How to play Spades

Objective

Make the partnership's combined bid while managing overtricks.

Setup

1. 1

   Partners sit opposite and receive 13 cards each.

2. 2

   Each player bids the number of tricks expected. Add partners' bids.

How play works

1. 1

   Lead any permitted non-spade card. Follow suit when possible.

2. 2

   Spades trump other suits and normally cannot be led until broken.

3. 3

   The highest card of the led suit, or highest spade, wins.

Scoring and winning

1. 1

   A made contract scores 10 points per bid trick plus 1 per overtrick.

2. 2

   A failed contract loses 10 points per bid trick. Common rules penalize accumulating ten bags.

Rules to settle before play

1. 1

   Agree on nil, blind nil, and game target rules.

2. 2

   A common target is 500 points.