Exploring the Number of Tricks in a Game of Spades

Spades is arguably the most popular trick-taking game for four players as it is competitive, played in pairs, and a little easier to pick up than alternatives like Bridge. However, as with any trick-taking card game, understanding how tricks become a hand is one of the first lessons that any player must learn.

Whether playing online or in person doesn’t matter, exploring the concept of tricks in a game of Spades will help you understand how to play the game with greater confidence and success. By the end of this guide, you should be familiar with the number of tricks in a hand as well as the key strategies to help you win more often.

Tricks in Spades: The Basics

Spades is a game that is traditionally played with a standard deck of 52 cards, although it is possible to play with Jokers included. Either way, it is played by four players split into two teams of pairs.

As with other trick-taking games, a trick in Spades is defined as a single round in which each of the four players plays a card. Once four cards are placed on the table, the winner takes the four cards and the trick ends.

Given that a hand of Spades uses all 52 cards, split between four players, there are a total of 13 tricks in a hand. A hand is played as follows;

• Each player is dealt 13 cards.
• Bidding takes place (see more below).
• The player to the dealer’s left leads the first trick.
• In a clockwise fashion, the other players play their cards.
• The person with the highest card wins the trick.
• The winner of the previous trick then leads the next.
• After all 13 tricks are played, the hand is scored.

The winner of any given trick is the person who plays the highest value card (Ace high, 2 low) in the lead suit unless a card from the Spades suit is played. In this case, the highest Spades card will win the trick. However, Spades can only be played (known as “breaking Spades”) when a player is unable to follow suit.

Tricks vs. Bids: Understanding the Difference

Understanding how to play (and win) a trick is one thing, but you can only score a hand once you additionally understand the bidding process.

Bids take place after the cards have been dealt for the upcoming hand but prior to the first trick. Moving in a clockwise direction, each player will post a “bid” for how many tricks they think they will win in the hand. Each team (partners sit opposite each other) can collectively bid anywhere between 0 (nil) and 13. So, if the first teammate bids 6, the second can only bid a maximum of 7.

It is possible for the two bids (Team A plus Team B) to total more than 13. When this happens, though, it is guaranteed that at least one team will fail to win the target number of tricks for that given hand.

Ultimately, then, tricks are the single rounds of play that determine who scores each of the 13 points in a given hand whereas bids are the “contracts” that serve to determine how the hand is scored within the context of the overall game.

Counting Tricks in Spades

As stated, each trick taken during the hand counts as 1, meaning there are a total of 13 tricks on offer during a hand. At the end of a hand, players add the number of tricks they won during the hand to the number won by their partner. The hand can then be scored as follows;

• If the team collectively wins its bid by reaching the target number of tricks, they will get 10 points x the bid value. So, if they bid 5 tricks, they win 50 points for the hand.
• For any additional tricks won over the target number, the team wins 1 extra point (bag). If the team wins 10 bags in the game, they are hit with a 100-point penalty.
• If the team collectively loses its bid by falling short of the target number of tricks, they will score -10 points x the bid value. So, if they bid 5 tricks, they score -50 points.
• If a player bids Nil, they will score 100 points if they (individually) win 0 tricks but will lose 100 points if they win a trick.

The aim of the game is to reach a total of 500 points over the course of several hands. Meanwhile, if a team reaches -200 points as a result of losing bids and/or bag penalties, the opponents are declared the winners.

It will take several hands to complete a game. When playing online, including themed games like Winter Spades, you can expect a game to last around 30 minutes. In-person play many take closer to 90 minutes, although reducing the target score to 250 naturally reduces this while still ensuring that the game won’t be over after one hand.

Maximizing Your Trick-Taking Potential

To win more hands in Spades, you must find ways to maximize trick-taking potential while simultaneously ensuring that the bidding process won’t stand in your way of success. After all, winning 10 tricks in a hand won’t matter if the team has bid to win all 13.

Unless you bid Nil, though, you will need to win at least one trick in any given hand. While developing a strategy is advised, these simple steps will instantly put you in the right direction for winning more tricks as an individual, which can then help your team hit its target;

• If you have to play a losing card, try to keep hold of your Spades.
• When losing on the lead suit, play the lowest card that you hold in that suit.
• Where possible, try to make the person to your left win a trick so that they lead next.
• Break Spades early if you have several of them in your hand.
• Work with your partner.

As well as winning tricks, you need to win bids. You can make this easier by bidding low, although not too low, especially as you are more likely to make mistakes that cost you tricks as a novice. Over time, you’ll grow in skill and confidence, leading to higher bids. In the meantime, time spent playing Hearts and other trick-taking games should help hone your skills.

