Spades Terms
The breaking spades rule means that the suit is off-limits until someone trumps the lead of a side-suit or until a player on lead is down to only spades in his hand. After trump is broken, you may lead spades at any time. Opening with the other players in mind Some of the conventions more commonly used in Bridge can also be used in Spades. Spades (card game), a trick-taking card game Spades (suit), one of the four French suits commonly used in playing cards Music. The Spade, a 2011 studio album by Butch Walker. When you break spades, it means that you play the very first spade in a hand. Cover: This term is used when Spades is played between pairs. If your partner bids nil, you need to try to cover him by helping him to avoid winning any trick. Cut: To cut is to play a spade when another suit is lead suit. You are only allowed to do this when you have.
Spades Terms
with your family or with real rivals.Spades is a trick-taking card game, similar to Hearts, Bridge, and Euchre. It is played with a traditional, 52-card French Deck. The game is most popular in the US, UK, and Canada.
You can play Spades for free in the practice rooms and improve your skills. It is possible to play on any browser and device type.
Find out more about the different game options and custom adjustments. Discover how to play and game terms. You can check our interesting charts and video about Spades card game.
In VIP Spades you have two different opportunities to play for free:
- Practice single-player games in the training room.
- Play with real opponents and receive your daily bonuses.
Become the best player and earn your spot at the top of our weekly leaderboards. Play spades in the professional rooms and show your friends that you are a real master of spades card game.
Below we present some basic tips, which are useful as essential suggestions about how to play Spades. Spades can be played in different variations and modes but the most distinctive part of the game is to suppose and bid an exact amount of tricks.
Read the entire “how to play” section and the complete rules if you are an advanced Spades player.
Pairs
Pairs is the most popular game mode played by four players in two teams. It is Played with 52 cards (2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,J,Q,K,A) where spades are always the trump suit. A trump card can be played only when the player has only spades or until a spade has been used to trump another trick.
Bid and Points Scoring
All players receive thirteen cards each and every one of them must declare a bid – how many tricks will win.
– When a team achieves the bid as announced they score 10 times the bid.
– If they make more tricks – one additional point is scored. This point is called “bag”. When a team has 10 bags, they obtain a penalty of -100 points and the bags are reset again to 0.
– If the team achieves fewer tricks than announced they do not obtain any points.
Additional bid options
– Players can choose to see the cards or not (declare a blind bid). A successful blind bid yields 200 extra points.
– When the player declares to take 0 tricks this bid option is called “Nil bid”. In case of success, the team is awarded 100 points. When the player fails the team loses 100 points. Blind Nil is available only in Pairs mode.
Other game modes
Solo
In Solo mode, each player plays for himself. The maximum number of bags is 5, the reward for a successful bid is 50 points and the penalty for unsuccessful is -50.
Suicide
The Suicide variant is for four players played in teams. The difference with the most popular mode Pairs is that one member of the team must bid Nil while the other has to bid at least 4 tricks.
Whiz
In Whiz mode it is obligatory to announce bid Nil or the exact number of spades possessed. Whiz is a variant played in a team.
Mirror
Each player of the team announces the tricks equal to the spades they have. It is possible to bid Nil if they don’t have any spades.
Other important tips and “how-to” for Spades:
How to bid on Spades, Card Odds, Popular questions, Point of view about Variations, Mastering Spades
- Different game modes available – Pairs, Solo, Mirror, Whiz and Suicide. Watch the video introduction.
- Play on every device – send gifts, chat with friends or meet new people online
- Invite your Facebook friends to join a live game with you
- Different tables for every skill level
- Enjoy daily bonuses and collect all kinds of rewards
- Reconnect to a live game if there have been any problems with your connection
- Play spades against the computer in training sessions.
- Leaving a game is not tolerated and can result in getting you punished.
