Spades Rules
Classic four-player partnership Spades (trick-taking). These rules follow the common modern version described on Pagat. You and a computer partner play against two computer opponents. No login or download.
Overview
Four-player partnership trick-taking game. Spades are always trump. Teams bid how many tricks they will win, then play 13 tricks per hand. First team to 500 points wins.
Players and teams
- 4 players — fixed partnerships (you + partner vs two opponents)
- 13 cards each per hand
- Standard 52-card deck
You sit across from your partner. Your team’s bid is the sum of both partners’ bids. Tricks won by either partner count toward the team total.
Bidding
Before play, each player bids how many tricks they expect to win (0–13). Your team’s contract is the sum of both partners’ bids. You need at least that many combined tricks to score positively for the hand.
Bidding is clockwise. In most games, the player to the dealer’s left bids first and the dealer bids last.
A bid of 0 is called Nil: you are declaring that you will take no tricks. A successful Nil is worth +100 points to your partnership; a failed Nil is −100 points. (The rest of the team’s bid still scores normally.)
Playing tricks
Spades beat all other suits. If no spade is played, the highest card of the led suit wins.
You must follow the led suit if you can. If you cannot, you may play any card, including a spade.
You may not lead a spade until spades have been broken — a spade was played on a trick led in another suit. If you only have spades, you may lead them.
Scoring
- Make bid: 10 points × team bid, plus 1 per overtrick (sandbag)
- Miss bid: −10 points × team bid
- Each trick over your team bid is a sandbag (+1 point). Every 10 sandbags costs your team 100 points.
- A bid of 0 is called Nil: you are declaring that you will take no tricks. A successful Nil is worth +100 points to your partnership; a failed Nil is −100 points. (The rest of the team’s bid still scores normally.)
First team to reach 500 points wins. A team at -200 or below loses the match immediately.
Examples
Bidding
You bid 4, your partner bids 3 — your team must take at least 7 tricks combined to score.
Making bid
Team bid 7, team takes 7 tricks → 70 points (10 × bid).
Sandbag
Team bid 7, team takes 9 tricks → 72 points (70 + 2 sandbags).
Nil scoring
You bid Nil (0) and take 0 tricks → +100 bonus for your team. If you take any trick, Nil fails → −100 penalty.
Failing bid
Team bid 7, team takes 5 tricks → −70 points.
Frequently asked questions
- How do you win at Spades?
- First partnership to 500 points wins the match.
- Can you lead spades?
- Usually no — you can’t lead spades until spades have been broken (a spade was played on a trick led in another suit). If you only have spades left, you may lead them.
- Are spades always trump?
- Yes. Any spade beats the highest card of another suit on a trick.
- What does it mean that spades are trump?
- Trump means spades beat every other suit. If any spade is played on a trick, the highest spade wins that trick.
- How does bidding work?
- Each player bids 0–13 tricks. Your team’s target is the sum of your bid and your partner’s bid.
- What is Nil in Spades?
- Nil is a bid of 0 tricks. You are declaring you will take no tricks. If you succeed your team gains 100 points; if you take any trick your team loses 100 points.
- Do Nil tricks count toward the team bid?
- In these rules: tricks taken by the Nil bidder do not count toward the partnership contract, but they do count as sandbags (overtricks) for the team.
- What are sandbags?
- Each trick over your team bid is a sandbag (+1 point). Every 10 sandbags costs your team 100 points.
- How many points is a bag in Spades?
- Each overtrick above your partnership bid is 1 point (a sandbag). Every 10 sandbags costs 100 points.
- Can I play Spades free online?
- Yes. Play partnership Spades vs computer opponents in your browser — no account required.