Playing a spade in Spades is legal in 2 situations: spades are led, or you cannot follow the suit led.

What Does "Breaking Spades" Mean?

Spades are broken when a player plays a spade after failing to follow the suit led.

For example:

  1. A player leads hearts.
  2. You have no hearts.
  3. You play the 7 of spades.

Spades are now broken, so players may lead spades on later tricks. The spade does not have to win the trick. Playing it because you could not follow suit is enough.

Can You Play a Spade If You Still Have the Led Suit?

No. In standard Spades, you must follow suit whenever you can.

If a player leads a club and you hold the 4 of clubs and the queen of spades, you must play the 4 of clubs. Playing the queen of spades would be a renege, also called a revoke.

What If Spades Have Not Been Broken?

You may play a spade when you cannot follow the suit led, even if spades have not been broken yet. You may not normally lead a spade before that point.

The common exception is a hand containing only spades. Many standard rules allow you to lead a spade then, although house rules can differ.

Quick Reference

Situation Can You Play a Spade?
Spades are led and you have a spade Yes. You must follow suit.
A non-spade is led and you have that suit No. You must follow suit.
A non-spade is led and you have none of that suit Yes. You may play a spade to trump the trick.
You want to lead a spade before spades are broken Usually no.
You have only spades left before spades are broken Usually yes, depending on house rules.

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