Spades is a card game created in the United States during the thirties. Its popularity has transcended borders, making it a beloved game all over the world for its combination of strategy and collaboration.

Aim of the game

The objective of the game is, after having declared a deal, to play the cards to fulfill it. The winner is whoever gets 500 points first or gets their opponents to receive penalties of 200 points.

Playing cards

A standard deck of 52 cards is used (excluding jokers). For each suit, the value of the cards follows this increasing order: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K, Ace.

In all cards, the suit of spades always surpasses the other suits in value.Hearts, clubs and diamonds have the same importance after spades. Thus, the 2 of spades has more value than the Ace of any other suit.

Number of players

Although the game allows two or more players, it is preferably played with four players, forming two pairs.

Gameplay

The game begins with a round of bidding. The bidding is intended to predict the exact number of tricks that they expect to take. A high statement indicates that a certain number of tricks are expected to be won, while a low statement suggests that it is planned to leave those tricks to the opponents.

The suit of the first card played is the dominant one, and the hand can be won by adding a higher card of the same suit or a spades card. The first player is always the one to the left of the dealer, then the game continues clockwise. It is mandatory to answer with cards of the same suit, but if a player does not have any, they can play a card of another suit.

The first player can play the card they prefer. There is only one exception: no player can start a hand with a spades card, unless at least one has already been played or the player only has spades in hand.

The game continues until 13 tricks have been played.

Scoring

When all 13 tricks of a hand have been played, the score is calculated. The points of the two players of each pair are added.

If a team does not fulfill the deal because they have won fewer tricks than they declared, they are penalized with the full value of the deal. Each trick is worth 10 points, so, for example, a contract of six tricks awards 60 points if it is fulfilled, but subtracts 60 points if it is not fulfilled.

If a couple does not fulfill the contract because they have won more tricks than they declared, i.e. they have made additional tricks, they get the value of the deal plus one point for each excess trick. The penalty for not complying with the bidding is to receive a "bag" point for each extra trick performed.

Bag points by themselves have no value, but they accumulate. When a couple accumulates 10 bag points, they are penalized with 100 points. Once the points have been deducted, the 10 bag points are also subtracted.

The contract for a zero tricks declaration can be Nil, with a value of 100 points, or Double Nil, with a value of 200 points. If any trick is won in a Nil or Double Nil declaration, in addition to failing the contract, a bag point is accumulated.

The match is won by the couple who reaches 500 points first. If both pairs exceed 500 points in the same hand, the one who has obtained the most points wins. The game also ends when a team receives a penalty of 200 points or more at the end of a hand.

If there is a draw, the teams continue to play until one of them wins.

Join the fun and challenge your friends in the exciting game of Spades! Prove your strategic skill and obtain victory!