The card game spades rules

How to play the spades card game

Spades is a trick-taking game played by two to five players generally with four players in two teams sitting opposite of each other. Spades are always the highest value suit or trump, and cards are valued from highest to lowest: A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2.

Dealers are chosen by each player taking a card from a shuffled deck, the highest card winning. In the following rounds, the person to the left of the dealer always deals next. To start, shuffle cards and deal all to players, so that each player has 13 cards.

Bid on the number of tricks—always between 4 and 13—you think you can win. Bid Blind nil for the times when you think you cannot catch a single trick. Remember the number of tricks your opponents bid, because your goal is to keep them from getting any; unless they’ve bid blind nil, make them take a trick. Bid intelligently by taking account your partner’s bid, for Spades is a game of communication as well as skill. All bids should be written down before main play begins. Each player is responsible for his own bid, and if a team doesn’t make bid, the team is punished.

If one of the teams is behind by 100 points or more, either player on the trailing team can bid nil before looking at his hand. This is called a blind nil. After bidding is completed for the round, the player who bid blind nil passes two cards of his choice to his partner. His partner will incorporate those two cards into her hand, then pass two cards of her choice to him.

Play begins with the person to the left of the dealer playing the first card. The first player should play the highest card of a lowest suit to get early tricks. If another player cannot follow suit, any card may be played. A spade can only be led when a spade has been previously played. Remember which cards are played early in the game, that way you can play off your partners’ strengths and vie versa.

Score 10 times the bid for the team that took as many tricks as bid, plus one extra point for additional tricks made. Score 50 points for each successful nil bidder, plus the score that was won or lost by the teammate. Score 100 points for each successful blind nil bidder, plus the score won or lost by the teammate.

Deduct 10 points for each trick that was taken by the team that did not make its bid. Deduct 50 points for each failed nil bid, and 100 points for each failed blind nil bid.

The game ends when one team or person reaches 500 points. If either teams or persons reach 500 on the same hand, the highest score wins.

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