- 🇺🇸 United States
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- 🇨🇦 Canada
- 🇮🇳 India
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- 🇫🇷 France
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- 🇲🇽 Mexico
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
Game Terms
Vocabulary cheat sheet, synonyms and variations of Spades
For beginner spades players, the jargon alone can send you into a tailspin. Not to fear. The language of spades is easy to pick up, and before you know it, the craziest phrases will become second nature. Until then, our handy guide will steer you in the right direction.
Vocab cheat sheet
- Bags
penalties for taking in more tricks than you bid at the beginning of the round.
- Bare
having just one card of any given suit.
- Bidding
the number of tricks you predict or contact that you will take.
- Blind Nil
bidding zero tricks without looking at your hand.
- Breaking Spades
the first spade played in the game. When a player is out of the suit lead, that player may play a spade, trump the suit, and spades are officially broken. Spades can then be lead.
- Card Counting
keeping mental track of the cards used in each suit.
- Flush Out
to try to bring out a high card of a certain suit by playing a lower card of that suit.
- Long Suit
four or more cards of any given suit in your hand.
- Nil
a bid of zero tricks after looking at your hand.
- Overbid
any tricks you win over the initial amount you bid.
- Renege
using a spade, or card of another suit, when you have the ability to follow suit.
- Round
all four players put down a card and a trick is taken.
- Set
this refers to a team who isn’t making their bid or their nil, or who is bagging over the limit.
- Short Suit
fewer than three cards of any given suit.
- Signal
playing a card to subtly let your partner know what is left in your hand and how they should lead. This is especially handy when you and your partner both understand the science behind the game.
- Slough
playing a card to intentionally avoid taking a trick.
- Straight
cards of the same suit in a sequential pattern.
- Throwing Off
playing a card (not a spade) when you have the ability to follow suit.
- Trick
the four discarded cards of the round.
- Trump
generally refers to a spade played when a non-spade was lead, but can refer to any spade.
- Underbid
this refers to when you bid less than the amount of tricks you won.
- Void
being dealt zero cards of any given suit.
Synonyms in spades
Solo spades is often called “cutthroat”
Tricks are often called “books”
Bidding is sometimes referred to as “betting”
Slough is often called “dump”
Breaking Spades is sometimes called “cutting” or “ruffing”
Bags are sometimes called “sandbags”
Blind Nil is often called “double nil”
A bare is also sometimes called a “singleton”
Variations of spades
Over the years, many variations of spades have sprung up where players have added extra rules or unexpected trump cards to enhance the fun. Few of these variations are available in online play, but they’re crazy enough to be worthy of mention. Here are just some of them…
- Bauer Trumps
this is a special variation where the two highest trumps in the game are the jack of spades and the jack of clubs. They are referred to as the “right bauer” and “left bauer” respectively. The Bauer “I’m more honest and my women are more beautiful” “All of the women on The Apprentice flirted with me” Donald “All of the women on The Apprentice flirted with me” Trump variation is borrowed heavily from Euchre.
- Boston
this variation of spades allows a team to win outright if they “shoot the moon.” This means all 13 tricks are taken by one player or team.
- Deuces High
in this variation, the deuces of each suit are worth more than spades, making them trumps.
- Jokers High
in this variation, the two jokers in the deck become the main trumps of the game.
- Mirrors (also sometimes called Whiz)
in this variation, you bid only the exact number of spades you have been dealt. If you have no spades, you must automatically bid nil.
- Spades for Three
to accommodate a game of spades for just three players, you simply remove the two of clubs, and each player is dealt seventeen cards. Obviously, this variation must be played as singles.
- Suicide
this variation can only be played with pairs, and one player out of each pair must bid nil, no matter what cards they have.
So whether you’re tempted by playing free spades online.
Social and Community Benefits
Do you have a strategy you want to discuss with other passionate players?
– Visit our global chat or take part in the discussions on our social pages.
Our Social Features
- Chat and express your opinion with people from all over the world;
- Send or earn in-game drinks, emojis, chips and gifts
- Collect likes and ratings from others for being a great player
- Customise and share your own image gallery.
