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Spades is a trick-taking card game, similar to Hearts, Bridge, and Euchre. It is played with a traditional, 52-card French Deck. The game is most popular in the US, UK, and Canada.
You can play Spades for free in the practice rooms and improve your skills. It is possible to play on any browser and device type.
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Find out more about the different game options and custom adjustments. Discover how to play and game terms. You can check our interesting charts and video about Spades card game.
In VIP Spades you have two different opportunities to play for free:
- Practice single-player games in the training room.
- Play with real opponents and receive your daily bonuses.
Become the best player and earn your spot at the top of our weekly leaderboards. Play spades in the professional rooms and show your friends that you are a real master of spades card game.
Below we present some basic tips, which are useful as essential suggestions about how to play Spades. Spades can be played in different variations and modes but the most distinctive part of the game is to suppose and bid an exact amount of tricks.
Read the entire 'how to play' section and the complete rules if you are an advanced Spades player.
Pairs
Pairs is the most popular game mode played by four players in two teams. It is Played with 52 cards (2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,J,Q,K,A) where spades are always the trump suit. A trump card can be played only when the player has only spades or until a spade has been used to trump another trick.
Bid and Points Scoring
All players receive thirteen cards each and every one of them must declare a bid – how many tricks will win.
– When a team achieves the bid as announced they score 10 times the bid.
– If they make more tricks – one additional point is scored. This point is called 'bag'. When a team has 10 bags, they obtain a penalty of -100 points and the bags are reset again to 0.
– If the team achieves fewer tricks than announced they do not obtain any points.
Additional bid options
– Players can choose to see the cards or not (declare a blind bid). A successful blind bid yields 200 extra points.
– When the player declares to take 0 tricks this bid option is called 'Nil bid'. In case of success, the team is awarded 100 points. When the player fails the team loses 100 points. Blind Nil is available only in Pairs mode.
Other game modes
Solo
In Solo mode, each player plays for himself. The maximum number of bags is 5, the reward for a successful bid is 50 points and the penalty for unsuccessful is -50.
Suicide
The Suicide variant is for four players played in teams. The difference with the most popular mode Pairs is that one member of the team must bid Nil while the other has to bid at least 4 tricks.
Whiz
In Whiz mode it is obligatory to announce bid Nil or the exact number of spades possessed. Whiz is a variant played in a team.
Mirror
Each player of the team announces the tricks equal to the spades they have. It is possible to bid Nil if they don't have any spades.
Other important tips and 'how-to' for Spades:
How to bid on Spades, Card Odds, Popular questions, Point of view about Variations, Mastering Spades
- Different game modes available – Pairs, Solo, Mirror, Whiz and Suicide. Watch the video introduction.
- Play on every device – send gifts, chat with friends or meet new people online
- Invite your Facebook friends to join a live game with you
- Different tables for every skill level
- Enjoy daily bonuses and collect all kinds of rewards
- Reconnect to a live game if there have been any problems with your connection
- Play spades against the computer in training sessions.
- Leaving a game is not tolerated and can result in getting you punished.
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Game Terms
Vocabulary cheat sheet, synonyms and variations of Spades
For beginner spades players, the jargon alone can send you into a tailspin. Not to fear. The language of spades is easy to pick up, and before you know it, the craziest phrases will become second nature. Until then, our handy guide will steer you in the right direction.
Vocab cheat sheet
- Bags
penalties for taking in more tricks than you bid at the beginning of the round.
- Bare
having just one card of any given suit.
- Bidding
the number of tricks you predict or contact that you will take.
- Blind Nil
bidding zero tricks without looking at your hand.
- Breaking Spades
the first spade played in the game. When a player is out of the suit lead, that player may play a spade, trump the suit, and spades are officially broken. Spades can then be lead.
- Card Counting
keeping mental track of the cards used in each suit.
- Flush Out
to try to bring out a high card of a certain suit by playing a lower card of that suit.
- Long Suit
four or more cards of any given suit in your hand.
- Nil
a bid of zero tricks after looking at your hand.
- Overbid
any tricks you win over the initial amount you bid.
- Renege
using a spade, or card of another suit, when you have the ability to follow suit.
- Round
all four players put down a card and a trick is taken.
- Set
this refers to a team who isn't making their bid or their nil, or who is bagging over the limit.
- Short Suit
fewer than three cards of any given suit.
- Signal
playing a card to subtly let your partner know what is left in your hand and how they should lead. This is especially handy when you and your partner both understand the science behind the game.
- Slough
playing a card to intentionally avoid taking a trick.
- Straight
cards of the same suit in a sequential pattern.
- Throwing Off
playing a card (not a spade) when you have the ability to follow suit.
- Trick
the four discarded cards of the round.
- Trump
generally refers to a spade played when a non-spade was lead, but can refer to any spade.
- Underbid
this refers to when you bid less than the amount of tricks you won.
- Void
being dealt zero cards of any given suit.
Synonyms in spades
Solo spades is often called 'cutthroat'
Tricks are often called 'books'
Bidding is sometimes referred to as 'betting'
Slough is often called 'dump'
Breaking Spades is sometimes called 'cutting' or 'ruffing'
Bags are sometimes called 'sandbags'
Blind Nil is often called 'double nil'
A bare is also sometimes called a 'singleton'
Variations of spades
Over the years, many variations of spades have sprung up where players have added extra rules or unexpected trump cards to enhance the fun. Few of these variations are available in online play, but they're crazy enough to be worthy of mention. Here are just some of them…
- Bauer Trumps
this is a special variation where the two highest trumps in the game are the jack of spades and the jack of clubs. They are referred to as the 'right bauer' and 'left bauer' respectively. The Bauer 'I'm more honest and my women are more beautiful' 'All of the women on The Apprentice flirted with me' Donald 'All of the women on The Apprentice flirted with me' Trump variation is borrowed heavily from Euchre.
- Boston
this variation of spades allows a team to win outright if they 'shoot the moon.' This means all 13 tricks are taken by one player or team.
- Deuces High
in this variation, the deuces of each suit are worth more than spades, making them trumps.
- Jokers High
in this variation, the two jokers in the deck become the main trumps of the game.
- Mirrors (also sometimes called Whiz)
in this variation, you bid only the exact number of spades you have been dealt. If you have no spades, you must automatically bid nil.
- Spades for Three
to accommodate a game of spades for just three players, you simply remove the two of clubs, and each player is dealt seventeen cards. Obviously, this variation must be played as singles.
- Suicide
this variation can only be played with pairs, and one player out of each pair must bid nil, no matter what cards they have.
So whether you're tempted by playing free spades online.
Social and Community Benefits
Do you have a strategy you want to discuss with other passionate players?
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– Visit our global chat or take part in the discussions on our social pages.
Our Social Features
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- Chat and express your opinion with people from all over the world;
- Send or earn in-game drinks, emojis, chips and gifts
- Collect likes and ratings from others for being a great player
- Customise and share your own image gallery.
Check for updates in the VIP Spades Youtube channel where we are producing training videos, highlighting strategy guides and tutorials. For funny situations, news, quizzes and about our official spades tournament rules – visit the official blog.
VIP Spades continues to improve with new content and game features. See the latest news and changes in our channels. You can learn more about VIP Spades brand and company details. If you have any questions or suggestions, contact us.
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If you are new to spades, take a moment to learn how to play in our spades rules section and check out our spades tips & strategy to get an edge on the competition. One the best ways to become a master at spades is to jump right in, play against human or even computer opponents and learn from your mistakes. Hone your skills and you could become the next professional spades player. That's correct, the top level of players actually earn a living from playing spades!
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