Scoring
- If a team wins the exact amount of tricks they bid, the rewarded points are equal to 10 times their bid.
- If a player/team takes more tricks than they bid, they get additional 1 point for each overtrick (bag). When the team reaches 10 bags, they receive -100 penalty and their bags are reset to 0.
- If a team wins less tricks than they have originally bid, they lose points equal to 10 times their bid.
- If a NIL bet is successful the player gets 100 points, but if it fails the penalty is losing 100 points.
- A successful BLIND NIL scores 200 points, but an unsuccessful one is penalized by 200.
- The team, which reaches 200 points first wins. A team that has -150 points loses.
Spades scoring explained in detail
Differences in other game modes:
Solo
In this mode there are no teams, each player has a separate score and plays for himself. The winner receives the whole prize pool. If there are two or more players with the same score, the cards are dealt again for another round. A successful Nil bid gives 50 points and an unsuccessful one -50 Points. A blind bid cannot be placed. The bag penalty of five bags equals -50 points. This variation is also known as Cutthroat Spades.
Suicide
In this mode, the players play in teams but the difference is that one of the team members must bid Nil while the other has to bid at least 4. There are no Blind Nil Bids.
Whiz
The players must either bid Nil or bid the exact number of spades they possess. Again, no Blind Nil is allowed and the game is played in teams.
Mirror
In teams, each player must announce the exact number of Spades they have. If a player doesn’t have any spades, they must bid Nil. Again, there are no Blind Nil bids.
When playing Spades, it is an advantage to know also the game terminology.
You can read additional information about the game modes on our blog.
More about spades bidding and what you should avoid.
How to play Spades?
You need a standard deck of 52 cards and 4 players to play Spades. The universal rules divide the players into two teams. Each player is dealt 13 cards. Then all four players bid the number of tricks they think they can make. If the team wins at least the number of tricks it initially bid, they score points. The first team to reach a certain amount of points is the winner.
How do you win Spades?
Knowing how many spades are in a deck of cards is not enough for a successful game. In order to win in Spades, you must have a solid strategy, a good understanding of the game, a trustworthy partner, and a bit of luck. Never underbid. Keep making bags to a minimum. Calculate your tricks according to your opponent’s bidding. Train to always be able to tell how many Kings, Queens, and Aces are still left in the game. Winning in Spades requires not only knowledge but a lot of practice.
Do you have to follow suit in spades?
In Spades, if you can follow suit, you are obliged to. If you don’t have a card from the same suit, you are free to play any other suit you want. You are not obliged to play the trump unless it is the led suit.
What is mirror bidding in spades?
Mirror bidding occurs when you play Mirror Spades – a specific mode of the game. In it, your bid is equal to a number of spades you have. You can bid Nil only if you don’t have any Spades.
What is Whiz spades?
Whiz Spades is a game mode of Spades. The scoring and rules are the same, and the only difference is in the bidding phase.
Players have only two options to bid – either bid nil or bid the number of spades in their hand.
Controlling the winning trick
In Pairs, it is vital to manage your tricks successfully and at the same time help your partner. During the game, you have to adjust your play according to your partner’s bid. The critical part is when you should decide to take your partner’s winning trick or not.
Two of Spades
The 2 of Spades is the lowest trump, and if you have it within your cards, it is important to use it (especially when your bid is higher than you can afford). To take advantage of the 2, clean a suit from your cards. The easiest way is to clean the card suit with fewer cards you have.
Game experience
Knowing better the playing style of your partner is an advantage. If you have experience playing Spades, you can capture some signals when your partner leads the trick. When your mate begins with the lowest card, it could mean that this is the weakest suit. If your partner starts with the highest card, this will simplify your strategy and help you understand better how to play the trick.
Learn some terms and tips about Spades card game.
You can read our specific tournament rules here.
