Spades scoring is based on the team's bid, the tricks it wins, and any bags or nil bids. In standard partnership Spades, a team earns 10 points for every trick in its bid, plus 1 point for each extra trick. A failed bid costs 10 points for every trick bid.

A standard game usually ends when a team reaches 500 points.

Spades Scoring at a Glance

Result Score
Bid 4, win exactly 4 tricks 40
Bid 4, win 5 tricks 41
Bid 4, win 6 tricks 42
Bid 4, win only 3 tricks -40
Successful nil bid +100
Failed nil bid -100
Reach 10 bags -100

The first team to reach the agreed target, often 500 points, wins.

How to Score a Regular Bid

Add both partners' bids together. That total becomes the team's contract for the hand.

For example:

  • Player 1 bids 3
  • Player 2 bids 2
  • Team bid: 5
  • Team wins 6 tricks

The team made its bid and won one extra trick:

5 × 10 + 1 bag = 51 points

The team adds 51 points to its running score.

If the Team Wins Exactly Its Bid

A team that bids 6 and wins exactly 6 tricks scores:

6 × 10 = 60 points

There are no bags.

If the Team Wins Fewer Tricks Than Its Bid

A team that bids 5 but wins only 4 tricks fails its contract.

The team scores:

-5 × 10 = -50 points

The penalty is based on the team's bid, not on the number of tricks it missed.

What Are Bags in Spades?

A bag is an extra trick won above the team's combined bid.

If a team bids 4 and wins 6 tricks:

  • Contract points: 40
  • Extra tricks: 2 bags
  • Hand score: 42

Record the team's score and its running bag total. Bags matter because most scoring systems subtract 100 points when a team reaches 10 bags.

How Does the 10-Bag Penalty Work?

When a team reaches 10 bags, subtract 100 points from its score.

Example:

  • Team score: 186
  • Existing bags: 8
  • New bags earned: 3
  • Total bags: 11

Apply the penalty:

  • Score after penalty: 86
  • Bags remaining: usually 1

Some groups reset the bag count to zero instead of keeping the extra bag. Agree on this rule before the game starts.

How Do You Score a Nil Bid?

A nil bid means a player promises to win zero tricks. The player's partner still makes a regular bid, and the two parts are scored separately.

Successful Nil

Example:

  • Player 1 bids nil and wins 0 tricks
  • Player 2 bids 4 and wins 5 tricks

Scoring:

  • Successful nil: +100
  • Regular bid: 40 points
  • One extra trick: +1 bag

Team total: 141 points

Failed Nil

A nil bid fails if the nil bidder wins even one trick.

Example:

  • Player 1 bids nil but wins 1 trick
  • Player 2 bids 4 and wins 4 tricks

Scoring:

  • Failed nil: -100
  • Regular bid made: +40

Team total: -60 points

Whether a trick won by a failed nil bidder counts toward the team's bags varies by house rule. Confirm this before playing.

How Do You Score a Blind Nil?

A blind nil is a nil bid made before the player looks at their cards. It is commonly worth:

  • Successful blind nil: +200 points
  • Failed blind nil: -200 points

Blind nil scoring is a house rule. Check whether your group allows it and how many points it is worth.

A Simple Spades Score Sheet

Use separate columns for each partnership:

Hand Team A bid Team A tricks Team A score Team A bags Team B bid Team B tricks Team B score Team B bags
1 5 6 51 1 4 3 -40 0
2 3 3 30 1 6 7 61 1

At the end of each hand:

  1. Add the partners' bids.
  2. Count each team's tricks.
  3. Add contract points or subtract the failed-bid penalty.
  4. Add bags for extra tricks.
  5. Apply nil or blind nil bonuses and penalties.
  6. Check for a 10-bag penalty.
  7. Add the hand's score to the running total.

Complete Spades Scoring Example

Before the hand:

  • Team A: 120 points and 8 bags
  • Team B: 95 points and 4 bags

Team A bids 4 and wins 7 tricks. Team B bids 5 and wins 6 tricks.

Team A

  • Bid points: 4 × 10 = 40
  • Extra tricks: 3 bags
  • Hand score: 43
  • Score before the bag penalty: 163
  • Bag total before the penalty: 11

Team A has reached 10 bags, so subtract 100 points:

  • Final score: 63
  • Remaining bags: 1

Team B

  • Bid points: 5 × 10 = 50
  • Extra tricks: 1 bag
  • Hand score: 51
  • Final score: 146
  • Final bags: 5

Common Spades House Rules

Spades groups may use different rules for:

  • Winning at 300 instead of 500 points
  • Requiring a winning margin
  • Allowing blind nil bids
  • Resetting all bags to zero after a 10-bag penalty
  • Keeping extra bags after the penalty
  • Counting tricks from a failed nil toward bags
  • Allowing negative scores
  • Restricting nil bids below a certain score

Agree on these rules before the first deal.

The Basic Spades Scoring Formula

For a regular bid that the team makes:

Score = 10 × combined bid + extra tricks

If the team fails its bid:

Score = -10 × combined bid

Then apply any nil bonuses, nil penalties, blind nil adjustments, and 10-bag penalties.