Spades: Rules and How to Play
Spades is a four-player partnership card game that takes about 30 minutes. Bid the tricks your side will take, then take exactly that many. Free. In-browser. No account.
What is Spades? How you win
Spades is a trick-taking card game for four players in two partnerships. Each deal starts with every player bidding how many tricks they will take; the more exactly your side makes its bid, the better you score. Spades are always trumps. The first side to reach the target (500 by default) wins.
Setting up Spades: partners and the deal
- Four players. You partner the player sitting opposite (empty seats are filled by the computer on this site).
- Deal all 52 cards (no jokers), 13 to each player. The deal passes to the left each hand. The dealer rotates clockwise, and bidding and play also go clockwise.
How to play Spades: bidding and playing cards
- Starting left of the dealer, each player bids how many tricks they expect to take (zero is nil).
- The player left of the dealer leads to the first trick. Others must follow suit if they can; otherwise they may play any card.
- Spades are always trumps and beat every other suit. Spades cannot be led until a spade has been played (spades are broken), unless you hold nothing but spades.
- When all four have played, the highest spade wins the trick, or if there is none, the highest card of the suit led. The winner leads next. Aces are high and twos are low.
Bidding in Spades, and nil
Starting left of the dealer, each player bids from 1 to 13 tricks. The two bids of a partnership add up to that side's contract.
- There is no passing: everybody bids.
- Bidding nil means taking no tricks at all. It scores 100 if you succeed and loses 100 if you take even one. Your partner still tries to make their own bid.
- Blind nil (a party setting) is a nil bid made before looking at your cards, worth ±200. Only a side at least 100 points behind may bid it, and the bidder then swaps two cards with their partner.
Spades scoring and the end of the game
- Take at least your side's bid for ten points per trick bid plus one point per overtrick (bag). Fall short and lose ten points per trick bid.
- Nil scores +100 when made and −100 when failed. Every ten bags cost 100 points.
- The game ends with the deal in which a side reaches 500; the higher score wins. If the scores are tied, play another deal. By default a side that falls to −200 or lower loses at once.
How Spades is scored (what bags are)
At the end of each deal, each side scores together. Take at least your contract to score ten points per trick bid; fall short and lose ten points per trick bid.
| Result | Score |
|---|---|
| Made the contract exactly (bid 5, took 5) | +50 |
| Overtricks (bid 5, took 7) | +50 and two bags (+2) |
| Set (bid 5, took 4) | −50 |
| Nil made / failed | +100 / −100 |
| Ten bags accumulated | −100 (the rest carry over) |
- Each overtrick is a bag worth one point, but every ten bags cost 100 points. Making your bid exactly is the strongest result.
- Tricks taken by a nil bidder do not count toward the partner's bid; they count as bags.
Defaults on this site
| Item | Default on this site |
|---|---|
| Players | 4 players (set automatically by the party size) |
| Turn time limit | None by default (the host can set 30 or 60 seconds) |
| If someone drops mid-game | Reopening on the same device returns you to your seat. If you do not return, the CPU plays in your place. |
| Draws | In ranked play, a draw counts as halfway between a win and a loss for your rating. |
| Source of the rules | Based on the standard reference rules |
Rules supervised by Qdan, Inc. (based on the standard reference rules)
Spades house rules (settings on this site)
Defaults follow the standard reference rules. The party can change these.
| Name | Description | Default | Changeable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Target score | The game ends with the deal in which a side reaches this score; the higher side wins. | 500 | Yes |
| Bag penaltyBag penaltyBags are tricks your side takes beyond its bid; each is worth 1 point. With this rule, every ten bags cost 100 points, so you need to bid accurately rather than take extra. Without it, taking more than you bid does no harm. | Every ten overtricks (bags) cost 100 points. | On | Yes |
| Blind nilBlind nilNil is a bid to take no tricks yourself. Blind nil is a nil bid made before looking at your cards: +200 if you take none, −200 if you take any, double an ordinary nil (±100). It is a comeback move for a side that is well behind. | A player whose side is 100+ points behind may bid nil without looking (±200), then swaps two cards with their partner. | Off | Yes |
| Lose at −200Lose at −200A side that keeps missing its bids can sink further and further below zero. With this rule, the game ends as soon as a side falls to −200 or lower, and the higher side wins. It cuts short games that have become one-sided. | A side that falls to −200 or lower loses at once. | On | Yes |
| First leadFirst leadWith left of the dealer, that player may lead any card (spades only if they have no other suit). With the ♣2, whoever holds it must lead it, just as in Hearts. | Who leads to the first trick of each deal. | Left of the dealer | Yes |
Spades terms
- Trick
- One round of four cards, one from each player. The highest card takes it.
- Bid
- How many tricks you expect to take this deal. Partners' bids add up to the side's contract.
- Nil
- A bid to take no tricks at all. Worth 100 points if made.
- Bag
- A trick taken beyond your bid. One point each, but ten of them cost 100.
- Breaking spades
- The first time anyone plays a spade. Until then spades cannot be led.
Spades rules FAQ
How is it different from Hearts?
In Hearts you avoid taking point cards. In Spades you bid a number of tricks and try to take exactly that many, spades are always trumps, and you score as a partnership.
Can we take more tricks than we bid?
Yes — the contract is made and every extra trick is a bag worth one point. But ten bags cost 100 points, so exact bids are best.
When can spades be played?
You may trump with a spade whenever you cannot follow suit. You may lead a spade only after spades are broken, or when you have nothing else.
What happens if nil fails?
The side loses 100. Tricks taken by the nil bidder do not count toward the partner's bid; they become bags.
Play now with these rules
Last updated 2026-09-25 · Run by Qdan, Inc.