TABLE NOTES
Is Spades a good fit for your group?
This game works especially well for four players who enjoy partnership trick-taking, bidding, and coordinated risk. Before setting up, decide whether that matches the experience your group wants today.
Rules version covered here
This guide uses partnership Spades with spades as permanent trump. Exact sandbag and nil scoring varies, so settle it before the first deal.
QUICK VIDEO GUIDE
Learn Spades in under a minute
About this video
This original mini lesson covers what you need, setup, normal play, the winning condition, and one beginner tip. Continue below for the complete written guide.
INTERACTIVE LEARN-TO-PLAY
Practice Spades before the first round
Walk through the setup, try a sample turn, and get a quick answer when play stalls.
Form two partnerships with partners opposite.
Deal thirteen cards to every player.
Playable example turn
Step 1 of 4
Each player bids expected tricks.
What should we do now?
Start with this action: Each player bids expected tricks.
Scoring and winning
Score teams according to bids, tricks, and agreed bag rules.
Common dispute to prevent
Overbidding weak hands. Agree on any edition-specific variation before the first turn.
The objective
Your goal is to bid accurately and win tricks with your partner. Before play begins, make sure every player can explain how the game ends and what determines the winner. That one check prevents many mid-game disagreements.
What you need
A standard 52-card deck. Lay out every required item before teaching the rules. If pieces, cards, controllers, or play space are missing, resolve that before the practice turn.
How to set up
- Form two partnerships with partners opposite.
- Deal thirteen cards to every player.
Setup check: Ask one player who did not arrange the game to compare the table, field, or screen with these steps. A fresh look often catches an incorrect starting position.
How to play: step by step
- Each player bids expected tricks.
- Play one card and follow the led suit when possible.
- Spades trump other suits but normally cannot be led until broken.
- Score teams according to bids, tricks, and agreed bag rules.
Example first round
Your team bids six total tricks. If it wins seven, it makes the contract for 60 points and records one overtrick under common scoring. Winning only five means a 60-point penalty.
How scoring and winning work
- A successful team normally earns ten points per bid trick plus one per overtrick.
- A failed contract normally loses ten points per bid trick.
- Nil and sandbag rules should be announced because scoring conventions differ.
Useful variations
- Play without nil bids while teaching.
- Use individual Cutthroat Spades with three players.
- Add a ten-bag penalty only after everyone understands ordinary bidding.
Beginner strategies
- Give partner useful information through careful play.
- Count high spades as they appear.
Choose one of these ideas for the first game instead of trying to remember every strategy at once. Afterward, identify one decision that changed the result and one move you would test next time.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Overbidding weak hands.
- Trumping a trick your partner is already winning.
If an illegal move is discovered, pause and agree on the least disruptive correction. For casual play, consistency and a shared understanding matter more than reconstructing many turns.
Frequently asked questions
What is a bag?
A trick won beyond the team's bid.
Can a player bid zero?
Many versions allow a nil bid.
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