The Importance of Communication in Taking Tricks

Given that Spades is a game played in pairs, your success is heavily dependent on how your partner plays. Whether it’s the bidding process or playing tricks within a hand, the value of working as a team cannot be emphasized enough.

When you focus solely on your hand and actions, you could fall victim to a host of issues caused by your teammate. For example, your accurate bids are rendered futile if your partner continually overbids or underbids. Similarly, your chances of winning more tricks as a team will be harmed if they do something like play the Ace when you have led a trick with the King.

If playing online with AI players, learning to understand the behaviors of your partner (and opponents) will make a huge difference. When playing online with human players, chat facilities may be available. For in-person play, you can develop signals to help each other out - or talk, although your opponents will be able to hear.

Strategy Tips for Winning Tricks

By now, you should have some ideas about how to improve your trick-taking activities during Spades. Even as a beginner, this can put you in a position where you feel more confident heading into each hand. Still, to truly maximize your hopes of winning enough tricks to win your bid and claim positive points, you must focus on developing a strategy. Here’s how to do it in style:

#1. Use Kings and Aces Early Doors

Once Spades have been broken, players can beat you to a trick by playing a low-ranked Spade even after you have led with a high-ranking non-Spade. So, if you have Aces and Kings from the other three suits, playing them early is a great way to win the early tricks. It is a very useful move when you have bid high, not least because winning an early trick allows you to lead the next. Queens and Jacks can achieve similar results, although not always guaranteed.

#2. Empty One Suit Early

When your hand only includes 1-2 cards from one of the other three suits, you may wish to target emptying it ASAP. It will subsequently allow you to break Spades whenever that suit is played later on, which gives you a great chance of winning that specific trick before leading the next. The hand may develop in a way in which you don’t need to do this, but it can be a good way to give yourself added flexibility and control over how you play your hand.

#3. Lead with Your Lowest Spade

If you are about to lead a hand with Spades when only 1-2 Spades have been played in the hand, it makes sense to lead with a low-ranked one if you have several Spades in your hand. While it does mean sacrificing this trick, all other players are forced to use Spades. This stops them from stealing your non-Spades tricks down the line. Likewise, it allows you to retain your high-ranked Spades, which will also help you win more tricks later in the hand.

#4. Appreciate the Order of the Trick

When playing an unbeatable card, it doesn’t matter when you play it. However, breaking Spades as the second player could be ill-advised as player 3 may play a better one. Likewise, playing a Jack of the lead suit when you know the Queen, King, or Jack are yet to be played could see your relatively high-ranked card become wasted. Conversely, you can be more aggressive as player 3 in the trick. As player 4, the goal is to play the lowest-ranked card that wins the trick.

#5. Pay Attention to the Opponent’s Tricks

The importance of appreciating your partner’s plays has already been discussed. However, it’s equally crucial to monitor your opponents and their trick-taking capabilities in relation to the bid. Sometimes, it may be better to lose a trick. For example, if your opponent has 9 bags and has already won their bid for the hand, making them win another hand will cause them to gain a 100-point penalty. Similarly, making an opponent win a trick after bidding Nil serves you very well.

#6. Monitor the Opponent’s Hand

In addition to thinking about their hand in terms of tricks won you should try to think about the cards your opponents have already played. If they broke Spades, you know they didn’t have any card in the lead suit from that trick. Likewise, making a mental note of the high-ranking cards that have been played can help you strategically play your mid-ranked cards in the given suit. It helps you win more tricks with mid-ranked cards while saving high-ranked cards for future tricks.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Spades Tricks

In addition to building a strategy that helps you win more tricks, it’s important to avoid common mistakes during tricks. This should focus on the individual trick while also considering its impact on the hand. Some of the most common mistakes, particularly by new players include;

• Winning a trick that their partner was already set to win. The exception to this is when your partner has bid Nil and you want to keep their 0 going.
• Losing tricks on purpose to hold onto higher ranked cards for later in the hand. In most cases, it’ll be easier to win or lose tricks strategically when leading tricks.
• Not paying attention to the card played on a trick you can’t win. In many cases, playing the right losing cards is the key to winning more tricks later on.
• Continuing to win tricks when your team has already won its bid for the hand, especially if the opponents have already won their bid too.
• Playing a low-ranking Spade when player 2 or 3 has already failed to follow suit with a high-ranking Spade card.

While avoiding common mistakes is vital if you want to prevent the hand from spiraling out of control, you must also take a flexible approach. There are times where the hand develops in an unexpected manner, perhaps due to unexpected moves from your opponents. With this in mind, playing the cards as you see them is always advised.

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