Spades is a fun card game that can be learned without hassle but provides an opportunity to learn advanced tactics. If you’re the competitive kind and want to get better at playing Spades, you must master different aspects of the game.
Here’s a three-step guide describing what you should learn to get better at Spades:
Master Trick-Taking
There are different approaches to trick-taking, and learning about them is the first step to using them when playing.
#1 Taking Tricks by Betting on Kings and Aces
Before the leading player begins the game, count the number of Aces and Kings in your hand and add them up. This will give you a rough estimate of how many tricks you can win in the round. This is an excellent approach for any beginner. But it’s important to bear in mind that while the Aces and Kings can win rounds if someone plays a Spade card, they will lose tricks.
It’s also important to remember that if you only have a King in a suit, other players may have the Ace of the same suit or even a Spade to trump the card. Therefore, playing the King card if it’s the only one in the suit is pretty risky and should be avoided.
#2 Avoid Taking Tricks with Queen Cards
If you have a Queen and fewer than two cards in the same suit, players holding an Ace or King will beat your play. Players can trump a Queen with a Spade even when you have more than two cards in the suit.
For instance, if you’re holding the Queen of Diamonds and a 3 of Diamonds, you likely won’t be able to win the round. You can easily lose to someone with an Ace, King, or trump.
#3 Be Aggressive with Higher Spades
If you have a Spade higher than a ten, you have a chance to win the round. Better yet, if you have an Ace of Spades, no player can trump you, and you win the trick. The King of Spades is another great card to play after the Ace has been played.
It’s important to note that if you have fewer than two cards in a suit, you can use Spades between seven and nine to win the round – granted, you can’t follow suit.
Master Playing the Right Cards
Here are some card playing tactics you can use to enhance your game:
#1 Observe the Table Closely
Keeping track of cards on the table is one of the most important skills ranked Spades players learn. It takes time to learn to do this, but you can start by watching the high cards that other players lay down.
Knowing where the high cards are will help you determine whether the cards in your hand will help you win tricks. For instance, if you have a Queen of Diamonds and know that other players already played the Ace and King cards of the suit. Playing your Queen card in this situation is a nice way to try and win a trick.
#2 Lead with Low Spades if Your Hand is Stacked with Spades
Players with five or more Spade cards can force other players to play their Spades. If you lead with a low Spade, other players will have to follow suit. In the end, other players won’t have that many Spades to play, and you can play your high Spade cards to take tricks easily. This way, playing low Spades can increase the odds of players trumping your high Spades later.
#3 Play Low-Value Cards if You’re the Second to Play
Playing a high card or a Spade if you’re the second player to play allows other players to trump you. So, if you’re in that position, use it to play low cards that can’t help you win.
Learn to Pace Your Game
Pacing your game is as important a skill as any other. The two guidelines that can help you are:
- Playing Spades and high cards early in the game is an excellent way to rack up tricks and ensure your team makes their bid.
- If your teammate makes a high bid, don’t play cards that will get in their way of scoring. Players make high bids only when they have a strong hand, so it doesn’t make sense to mow them down with high-value cards when you can get away with playing lower cards. You will need to let your partner take tricks so your team can win the game.
Conclusion
Spades isn’t that difficult to learn, but it can take years to master all the skills involved in the game. The only way to get better at the game is to play more. You can practice your Spades skills online for free at play Spades online.
