How to Play Spades: Rules, Scoring, and Strategy for Beginners

If you’re looking for a fun, competitive card game that only requires a standard 52-card deck, Spades is a classic. Popular in living rooms, college dorms, and online platforms, Spades is easy to learn but offers endless room for strategy. This guide covers the rules of Spades, scoring system, and tips to get started so you can confidently play your next game night.

What Is Spades?

Spades is a trick-taking card game usually played with four players in teams of two. Like Hearts or Bridge, the game revolves around winning “tricks”—rounds where each player lays down one card. The unique twist is that spades are always trump, which means they outrank every other suit.

The goal is to be the first team to score 500 points (though shorter games can use a lower target).

Spades Setup

• Players: 4 (two teams of two).
• Deck: Standard 52 cards, no jokers.
• Deal: Each player gets 13 cards.
• Card order: Ace high, then King, Queen, Jack, down to 2.
• Partners sit across from each other.

Bidding in Spades

After the deal, players estimate how many tricks they can win and place a bid.

• Each team’s bids are combined into a contract.
• Example: You bid 3, your partner bids 4 → team contract is 7 tricks.
• A Nil bid means you’re aiming to win zero tricks. A successful Nil scores +100 points, but if you win even one trick, it’s -100 points.

How to Play Spades

• The player to the dealer’s left leads the first trick.
• You must follow suit if possible.
• If you can’t, you may play another suit.
• Spades are trump, but they can’t be led until a player is forced to play one (called “breaking spades”).
• The trick is won by the highest card in the suit led, unless a spade is played—then the highest spade wins.
• The winner of each trick leads the next one.

Scoring in Spades

At the end of each round, teams add up their tricks:

• Meeting the bid = 10 points per trick bid.
  • Example: Bid 7, win 7 → 70 points.
• Extra tricks (bags) = +1 point each. But beware: 10 bags = -100 points.
• Missing the bid = -10 points per trick bid.
• Nil success = +100 points, Nil fail = -100 points.

Why Spades Is Worth Playing

Spades strikes a balance between luck and strategy. Do you bid conservatively to avoid penalties, or take risks for higher points? How well can you read your partner and outthink your opponents?

This mix of teamwork, bluffing, and calculated risk makes Spades one of the most enduring classic card games in the world. Whether you’re playing around the kitchen table or online, Spades keeps the competition sharp and the fun rolling.

Final Thoughts

Now that you know the rules of Spades, how to bid, and how scoring works, grab a deck of cards and try it with friends or family. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll see why Spades has stayed popular for generations.