Spades Strategy: 8 Tips for Bidding and Play
Spades is a partnership game: the contract belongs to your team, not to you alone. These tips cover the bidding and the play. New to Spades? Start with the rules.
1. Count your sure tricks
Aces are nearly always tricks. Kings are tricks when you also hold the ace or one small card to protect them. Spades beyond your third one are worth about one trick each. The bidding guide has the full method.
2. Watch the bags
Taking extra tricks feels good, but 10 bags cost 100 points. Once your team has made its contract, play low and let the opponents win tricks.
3. Lead your side-suit aces early
An ace led early wins the trick before anyone can trump it. Wait too long and an opponent may be void in that suit.
4. Don't overtake your partner
If your partner is already winning the trick, play a low card. Two winners on one trick wastes a trick your team needed.
5. Short suits are trumping chances
With a void or a singleton and a few spades left, you can trump in when that suit is led. Count this when you bid.
6. Save high spades
High spades win the tricks that matter. Use low spades to trump when they're enough, and keep the A♠ and K♠ for later.
7. Cover your partner's nil
When your partner bids nil, play high on tricks your partner might otherwise win, and lead suits your partner is likely to be short in.
8. Set the opponents
If the opponents bid high, every trick you take may set them. Hold on to your winners and trump their aces when you can.
Play Spades now with a computer partner.
Frequently asked questions
Is it better to overbid or underbid in Spades?
Bid what you expect to take. Going set costs 10 per trick bid, while bags only add up slowly, so slight underbidding is safer early; late in the game bags matter more.
When should I bid nil?
With no high spades, few aces or kings, and low cards in every suit, especially if your partner has a strong hand to cover you.
Last updated 2026-10-18