Spades strategy: how to bid and play better

Count your sure books first

Start with the cards that win almost every time. In Spades, tricks are usually called books. An ace in a side suit (hearts, diamonds or clubs) is close to one book. A king is worth about half to three-quarters of a book if you also hold at least one small card in that suit, because the small card lets you wait for the ace to be played. A queen only counts when it’s protected by two smaller cards and you hold the ace or king too.

In spades, high cards are stronger because they can’t be trumped. The ace of spades is a certain book; the king is nearly certain if you hold another spade; the queen is good with two small spades beneath it. Every spade beyond your third is worth most of a book, because by late in the hand the other players will have run out and your small spades will win.

Add books for short suits

Being void (holding none) or having a single card in a side suit is valuable if you have spades to spare. When that suit is led, you can trump in. Count roughly one extra book for a void and half a book for a singleton — but only if you have spades that aren’t already counted as high-card books.

Long side suits are the opposite: a fifth or sixth heart is likely to get trumped, so don’t count low cards in long side suits as books.

Bid as a team

Your partner’s bid is information. If they bid high, your job is to support them rather than to win glamorous books yourself. If they bid low or nil, you may need to push your own bid up by a book. Many tables play that the second partner to bid should aim to make the team total land on a realistic number — twelve or thirteen combined books between both teams is usually too many.

When you’re unsure between two numbers, the score should decide. Early in the game, bid slightly low and accept a bag or two. When the other team is close to 500, bid what you need to catch them.

When to bid nil

• Few or no aces and kings, and no high spades (nothing above the 10 is a good rule of thumb).
• Three or fewer spades — every extra spade is a card that might be forced to win a book.
• Low cards spread across the suits, so you can always follow with something small.
• Your partner is strong enough to cover you. A nil with a weak partner often fails.

How to cover your partner’s nil

Your partner is trying to lose every book, so you want to win the books they might accidentally take. Lead your high cards early to pull the other players’ high cards out. When your partner has already played, play just high enough to beat any card that would force their card to win. When you lead, lead suits where your partner is short so they can throw away dangerous high cards.

Remember that the opponents are trying to “set” the nil: they’ll lead low cards in suits where they suspect your partner holds a high card. Watch what your partner discards — it tells you which suits they’re worried about.

Manage your bags (underbids)

Every book over your bid is a bag — also called an underbid, because you bid under what you took. Each is worth one point, but ten bags cost you 100. Once your team has made its contract, start ducking: play your highest card that will still lose the book, and save your winners for books that would otherwise go to the other team if they still need them.

Bags are also a weapon. If the opponents have already made their bid and are close to ten bags, feeding them extra books late in a hand can push them over the limit.

Small habits that win games

• Keep a rough count of spades played. With 13 spades in the deck, knowing how many are left tells you when your small spades have become winners.
• Don’t lead a king into an ace you haven’t seen yet unless you want it to fall.
• Leading a suit your partner is void in lets them trump — a free book for your team.
• When in doubt, follow with your lowest card and keep your options open.

More guides

• Spades House Rules: Nil, Blind Nil, Jokers & Bags
• Bid Whist Strategy: Bidding, the Kitty & Trumps
• How to Play Tunk (Tonk): Rules, Strategy and When to Drop