Who wins a trick in Spades?
Every trick has exactly one winner, and figuring out who that is comes down to two simple questions: were spades played, and who led.
No spades on the trick
When four cards hit the table and none of them is a spade, only the led suit matters. The player who contributed the highest card of that suit wins, with the ace on top and the two at the bottom. Any cards someone tossed from other suits, because they were void, simply cannot win.
When spades enter the trick
The moment a spade is played on a non-spade trick, the calculation changes: the led suit no longer wins, and the highest spade takes it instead. If several players trump in, they compete among themselves, and the biggest spade prevails. This is the trump power that gives the game its name, explained further in why spades are trump.
Winning leads to the next trick
The winner of each trick collects those four cards and leads the next one, which hands them control of the suit. Steering the lead is a real weapon, since it lets you attack weak spots and manage when spades get broken. Try tracking winners hand by hand at Partnership Spades.
The fastest way to make this stick is to deal a hand and try it.
Keep reading - related questions
Do you have to follow suit in Spades?
Yes. If you hold any card of the suit that was led, you are required to play one of them. You are only free to do something else, such as trumping with a spade or throwing away a card from another suit, when you have none of the led suit left. Following suit is the core rule that makes trick-taking work.
Why are spades the trump suit?
In this game the spade suit is the fixed trump suit, meaning any spade outranks any card of hearts, diamonds, or clubs. Unlike games where trump changes each hand, spades are trump every single deal, which is where the game gets its name. A low spade will beat even the ace of another suit whenever it is legally played.
How do you play Spades?
Spades is a trick-taking card game for four players split into two partnerships that sit across from each other. Everyone is dealt 13 cards, each player bids the number of tricks they expect to win, and play goes clockwise one card at a time. You must follow the suit that was led when you can, spades always outrank the other three suits, and your team scores by taking at least as many tricks as it bid.