About Spades

Spades is one of America's favorite partnership card games, combining the thrill of bidding with strategic trick-taking gameplay. You and your partner work together to win the number of tricks you bid - no more, no less!

The game uses a standard 52-card deck with Spades always as trump. Before each hand, you bid how many tricks you think you can win. Meet your team's combined bid and you score points. Fall short and you're "set" - losing points instead!

The twist? Nil bids let you gamble on winning zero tricks for big bonus points. But beware of bags - overtricks that accumulate and penalize you when they reach 10. Every trick counts in Spades!

How to Play Spades

Spades

Trick-Taking

info Overview

group Players: 2-6 players
flag Objective: First player/team to 500 points wins
star Trump: Spades are always trump
shuffle Dealing: Cards dealt evenly based on player count
first_page First Lead: Player left of dealer leads any non-spade
style Follow Suit: Must follow suit if able
block Lead Restriction: Cannot lead spades until broken

gavel Bidding

123 Bid Range: Each player bids number of tricks they expect to take (0=nil)
do_not_disturb Nil Bid: Bid of 0 - must take no tricks
visibility_off Blind Nil: Bid nil without looking at cards (4 player only)
info Team Bid Minimum: No minimum team bid requirement

star Trump Rules

info Fixed Trump: Spades are always trump

eco Spades Breaking

eco Spades Breaking: Spades cannot be led until broken (played on another suits trick) or player has only spades

scoreboard Scoring

add Making Bid: 10 points per trick bid + 1 point per overtrick (bag)
remove Failing Bid: Lose 10 points per trick bid if under
shopping_bag Bags: Every 10 accumulated overtricks = -100 points

History of Spades

Spades emerged in the United States during the late 1930s and quickly became popular, especially among college students and military personnel during World War II. The game spread through barracks and dorm rooms, creating a devoted following that continues today.

What made Spades revolutionary was its accessibility - unlike Bridge, it requires no complex bidding systems to learn. Yet it offers deep strategic play that rewards communication between partners through the cards they play.

Spades is now one of the most played card games in America, with tournaments, online leagues, and passionate communities keeping the tradition alive.

Strategy Tips

Count your tricks carefully - Before bidding, count your guaranteed winners (high spades, aces) and probable winners
Watch for nil - A nil bid (0 tricks) earns bonus points, but your partner must cover for you
Avoid bags - Overtricks add up; at 10 bags you lose 100 points
Lead through your partner - Force opponents to play before your partner when they have strong cards
Save spades for emergencies - Don't waste trump early; you may need it to win crucial tricks later

Play Spades In Real Life Too!

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Digital Score Tracking

Keep score on your phone while playing with physical cards. No more paper scoresheets or math mistakes!

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Printable Scoresheets

Download custom score sheets, fill them out by hand, then scan them back in with your phone camera to track your stats!

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Track Your Stats

Create a group with friends and track your wins, scores, and rankings over time. See who''s really the best!

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