Last Updated on July 27, 2025 by The Official Game Rules Team

Spades is a classic trick-taking card game typically played by four players in teams of two. The game is played with a standard 52-card deck, and the objective is to win as many tricks as possible by having the highest card in the lead suit or by playing Spades, the trump suit. Before each round, players bid on the number of tricks they expect to win. The team that accurately predicts and wins the most tricks scores points, while failing to meet their bid results in a penalty. The game continues until a team reaches the pre-determined winning score.

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How to Play Spades

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The Deck

Spades is played with a standard 52-card deck. No jokers are used.

Trump Suit

Spades are always the trump suit, outranking all others in every trick.

Card Rankings

Cards are ranked from highest to lowest as follows:
Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2

Objective

The main goal in Spades is to win at least as many tricks as you bid at the start of the hand.

Dealing the Cards

The dealer is chosen randomly for the first hand (usually by high card draw). From there, the deal moves clockwise each round. All 52 cards are dealt one at a time, starting with the player to the dealer’s left. Players then sort their hands by suit.

Bidding Phase

After cards are dealt, each player makes a bid—predicting how many tricks they will win that round. Bidding begins with the player to the dealer’s left and moves clockwise.

• Bids must be at least one; players cannot pass.
• Bidding occurs only once per hand.
• No suit is named in a bid because Spades are always trump.

Gameplay

Gameplay proceeds clockwise starting with the player to the dealer’s left. Each hand consists of 13 tricks.

• Players must follow suit if they can.
• If a player has no cards of the suit led, they may play a spade (trump) or discard another card.
• The trick is won by the highest spade, or if no spades are played, the highest card in the original suit.
• The winner of a trick leads the next one.
• Spades cannot be led unless a spade has already been played in a previous trick or the player has only spades remaining.

Scoring in Spades

Each hand is scored after all 13 tricks are played.

• For every trick a player successfully bid and won, they earn 10 points per trick.
• Any tricks won beyond the bid count as 1 point each (called “bags”).
• Example: A bid of 6 with 8 tricks taken scores 62 points (60 + 2).
• If a player fails to meet their bid, they score zero points for that hand.

Bag Penalty

If a player accumulates 10 bags over multiple rounds, they incur a 100-point penalty. This encourages players to hit their bid exactly rather than overbid consistently.

Keeping Track of Scores

One player serves as scorekeeper. All bids and hand scores should be recorded for transparency. Use a running total to track progress across hands.

Winning the Game

Games are typically played to 500 points (or 200 for shorter games). If players tie at the end, all tied players compete in an extra round to determine the winner.

Notes/Variations

• Breaking Spades: Spades cannot be led until they have been “broken,” which means a player has played a spade when they couldn’t follow suit.
• Blind Nil: A player can bid Blind Nil before looking at their cards, earning a bonus of 200 points if successful or losing 200 points if they win any tricks.
• Reneging: If a player fails to follow suit when they are able to, it is called reneging, and the team loses the round with a penalty (usually the opposing team is awarded the number of tricks the reneging player bid).

Spades is a versatile game that offers a balance of strategy, communication (with your partner), and a bit of luck. With its easy-to-learn rules and exciting gameplay, Spades is a perfect choice for game nights, family gatherings, or whenever you’re looking for a fun and engaging card game experience.