To play spades online, two teams of two people are required, as well as a standard 52-card pack. Each team’s goal is to be the first to reach a certain number of points, usually 501, but this number can be negotiated at the start of the game.

Each player begins the game by drawing a single card. The player with the highest card is designated as the dealer, and his or her first task is to deal 13 cards to each player, one card at a time, face down, beginning with the player to the dealer’s left.

After all of the cards have been dealt, each player must decide how many tricks they will be able to win that round. Winning a trick is as simple as having the highest card in the suit that leads. It’s important to remember, however, that spades trump all suits, regardless of which suit leads.

Players make their guesses, known as bids, public. The bids of each team’s two players are added together, and the resulting number is referred to as a contract. The round begins with the player to the left of the dealer playing a card from their hand in any suit. Other players must do the same. If they are unable to do so, they may play a trump or discard. The player who plays the highest trump, or if no trump is played, the player who played the highest card in the suit led, wins the trick and takes the lead in the next round.

At the end of a round, players multiply the number of tricks in their contract by ten points and add one point for each trick won in excess of the total in their contract. For example, if one team’s contract is ten and the team wins ten tricks, the score is 100. If the same team wins 11 tricks, the total score is 101. No points are awarded if a team violates its contract.

Spades online is a card game for four players. You can play the game with your friends for free online.