Spedes

Play Spades online. Learn it. Master every mode. Spedes is a free browser Spades table: sit South against three AI opponents, study the bidding system that actually works, and pick from six live game modes — from classic 2v2 Partnership to Mirror, Whiz and Joker. ▶ Play Spades now Browse all game modes live modes 19 strategy guides points to win 0 downloads required North bid 3 West bid 2 East bid 4 You bid ? Pick your mode Six modes are live today. Each one changes the bidding, the scoring or both. All modes → Learn to actually win 19 in-depth guides: rules, bidding maths, bags, partnership signals, trump control and mode-specific tactics. All guides → Read → New column Play Spades Plus? Its scoring is not the same Spades Plus scores Nil at 100, Blind Nil at 200 and ten bags at −100 — all harsher than the house rules most players learn first. Our unofficial column breaks down the app's rules, scoring maths and every game mode, and shows what changes when you move between the two. Read → Spades Plus column → Why players stay on Spedes Real rules, real numbers Every number on this site comes from the live game server. What you read here is what the game actually scores. 🎯 One table, ten variants Classic Partnership, Solo for 3 or 4, Mirror precision, Joker trump and Whiz forced bids — all from the same rules engine. 📈 Strategy that transfers Bidding systems, bag economics and card counting that work in every Spades app, not just this one. ▶ Start a free hand A note on Spades Spades is one of the most-played trick-taking games in the world, yet most people encounter it by accident — a college card game, a family table, an online room with strangers — and never fully learn why it works. The bidding system, where each player commits to a number of tricks before seeing the cards, creates a unique tension that no other card game replicates. You are not just playing your hand; you are pricing it. The variants on this site — Mirror, Whiz, Solo, Joker — each twist a single rule to create an entirely different decision space. Mirror penalises overtricks, so precision replaces aggression. Whiz removes bidding choice entirely, turning the game into a pure play challenge. These are not just house rules; they are distinct strategic experiences that teach different skills. Understanding why each variant exists — and what it demands of you — is what separates players who win from players who simply finish hands. New to Spades? Start here Three steps, in order. Roughly ten minutes for the first two, and the third is the one that actually changes your results. Read the rules once — deal, bidding, following suit, and what "breaking spades" means. Deal yourself a practice hand — the AI table uses the exact same numbers every guide on this site quotes. Learn to bid honestly — bidding is where almost every lost point in Spades is decided, long before a card is played. Stuck on a specific rule? The FAQ covers the twenty questions we get asked most, and you can email us anything it does not answer.

Live game modes

Partnership — The classic 2v2 Spades duel. Spades are always trump.
Solo (3 Players) — Cutthroat Spades for three. No partner, no help — 17 tricks each hand.
Solo (4 Players) — Four players, no partnerships. Every trick is contested four ways.
Mirror — Hit your bid exactly. Every overtrick costs you points.
Joker Spades — Two jokers join the deck as the highest spades of all.
Whiz — Your bid must equal the number of spades in your hand — or Nil.

Strategy guides

How to Play Spades: Rules for Beginners in 5 Minutes — Everything required to sit down at a Spedes table: the deal, the bid, the trick, and the only four scoring formulas that matter.
Spades Bidding Guide: How to Count and Bid Accurately — A repeatable counting system for bids, the honour-by-honour checklist, and the four bidding mistakes that lose more games than bad play.
Leading & Following: How to Play the 13 Tricks — What to lead, what to throw when you cannot follow, and the three positions that decide almost every trick.
Spades Nil Bid Strategy: When to Go Nil (and When Not To) — A Nil is worth 75 points — roughly two small bids. Here is exactly which hands qualify, how to play one out, and why Blind Nil is usually a trap.
Spades Bags Explained: Why Overtricks Cost You the Game — Overtricks look free (+1 each) until your tenth one quietly removes 50 points. Learn to bank bags, spend them, and never take the one that breaks the bank.
Spades Partnership Strategy: 10 Rules to Win as a Team — Two bids, one contract. The habits that make a partnership score more than the sum of its hands — and the four plays that quietly destroy it.
How to Count Cards in Spades: Track Trump Like a Pro — You do not need to memorise 52 cards. Track four numbers — spades played, suits played, voids, and remaining winners — and the endgame becomes arithmetic.
Spades Scoring Guide: Points, Bags and Penalties by Mode — One page with every scoring formula, target score and bag penalty for all six live modes across the Beginner, Standard and Ranked tiers.
Mirror Spades Rules: Precision Bidding and Scoring Guide — In Mirror every overtrick costs 5 points and bags do not exist. Learn to throw winners away, bid one lower, and let the opponents take tricks for you.
Solo Spades Rules: Cutthroat Strategy for 3 and 4 Players — No partner, no cover. How bidding, tempo and trump control change when every player at the table is your opponent.
Whiz Spades Rules: Forced Bids and Strategy Guide — Your bid must equal the number of spades you hold — or Nil. How to plan a hand when the table already knows your spade count.
Joker Spades Rules: How to Play With Trump Jokers — The ♦2 and ♣2 are replaced by a Big and Little Joker, both ranked above the ♠A. Two guaranteed tricks completely rewrite bidding and endgame play.
Spades Rules: The Complete Guide to Playing and Scoring — Every Spades rule in one place: the deal, bidding, trick play, spade-breaking, Nil, Blind Nil, bags and scoring — plus the variants you will meet.
Spades Glossary: Every Term a New Player Will Hear — From "bag" to "sandbagging" to "set" — the vocabulary of Spades in plain language, with the scoring consequence of each term.
How to Evaluate a Spades Hand in 60 Seconds — A repeatable 60-second routine for reading any hand: sure winners, likely winners, trump length and shape — and how to turn it into a bid.
Breaking Spades: The Rule, the Timing and the Tactics — Spades cannot be led until broken — but breaking them yourself is a tactical choice. When to do it, when to wait, and what your play tells the table.
Trump Management in Spades: When to Ruff and When to Hold — Your spades are the most valuable cards you hold. How to decide between ruffing now, holding for the endgame, and drawing the opponents trump out.
Spades vs Hearts: How the Two Games Actually Differ — Spades is about making a contract, Hearts about avoiding penalties. A side-by-side comparison of rules, scoring and strategy for both.
We Simulated 1,800 Games of Spades: Win Rates, Bidding Accuracy and Nil Success — Real numbers from 1,800 games played by the actual Spedes engine across all six modes: which side wins, how often bids set, and when a Nil is worth trying.

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