Spades is generally played with four players split into two teams. Teammates sit opposite each other, with partners collaborating to win as many tricks as possible.

• Deck: A standard 52-card deck is used, and all cards are dealt to the four players, giving each player 13 cards.
• Trump Suit: Spades is always the trump suit, meaning spades cards outrank all other suits.
• Card Ranks: Cards are ranked from Ace (highest) to 2 (lowest) in each suit.

Once the cards are dealt, each player must estimate how many tricks they believe they can win during that round. This is known as bidding. Players bid in a clockwise direction, starting from the player to the left of the dealer.

• Bids: Each player declares how many tricks they expect to win. The combined bids of both players in a team form that team’s overall bid for the round.
• Nil Bid: A player may bid "nil," meaning they believe they will not win any tricks in the round. If successful, the player earns bonus points; if they win any tricks, they face a penalty.
• Blind Nil: In some variations, players can bid "blind nil" before looking at their cards, which offers a larger reward if successful.

The player to the dealer’s left leads the first trick by playing any card, except a spade unless spades have been "broken" (a spade has been played in a previous trick). The play then continues clockwise.

• Playing Tricks: Each player must follow suit (play a card from the same suit that was led). If they can’t follow suit, they can play any card, including a spade.
• Trumping: Since spades are the trump suit, if a spade is played and it’s higher than any card from the lead suit, the player who played the spade wins the trick. If no spades are played, the trick is won by the highest card of the lead suit.
• Breaking Spades: Spades cannot be led until they are "broken," meaning a player has played a spade because they couldn't follow the suit that was led. Once a spade has been played, spades can be led in subsequent tricks.

After all 13 tricks have been played, the round ends, and scores are calculated. The scoring system is as follows:

• Meeting the Bid: If a team meets or exceeds their combined bid, they earn 10 points for each trick they bid. For example, if a team bids 7 tricks and wins exactly 7, they earn 70 points.
• Overtricks: Any tricks won beyond the team’s bid are called "bags." Each bag is worth 1 point. However, accumulating 10 bags results in a 100-point penalty.
• Underbidding: If a team fails to meet their bid, they lose 10 points for each trick they fell short by.
• Nil Bid: If a player successfully bids nil and wins no tricks, the team earns 100 points. If they win even one trick, they lose 100 points.
• Blind Nil: Successfully winning no tricks with a blind nil bid results in 200 points, but failing to do so results in a 200-point penalty.

There are several variations of Spades that alter the game slightly. These include:

• Individual Spades: Players compete individually, with no teams. Each player bids for themselves and scores points independently.
• Partnerships: The traditional team-based version where partners collaborate to meet their combined bid.
• Cutthroat Spades: A version where each player competes for themselves, and there are no fixed partnerships.
• Joker-Joker-Deuce-Deuce: In some games, the two jokers and the two of diamonds and two of hearts are used as extra trump cards.

Spades is a game of skill, where good strategy can make the difference between winning and losing. Here are a few tips to improve your play:

• Understand Bidding: Bidding too high is risky, but underbidding may result in penalty points from excess bags. Carefully assess your hand and your partner's playing style before bidding.
• Break Spades Wisely: Hold off on breaking spades too early unless it’s necessary to prevent opponents from winning important tricks.
• Communication: While direct communication between partners is prohibited, watching the cards your partner plays can give you clues about their hand.
• Nil Bids: Only bid nil if you’re confident that your hand lacks high cards. The risk is high, but so is the reward.