Spades for Four Players

The four players are in fixed partnerships, with partners sitting opposite each other. Deal and play are clockwise. A standard pack of 52 cards is used. The cards, in each suit, rank from highest to lowest: A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.

Spades Rules

Deal

The first dealer is chosen at random, and the turn to deal rotates clockwise. The cards are shuffled and then dealt singly, in clockwise order beginning with the player on dealer's left, until all 52 cards have been dealt and everyone has 13.

Bidding

In Spades, all four players bid a number of tricks. Each team adds together the bids of the two partners, and the total is the number of tricks that team must try to win in order to get a positive score. The bidding begins with the player to dealer's left and continues clockwise around the table.

Everyone must bid a number, and in theory any number from 0 to 13 is allowed. Unlike other games with bidding, there is no requirement for each bid to be higher than the last one, and players are not allowed to pass. There is no second round of bidding.

Optionally, individual team members can be given an Naught bid which states that the player will attempt to take no tricks. In addition to other bids, teams have the option of making bonus bids of Little Bemo (claiming the team will take the first six tricks) or Big Bemo (the first nine tricks).

Playing Spades

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After bidding but before play, the player holding the two of clubs drops any two cards. After the drop any team with an individual going Naught must exchange one card between the team members. Any team going Double-Naught exchanges two cards between the members. (Team members can exchange cards after the bidding is finished for the team, but it is advisable to wait until the other team has finished bidding).

The play of a hand consists of thirteen tricks. The first card of the first trick is played by the player to the left of the dealer. Successive tricks are started by the winner of the previous trick. Play for each trick continues around to the left. Each player must play the same suit as the first card of the trick, if any remain in that player's hand. If no cards remain in that suit then any card may be played. The winner of a trick is the player who threw the highest spade, or the highest card of the suit led if no spades were played.

When the Big Joker is the first card played in a trick, the opponents must play the highest spade in their hand. When the Little Joker is the first card played in a trick, the opponents must play the lowest spade in their hand.

Scoring Spades Rules

Scoring is based on the number of tricks taken by teams and individuals. Score 10 times the bid for the team that took as many tricks as bid, plus one extra point for each additional trick or sandbag. 50 points for the successful nil bidder, plus the score won or lost by the partner for tricks made. 100 points for the successful blind nil bidder, plus the score won or lost by the partner for tricks made. Deduct 10 points for each trick taken by the team that did not make its bid. Deduct 50 points for the failed nil bid, plus the score won or lost by the partner for tricks made. Deduct 100 points for the failed blind nil bid, plus the score won or lost by the partner for tricks made.

Winning

The game ends when any team has a score of five hundred or more after the scoring of a hand (including all over-trick penalties). If the score is tied another hand is played. The winner of the game is the team with the highest score when game ends.

Variations

Spades rules for 6 players: it is played with 3 teams of 2, partners sitting opposite. A 102 card deck is used, consisting of two standard 52 card decks mixed together with both twos of clubs removed. The bidding and scoring are the same as in the 4 player spades rules, and similar variations are possible. In the play, if two identical cards are played to the same trick, the second beats the first.

Spades rules for 3 players: There are no partnerships. One standard 52 card pack is used. Deal 17 cards to each player. The remaining card is tossed out of play for that particular game.