Free Spades game: play online against the computer
Shuffling the deck…
Shuffling the deck…
How to play the Spades card game
Spades is a trick-taking card game for four players in two teams. You sit South and your partner sits North; the computer plays West and East. Each hand, all 52 cards are dealt, everyone bids how many tricks they expect to take, and your team tries to take at least the total it bid.
- Bid. Count your sure tricks: aces, protected kings and high spades. Bid that number, or bid nil if you think you can take none.
- Follow suit. Play a card of the suit that was led if you have one. If you don’t, you can trump with a spade or throw anything.
- Spades are trump. Any spade beats every heart, diamond and club. Spades can’t be led until one has been played on another suit.
- Score. Make your bid and score 10 points per trick bid, plus 1 per extra trick. Miss it and lose 10 per trick bid.
The full rules, including nil, bags and how the deal rotates, are on thehow to play Spades page.
Spades scoring at a glance
| Result | Points |
|---|---|
| Team makes its bid | +10 per trick bid |
| Each trick over the bid (a bag) | +1 |
| Team misses its bid (set) | −10 per trick bid |
| Every 10 bags | −100 |
| Nil made / failed | +100 / −100 |
Want to check a hand? Use theSpades scoring calculator. Playing with real cards? Keep score with the freeSpades score sheet.
Tips for beating the computer
- Bid a little low with a weak hand. Bags cost less than a set.
- Watch your partner’s bid. If they bid nil, play high to take the tricks they would otherwise win.
- Lead your short suits early. Once you are void, you can trump with low spades.
- When your team has made its bid and the other team can’t make theirs, stop taking tricks: every extra one is a bag.
- Count the spades. There are 13; knowing how many are left tells you when your high cards are safe.
More in the fullSpades strategy guide.
Questions
- Is it free to play Spades here?
- Yes. Every game is free, with no sign-up and no download. The site is supported by ads on the pages around the game, never in the middle of a hand.
- Who is my partner?
- The player across from you, North. You play against West and East. Your partner is a computer player that bids and plays to help your team make its contract.
- How good are the computer players?
- Pick Easy, Normal or Hard in the menu. Normal bots count their hand the way experienced players do and protect a nil. Hard bots also simulate the rest of the hand before every card.
- Which rules does this game use?
- Classic partnership Spades: spades are always trump, they can't be led until broken, nil is worth 100, every 10 bags cost 100 points, and the first team to 500 wins. You can play to 250 or 300 instead, or turn nil off.
- Does it save my game?
- Yes. Close the tab and your game is waiting when you come back on the same device. Your wins and best streak are saved too.
- Does it work on my phone or tablet?
- Yes. The table fits phones, tablets and computers, and the cards are large enough to tap easily.