The game is commonly played in person at gatherings and get-togethers, but when you step up to play Spades online, you’re in for limitless fun and opportunities to sharpen your wits. This four-player trick-taking card game has been enjoyed since the 1930s, and like other browser-based games on this site, you can play it completely for free.
If you’re new to the game, this text will help you hit the ground running. If you already know how to play but are searching for tips, you’re in the right place!
How to Play Spades
The goal of Spades is for a team to be the first to reach or breach 500 points, playing however many rounds it takes to reach that point. Playing Spades online, you’ll be paired with an AI partner and play against the computer. The following is a quick run-down of how the game is played.
Dealing
Most often, Spades is a four-player game, and the cards are dealt one at a time face down until the entire deck has been dispersed (13 cards each when Jokers are removed). Hands are not to be revealed to other players. After everyone has had a look at their cards, each player needs to make a guess (or a bid) at how many tricks they’ll be able to take.
What are Tricks?
When all four players have placed a single card face-up, that is called a trick. Whoever is to the dealer’s left places a non-Spade card face-up to get the trick going, and the rest of the players take turns placing cards of the same suit (if possible). If your card is greater than the others placed, you’ve won the trick and can collect the book (the book is all four played cards).
Bidding Tricks
All players have to make a bid about how many tricks they will take. Your score will be affected depending on whether you collect over or under the bid amount. Bidding amounts can range from nil to 13.
Rules of the Spades Card Game
Now that you have the flavor of what’s going on with the game, here is a list of the rules you’ll need to know to get the most out of your experience.
- Spades are played with two teams of two, with teammates sitting across each other.
- Ultimately, there are two major parts to the game of Spades. Bidding and playing tricks.
- After receiving your cards, determine how many tricks you believe you’ll win per hand. After, select how many you’ve chosen, and further play will begin.
- The player who goes first leads by selecting a card of any suit other than a Spade and laying it down face up to kick off the trick. Players lay cards of the same suit down face up, taking turns clockwise until all players have played one card.
- Whoever places in the highest valued card of the same suit wins the trick and can lead the next trick with any card or suit of their choice.
Note: Aces cannot be played until a player runs out of a suit at play. For example, if the trick begins with hearts and you’re out of hearts, you can break in with a spade card to trump the other suits and win the hand. In other words, a 2 of spades can trump any other card played of a different suit. Anyone can play their spades beyond this point.
- 13 rounds are played per hand. When all rounds have been played, scores are then tallied. You score no points if you take in fewer tricks than you’ve bid. You get points if you collect equal to or over the number of tricks you’ve placed the bid on.
- Hands are redealt, and rounds continue until a team is the first to reach 500 points.
Scoring
Ten points are awarded for every trick a player has won. This assumes that they’ve either reached or surpassed their bid. Players score 1 point for every trick taken that exceeds the bid.
Since this is a team game, both players must match or exceed their bid. If one of the two comes up short, that team scores 0 points.
Spades Strategy & Tips:
In terms of gameplay, it is wise to remember that you have a partner and need to keep an eye on how they’re doing to avoid trumping their bid and ruining the team’s score. As you progress and improve at the game, always keep your partner in mind.
How to Make a Good Guess for a Bid
Aces and face cards are a decent indicator of how many tricks you could win if you play them right. An abundance of spades could also cause you to win some tricks at some point in the hand as well. If you’ve wound up being dealt a hand of lower-numbered cards with few spades, your chances are low to win a lot of tricks, making it better to select a low number to bid.
Overtricks: Bags Penalty
A “Bag” is any trick won beyond what the player bid as well as the team’s total bid. One point is scored for each of these bags up to a team total of 9. 10 or more accrues a penalty, which will cost the team 100 points.
Having a Good Memory
Having a good memory can help you to win some tricks. Knowing what cards have been played can help you assess whether or not you would have the highest remaining card in a suit.