Check for updates in the VIP Spades Youtube channel where we are producing training videos, highlighting strategy guides and tutorials. For funny situations, news, quizzes and about our official spades tournament rules – visit the official blog.
VIP Spades continues to improve with new content and game features. See the latest news and changes in our channels. You can learn more about VIP Spades brand and company details. If you have any questions or suggestions, contact us.
Latest Posts from our Official Blog
Check back at any time to get the latest news and the winning strategies of a classic game of Spades. We host a variety of topics and posts from long-time spades players and professionals.
How do I start playing?
What are Chips?
How do I send gifts?
If you have more questions, please check our official FAQ page.
More free online games
Enjoy other card and board games. Play on any device.
Game Spades Terms
Table of Contents
Spades Rules
How to play Spades
Dealing
The classic Spades in Pairs Mode is played with a deck consisting of 52 cards. The cards are dealt clockwise starting from the dealer’s successor (to his left). Each player receives 13 cards.
Bidding
- The bidding is also clockwise and starts from the player on the left of the dealer. There are two options of bidding – see cards or blind bid. If the player chooses the first option, he must bid a number of tricks from 0 to 13, which he expects to win. There is no need for each bid to be higher or lower than the last one. The combined bidding of the two partners is summed up together to form the team bid. This is the number of tricks the team must win in order to achieve a positive score.
- A NIL (0) bid means that the player declares that he will not win any tricks in this round. If he succeeds, he wins 100 points, but if he doesn’t manage to do so, the player receives a penalty of 100 points.
- When the bidding starts, each player can choose not to look at his cards and thus make a BLIND NIL bid. This bid can give 200 points, but also cost 200 if the player wins even one trick.
Gameplay
- The cards in each suit are ranked as follows: A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.
- The player on the dealer’s left begins the trick. He can play whichever card he chooses, excluding those of the spades suit. The trick continues in a clockwise fashion and the other players must follow the suit, if possible. If not, they may play a random card.
- If no spade is played during a trick, it is won by the highest value card of the initially played suit. If cards of the spades suit are played, the trick is won by the highest value spade. The winner in the last trick begins the next one.
- A spade card cannot be played until:
- a spade has been played to trump another trick;
- the leader has no other cards besides spades;
- You can create custom game and choose to play with Jokers. Then the ranking of the cards is as follows:
- Spades: Big Joker, Little Joker, Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2
- Clubs: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3
- Hearts: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2
- Diamonds: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3
The Big Joker which is the Full colored Red Joker is the Highest card, and the little Joker is the Black one.
Scoring
- If a player wins the exact amount of tricks he has bid, he wins points for his team equal to 10 times his 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 he loses 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.
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.
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.
How to play mirror spades
In teams, each player must announce the exact number of Spades they have. If a player doesn’t have any spades, he must bid Nil. Again, there are no Blind Nil bids.
You can read additional information about the game modes on our blog.
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?
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 considered a trick in spades?
In trick-tacking card games, there is a finite number of rounds, where each player plays a card. Those rounds are called tricks, or sometimes “books”. Playing the highest value card in a round wins it and you usually take 1 trick for it. In Spades, you must win at least the number of tricks you initially bid.
How do you play spades with 3 people?
Playing Spades with 3 people can be just as fun and challenging. In this variation, each player plays for himself in the overall scoring, but swaps partners in each round. There is one ‘dummy’ player. The highest bidder each round is partnered with the dummy, while the other two play as a team. Normal rules apply here as well. For a more comprehensive understanding of the rules of 3 people Spades, check out this article.
What is a bag in the game of spades?
Any trick you win in excess of your total team bid is counted as a bag. Each bag brings 1 additional point to your score. But if you accumulate 10 bags, you lose 100 points and your bag count resets.
What is the 10 bags penalty in spades?
A 10 bags penalty occurs when the team accumulates 10 bags. 100 points are deducted from their score, and their bag count resets. In Solo Spades, the bag penalty is set to 5 bags.
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 the Spades card game. 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.
You can read our specific tournament rules here.
Other games rules: