What is a trick in Spades?
A trick is one round in which each player plays one card. The highest spade wins if a spade is played; otherwise the highest card of the led suit wins.
Must you follow suit in Spades?
Yes. If you hold the suit led, you must play that suit. You may discard another suit or play a spade only when you cannot follow suit.
What does nil mean in Spades?
Nil is a bid to take no tricks. Winning even one trick defeats the nil bid. Bonuses, penalties and availability depend on the chosen rules.
What are bags in Spades?
Bags are tricks taken beyond a bid. In a common partnership scoring system, each extra trick adds one point and ten accumulated bags trigger a 100-point penalty. Other editions may use different scoring.
How should beginners choose a bid?
Count likely winners, then consider suit length and trumping risk. Aces and high spades are useful starting points, but no fixed bid fits every hand.
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