Spades Rules Cheat Sheet
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Setup
- Cards: 52-card deck (no jokers). Spades are trump. Rank: A (high) → 2 (low)
- Players: 4 players, 2 teams (partners sit across)
- Deal: 13 cards each, dealt clockwise. Dealer shuffles; player to dealer's right may cut
Bidding
- Board = 4 (min bid), Wheels = 13 (max bid)
- Partners total their bids (e.g., you bid 3, partner bids 4 → team bid = 7)
- Non-dealer team bids first. No passing.
Play
- Player to dealer's left leads first. May lead any card except spades
- Spades must be broken: Can't lead spades until a spade is played (e.g., when void in led suit and you must play a spade)
- Must follow suit if able. If void, may play any card (including spades)
- Highest card in led suit wins the trick; any spade beats non-spades
- 13 tricks (books) per hand. Winner of trick leads next
Scoring
- Made bid: 10 × bid + 1 per extra book (sandbag)
- Set (missed bid): −10 × bid
Bid 6, catch 7 → 60 + 1 = 61 pts | Bid 6, catch 4 → −60 pts
Sandbags: Some games penalize 10 sandbags (100 pts deducted). Check house rules.
Winning
- First team to 500 points wins (or agreed total like 250 or 300)
Quick Reference
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Book | A trick (4 cards) won by a team |
| Set | Failed to make bid; score is −10 × bid |
| Sandbag | Extra book over bid (+1 pt each) |
| Nil | Bid 0; 100 pts if made, −100 if set (house rules vary) |
| Renege | Played wrong suit when you could follow; 3 tricks penalty (house rules) |
More: Full Rules | Score Sheet | SpadesForMoney.com
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