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Spades is a popular card game variant played with two to four players. The main goal of the players or teams is to reach a predetermined score before their opponent and win the game. However, the game consists of bonus points, penalties, and additional points, which makes it more interesting and engaging. You can play this game with your friends or family.
Spades scoring depends on the number of bids and tricks won in the game. Hence, it is known as a trick-bid card game. The first trick starts with the dealer's left and continues till a team reaches the winning score. Spades are trump suit in the game which can Let us know the spades scoring rules in this article.
How to Keep Score in Spades?
Players or teams can keep their scoring in spades by bidding. After the cards are dealt, players must analyze their hands and bid accordingly. The number of tricks won will add to the score, along with additional bonus points for additional tricks. Players need to take care of the negative point values and penalties in the game. If you want to know how many tricks you must bid, you must decide according to the cards in your hand. It is up to you to choose how many tricks would be sufficient or achievable in the game. Here's how spades scoring is calculated under different circumstances:
1. Each Bid is Worth +10 Point
You will score 10 points for each successful bid. Suppose that in a team, A bids 4 and B bids 3. The team bid a total of 7 and they both fulfilled their bids with 7 points. The score will be +70 points for this round (10 x 7 = 70).
2. Each bag is worth +1 point
Every extra trick won above the bid is worth +1 point. Suppose that in a team, A bids 4 and B bids 3, the total tricks of the team are 7. By the end of the game, the team wins 9 tricks. The score will be +72 points for this round (10 x 7 = 70 + 2).
3. A Nil Bid is Worth +100 Points
Players often choose to make a bid nil (0) when their hands appear weak. If a player secures to win zero tricks over the entire game, then they get an additional bonus of +100 points. However, if they score one or more than one trick they will face a penalty of -100 points. Suppose in a team, player A bids for 0 i,e bid nil, and player B bids for 3. If both players fulfill their bid, then the total score of the team will amount to +130 points. (100 + (3 x 10))
4. Double Nil Adds +200 Points
This bid is also known as blind nil. Players don't see their hands after cards are dealt and bid zero. If players manage to fulfill both conditions, then they score an additional +200 points. Suppose player A bid double nil (blind nil) and B bids for 3. If both players fulfill their bids then the total score will result in +230 points. (200 + (3 x 10)). However, if blind nil bids fail, players will have a -200 penalty.
5. Negative Point if Fails the Bid
If players fail to make their bid, they will score a penalty of 10 points for each bid. Players need to make a minimum bid equal to the initial bid to score positive points. For instance, in a team player A bids for Nil and player B bids for 4. While B was set and scored only 3 tricks, which is not equal to or more than the bid, the total point for player B will be -30. If Player A manages to fulfill Nil, then the team ( A and B) will be awarded a total of +70 points ( +100-30).
6. Failing a Nil is Worth -100 Points
Let us take the above example again. In a team, player A bids for 0 (nil bid), and player B bids for 3. Player B scores 4 tricks in the game. If player A fails to achieve nil bid and scores one or more tricks in the game, the -100 point will be subtracted from the overall score of the game. Now, the overall point will accumulate to +30 points, + 1 for winning an extra bid, and -100 points for setting a nil bid, and then the overall point will be -69 points for the team.
7. Failing a Double Nil is Worth -200 Points
Let us take the above example, suppose player A bid double nil and B bids for 3. If player A wins 1 or more tricks, then the player loses -200 points. Player B scores 4 tricks in the game, which are combined to earn +30 points for each trick and +1 points for one extra trick over the bid. The total points of the team are -169 points.
8. Bagging out is worth -100 points
In some variants of Spades, overtricks or bags greater than the combined bids of players result in a penalty of 100 points for the player or team. For instance, suppose there are two players, A and B, in a team who have accumulated 8 bags through 5 rounds. Player A bids 2 tricks, and Player B bids 3 tricks. The total bids for the team reached 5 tricks.
Both A and B won a total of 8 tricks during the game. Hence, they earned 3 bags this round, which accumulated to 8 - 5 = 3 bags. Adding previous bags to the current gives 11 bags, which exceeds the 10-bag limit and attracts a -100 penalty. The total score comes to +50 for completing the bid, +3 points for the 3 overtricks, and -100 for reaching 10 or more bags. The final score comes to +50 +3 -100 = -47.
How Many Points Do You Need to Win Spades?
After each round, teams add the points earned, and sum up points of all rounds. According to the general spades scoring rules, the team that reaches the winning score, i.e., 500 points by default, first wins the game and the game is over.
However, if both teams reach the predetermined score first, then the higher-scoring team wins the game. If both teams reach the final score first and score the same number of points, then an extra round is played to determine the winner. For a shorter game of spades, a winning score of 200 or 300 points is kept to finish the game faster.
Game Overview
1. When a Team Makes a Bid
You can win 10 times your bid amount if you win tricks equal to or more than the bid. Suppose, your team placed a combined bid of 7 points and together won 7 tricks, then you will score +70 points ( 7 x 10 ) points.
2. When a Team Overbids
When a team goes past the number of bids raised initially during the game, then they score +1 point for each number of overtricks. Suppose, your team placed a bid of 7 combined and together won 9 tricks, then you will score +70 points ( 7 x 10 ) points for completing the bid and +2 points for two extra tricks over their bids, the team’s score goes to +72 points.
3. When a Team Underbids
If a team fails to reach their combined bid, then they earn zero points in the round. For instance, if your team bids for 5 number of tricks in total and scores only 3 number of tricks then the team is underbid and scores zero points. In some variations of the game, players lose -10 points for each bid they placed in the game. For instance, in the above example, the team won 3 out of 5 bids and hence lost 5 x 10 = -50 points in the game.
4. Nil and Blind Nil Points
If a team or player bids nil during the game after reading their hands. If they fulfill the conditions and score no tricks bid during the game, they score +100 points for the team. If you bid nil and your teammate bids 3 number of tricks and achieves it, then the total score of your team will be +100 points if you score less than one trick in the game and +30 if your teammate reaches the bid score.
Suppose a player on your team makes a blind nil bet without looking at their card first. If you don't win any number of tricks during the game, then your team earns +200 points in addition to the points you score. However, if your teammate scores more than 1 trick, then the team will lose -200 points from the overall score.
5. Winning the Game
A team needs to reach a predetermined score, i,e. 500 points by default, in the regular game. If both teams reach 500 points first, then the higher-scoring team wins the game. However, if both teams reach the score at the same time with the same score, then one more round is played to finalize the winner. For a shorter version of the game, the winning score is generally between 200 to 300 points.
Score Sheet
Check the sample spade score sheet, which you can use while scoring in spades. This score sheet is useful when you are not playing an online spades game. However, in online games, spades scoring is calculated automatically in the game for both teams.
Spades Score Sheet
The above score sheet records the score of each team in multiple rounds during the game. The game continues until one of the teams reaches the predetermined score of the game and wins. During each round, the number of bids, overall score, and bags collected by the team are calculated and provided. After each round, the score is added to the total score, and the game advances until a team wins the game.
