Spades Rules & Scoring
Game Rules and Basics
How many players do you need?
Standard Spades is played with four players divided into two partnerships, with partners sitting across from each other.
Are spades always the trump suit?
Yes, spades permanently outrank all other suits in the deck regardless of what suit is led.
What is the ranking of the cards?
Ace is the highest card, followed by King, Queen, Jack, down to the 2 as the lowest.
Can you lead with a spade on the first trick?
No. Spades cannot be led until "broken"—meaning a spade has previously been played on a different suit because a player was void.
Bidding and Strategy
How does bidding work?
Each player looks at their hand and states how many tricks they expect to win. Teammates add their individual bids together to form a combined team contract.
What is a "Nil" bid?
A Nil bid is a declaration by a player that they will win zero tricks during the hand, worth 100 bonus points if successful or a 100-point penalty if they take even one trick.
Should I always play my highest card when taking a trick?
Not always. Playing high unnecessarily risks wasting high-value cards or collecting unwanted overtricks early.
Scoring and Penalties
How do you score regular tricks?
If a team makes their combined bid, they earn 10 points for each trick bid. Failing to meet the bid subtracts 10 points per trick bid.
What are "sandbags" (overtricks)?
Extra tricks won above your team's bid are recorded as bags (1 point each). Accumulating 10 bags results in a 100-point penalty deduction.
What score wins the game?
The game typically ends when a team reaches a total cumulative score of 500 points.