Spades Rules Variations

> Learn the different Spades Rules Variations

Spades is an entertaining card game that has many variations. There is a set of basic rules for spades, but there are also other ways to play the game. You may encounter one or all of the following variations when you play spades for money with others.

Some of these variations are actually slight amendments to the basic rules of spades. Others, like the two-handed version of spades, could almost be considered an entirely different game. Here is a closer look at the most common spades rule variations.

First Hand Bids Itself Spades Variation

In this rule variation there is no bidding for the first hand. Instead, the players play the hand without a bid and are credited with the number of books they receive. There are a few advantages to playing this way.

Allowing the first hand to be played without a bid means that neither team can be given a negative score to start the game. Getting set on the first hand can make it difficult for a team to climb out of the hole. No bidding on the first hand also means that there can be no 10 for 200 hand. This brings us to the next spades rule variation.

10 for 200 Spades Bid

10 for 200 is a spades bid in which a team attempts to catch 10 of the 13 total books. If 10 books or more are caught, the team receives a total of 200 points. If they do not achieve the bid of 10 books, the team must deduct 100 points from their score.

Nil Bidding at Spades

There are times when a team may feel that one of its members will not be able to catch a single book. In this case the team can bid nil. This means that the player who makes the nil bid cannot catch a single book. The other player is allowed to bid as usual, but they are responsible for catching all the books that they have bid.

Here's an example. Player 1 on the team announces that they wish to bid nil. Player 2 bids 4. For the bid to succeed, Player 1 must catch no books. Player 2 must catch at least 4 books.

Prior to the start of the hand, Player 1 is allowed to exchange two cards with Player 2. If the bid succeeds, the team is credited with 100 points for the nil bid and the standard amount earned by the other player. BOTH bids must succeed for players to receive points. If either fails, the team loses 100 points plus the amount of the regular bid.

Misdeal for No Spades

If one player on a team is dealt a hand with no spades, that team may opt to declare a misdeal and receive new hands. The player with no spades must show the hand. The other team has the option of dealing again, or passing the deal to the next player and getting the first bid.

13 Books Automatically Wins a Spades Game

This rule variation states that any team which catches all 13 books in the game of spades is immediately declared the winner, regardless of the current score. The rule only applies when the team bids 13 before the beginning of the hand.

Sandbags

Spades is a game of precision that requires precision bidding. To make the game more challenging, some players create a sandbag rule. This rule seeks to force proper bidding by penalizing teams that regularly exceed their bid. In most cases, obtaining ten sandbags results in a deduction of 100 points.

As an example, let's say that a team makes an opening bid of 4. At the end of the round the team has caught 8 books. This means that the team is given a total of 4 sandbags. The number of sandbags continue to accumulate until 10 are reached. If this happens, the penalty is applied and the slate of sandbags is cleared.

Three Sets in a Row

This variation of the game of spades is sometimes referred to as a mercy rule. It states that any team which fails to make its bid three times in a row is declared the loser. Sometimes it is better to call the game in favor of a team and give everyone a fresh start when one team falls far behind.

Spades Rules Variations

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