What is a Nil bid in Spades?

Bidding Nil means you predict you'll win zero tricks. Pull it off and your team gets a 100-point bonus; take even one trick and it's a 100-point penalty.

What are bags in Spades?

Bags are overtricks — tricks you take beyond your bid. Each is worth 1 point, but every 10 bags your team accumulates costs you 100 points, so overbidding to dump tricks is dangerous.

Yes — no signup, no downloads, no installs. Play with a computer partner against two opponents right in your browser.

← Casino

Card game · vs Computer

Spades

You

Place your bid to begin.

How to play Spades

Spades is the classic partnership trick-taking card game where spades are always trump. You and the player across from you form a team against the other two; together you bid how many tricks you'll win, then try to make exactly that. This free browser version gives you a computer partner and two computer opponents, with Nil bids, bags, and a race to 500. No downloads, no signup.

Spades rules

Teams. You partner with North (across the table) against West and East.
Bidding. Each player bids the number of tricks they expect to win. Your team's bids add together into one contract.
Trump. Spades always beat the other three suits. The highest spade in a trick wins it; if no spade is played, the highest card of the led suit wins.
Follow suit. You must follow the led suit if you can. If you can't, you may play anything — including a trump spade.
Breaking spades. You can't lead a spade until spades have been "broken" (played because someone couldn't follow), unless spades are all you hold.
Scoring. Make your team's combined bid for 10 points per bid trick. Miss it and you lose 10 per bid trick. First team to 500 wins.

Nil bids and bags

A Nil bid is a promise to win zero tricks — succeed and your team scores +100, fail and it's −100. It's the highest-risk, highest-reward call in Spades. Bags are overtricks: each one you take beyond your bid is worth a single point, but collect ten bags and your team is docked 100 points. So taking more tricks than you bid is a slow-burning liability — bid honestly.

Spades strategy — how to win

Count your tricks. Bid your sure winners: aces, the king and queen of spades, and long spade suits. Don't pad your bid.
Protect a partner's Nil. If your partner bid Nil, take tricks aggressively and lead low so they can dump high cards safely.
Save your spades. Spades are trump — hold them to win tricks you can't take in suit, and to grab the lead.
Don't bag yourself. Tricks beyond your bid are nearly worthless and eventually cost 100. Sluff losers instead of overtrumping.
Lead through strength. Force out high cards and trump by leading suits your opponents are strong in.

Frequently asked

How do I play Spades? Bid your tricks, then follow suit each trick. Spades are trump; the highest spade (or highest led card if none) wins. Make your team's combined bid and race to 500.

What is a Nil bid? A bid of zero tricks — +100 if you take none, −100 if you take any.

What are bags? Overtricks beyond your bid; each is 1 point, but every 10 cost you 100.

Is Spades free? Yes — no signup, no downloads, no installs.