Quick Rules
Spades is a partnership card game for four. You and North (a computer partner sitting across from you) play against West and East. Everyone gets 13 cards, and spades are always trump.
- Bid. Each player says how many tricks they expect to take, from 0 to 13. Your bid and your partner's bid add up to your team's bid.
- Nil. You may bid Nil instead: a promise to take no tricks at all, worth 100 points if you make it and −100 if you don't.
- Follow suit. Play a card of the suit that was led if you can. If you can't, you may play a spade to trump, or throw away any other card.
- Winning a trick. The highest spade wins; if no spade was played, the highest card of the suit led wins. The winner leads next.
- Breaking spades. Nobody may lead a spade until a spade has been played on an earlier trick.
- Scoring. Make your team's bid and you score 10 points per trick bid, plus 1 point for each extra trick (a "bag"). Fall short and you lose 10 points per trick bid.
- Bags. Every 10 bags your team collects costs 100 points.
- Winning. The first team to 500 points wins. A team that falls to −200 loses.
Play by different rules at home? Open Settings to play to 300, allow Blind Nil, turn off Nil or the bag penalty, and more. See Spades rule variations for what each one changes.
Tips for Winning at Spades
- Bid what you can count. Aces, kings with company and long spades are your sure tricks. Don't guess high and don't sandbag low.
- Don't take your partner's trick. If North is already winning, play your lowest card and save your winners.
- Make a void. Once you're out of a suit, you can trump it with a small spade.
- Watch the bags. Once your team has made its bid, try to lose the remaining tricks.
- Protect a Nil. If your partner bids Nil, play your high cards early so they can slip their cards underneath.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this Spades game free?
Yes. You can play as many games of Spades as you like for free, with no account, no email and no download.
Does the computer cheat?
No. The computer players, including your partner, can't see anyone else's cards. They only know their own cards, the bids, and every card played so far, the same as you. At the end of every hand, tap Show All Hands to see the cards everyone was dealt. Every game also has a deal number, shown above the table. Tap Replay This Deal, or type the number in Settings, to play the exact same cards again.
How should I bid?
Count your sure tricks: aces, kings with company (a king with at least one other card of its suit), and long spades. A spade suit of five or more usually wins an extra trick for each card over four. The bidding panel always shows a suggested bid you can use or ignore.
What is a Nil bid?
Bidding Nil means you promise to take no tricks at all. If you succeed, your team gets 100 points; if you take even one trick, your team loses 100. Your partner's bid still counts for your team, and your partner will try to protect you by playing high cards.
What are bags?
Bags are tricks your team takes beyond its bid. Each one is worth 1 point, but every time your team collects 10 bags, you lose 100 points. That is why it pays to bid accurately rather than low.
Will my computer partner help me?
Yes. North plays as your partner: it won't take a trick you are already winning, it will try to take tricks your team still needs, and if you bid Nil it plays high cards to cover you. Tap Why? next to any of North's plays to see its reason.
Does the game save my progress?
Yes. Your game is saved in your browser after every bid and card. Close the page and come back later, and you can pick up where you left off on the same device.
Prefer every player for themselves? Try Hearts, the trick-taking game where you try to avoid points instead of winning tricks.
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