Spades is played with two teams of two, with a winning score decided at the start. Each team bids the number of tricks they think they can win, and must take that exact number to avoid losing points. Sandbags are extra tricks beyond the declared number, with ten resulting in a deduction of 100 points.
The game of spades is generally played with two teams of two. The winning score is decided at the start of the game and the cards are dealt evenly. Teams then bid the specific number of tricks they think they can win. Each team must take the exact number of tricks bid to avoid losing points. The first team to reach the previously established score is declared the winner.
Partners in the game of spades are usually selected by choice or by drawing from the deck of cards. Once teams have been established, each player should draw from the deck to determine who deals first. The player who draws the highest card deals the cards evenly from left to right. Each player should be dealt 13 cards and the deal is passed clockwise for the next hand. Once all the cards have been dealt, players can pick up their cards and view their hands.
Before starting the game of spades, a winning score must be established. A score of 500 is usually the standard, although any multiple of 100 can be used. Each player then displays his cards and makes and estimates how many tricks he can take. The partners combine their estimates and decide on a contract. For example, if a player thinks he can make three tricks and his partner thinks he can make four, your team’s contract bid is seven tricks.
In the game of spades, play begins to the dealer’s left and continues clockwise. Spades are always trump cards. The player taking the first trick cannot lead to swords and all players must follow suit if possible. If the suite cannot be followed, you can play spades instead. The player who lays down the highest card takes the trick.
It does not matter which player on a team takes the tricks, as long as the team wins the number of tricks it originally bid. Each trick is counted as 10 points, but your team must accept the number of offers agreed to in order to receive points. If you fail to take the originally bid number of tricks, those points are deducted. For example, if your team bid five tricks, but only took four, 50 points will be deducted from your score.
Sandbags in the game of spades are extra tricks that are taken beyond a team’s originally declared number of tricks. For example, if your team bids seven tricks, but takes nine, you have two sandbags. Each subtracts 10 points from your score. Using the example given, your team will receive 50 points for that round. You will receive 70 points for taking the seven tricks your team originally bid, but you would subtract 20 points for the two extra sandbags.
If a team accumulates ten sandbags, an additional 100 points are deducted from the team’s score. Any sandbags exceeding ten are counted towards the next group of ten. For example, if a team has nine sandbags and collects two more in a round, 20 points will be deducted for the two sandbags and another 100 points will be deducted for the set of 10. The extra sandbag will start the next group of ten.
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