Spades bidding and play strategy

Spades rewards accurate bidding more than luck. This guide uses the four-player partnership game on our Spades rules page.

Estimate your bid

Count the tricks you expect to win, not the cards you like.

• Aces in side suits usually win a trick.
• Kings win a trick if the ace has been played, or if the king is protected by a small card in the same suit.
• Spades are trump. A long spade suit often wins tricks beyond the high cards. Count high spades and extra length.
• Short suits let you trump when the suit is led. A void or singleton with a few small spades can be worth a trick.

Round down when unsure. A slightly low bid makes the contract, while a high bid loses 10 points per bid trick.

Bid as a partnership

Your bid and your partner’s bid combine into one contract. Listen to the partner’s bid before yours if they bid first, and remember you cannot discuss cards. If they have bid strongly, you may not need to.

Avoid bags

Every trick above your contract is a bag worth 1 point. The tenth bag costs 100 points. If you have already won your bid, do not fight for more tricks. Let the opponents win them, and lose a low card instead of an ace when you can.

Nil bids

A successful nil is worth 100. A failed one costs 100.

• Bid nil with a hand of low cards and few spades.
• Be careful when you hold a lone high spade or a long suit. Long suits can force you to win tricks.
• Your partner should help by winning tricks a nil bidder might have to take, taking high cards first.

Leading and following

• Do not lead a spade before spades are broken unless you have only spades.
• If your partner is winning the trick, play a low card.
• To defeat an opposing nil, lead suits where the nil player has cards, and make them take the trick.

Watch the score

If the opponents are near 500, you may need to bid more aggressively. If you are far ahead, aim for steady contracts and avoid bag penalties.