A trick in Spades is one round in which each player plays one card. In a standard four-player game, each trick contains four cards, and the player who plays the winning card collects them. A standard hand contains 13 tricks because each player receives 13 cards.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Trick | One card played by each player |
| Winner | The player who plays the highest winning card |
| Trump suit | Spades |
| Standard hand | 13 tricks |
How Is a Trick Won in Spades?
The highest spade wins the trick if any spade is played. If no spade appears, the highest card in the suit that was led wins.
For example:
- A player leads the 10 of hearts.
- Another player plays the king of hearts.
- A third player plays the 2 of spades.
- The fourth player plays the ace of hearts.
The 2 of spades wins because spades are trump and beat cards from the other suits.
What Does "Taking a Trick" Mean?
Taking a trick means winning that round and collecting the four cards played. The number of tricks a team wins affects its score because players bid on how many tricks their team expects to take.
If a player bids four, their team must win at least four tricks to meet the bid. Winning exactly four tricks fulfills the bid.
What Does Following Suit Have to Do With a Trick?
The first card played establishes the led suit. Each player must follow that suit if they have a card in it. A player without a card in the led suit can usually play another suit or use a spade to win the trick.
In many versions of Spades, players cannot lead with a spade until spades have been broken. Spades are broken when someone plays one because they cannot follow the led suit. House rules can change when spades may be led.
A trick is one complete round of cards. The highest spade wins it, and if no spade is played, the highest card in the led suit wins.