Spades strategy for bidding, nil and winning tricks
Winning at Spades is mostly about bidding accurately with your partner and counting cards once play starts. These tips help you make your bid without collecting a pile of bags.
1. How do you count your sure tricks?
Start with high spades. The Ace and King of spades are nearly always tricks, and a long spade suit adds more. In side suits, count an Ace as a trick, and a King only when you also hold one or two other cards in that suit.
2. Bid as a team
Your bid is added to your partner’s. If your partner bids high, bid your hand honestly instead of stretching. If they bid low, look for a safe extra trick. Aim for a team total you can make, not the biggest number.
3. When should you bid nil?
A nil is worth trying with no high spades, few spades overall and low cards in the other suits. Your partner then protects you by playing high cards to win tricks you would otherwise be forced to take.
4. Count spades and track voids
Keep a running count of spades played. There are 13 in the deck. When a player can’t follow suit, they’re void in it and can trump that suit later. Counting makes the last few tricks predictable.
5. Manage your bags
Every extra trick is a bag, and 10 bags cost 100 points. Once your team’s bid is safe, lose tricks with high cards you no longer need, and focus on setting your opponents instead of piling up overtricks.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Counting every King as a sure trick.
- Leading spades early when your partner may be short in them.
- Winning extra tricks after your bid is already made.
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