Spades Variants

Popular Spades Variations

While standard four-player partnership Spades is the most widely played version, the game has inspired numerous variants that change the player count, bidding rules, or scoring systems. Here are the most popular ways to mix up your Spades game.

Cutthroat Spades (Solo Spades)

Cutthroat Spades is designed for three players with no partnerships. Each player competes individually.

How It Works

• Remove one card from the deck (typically the 2 of Clubs or 2 of Diamonds) so each player receives 17 cards.
• Each player bids individually on the number of tricks they will win.
• Scoring follows the standard system: 10 points per trick bid if successful, minus 10 per trick bid if failed, and 1 point per overtrick (bag).
• The bag penalty of minus 100 at 10 bags still applies to each individual player.

Strategy Notes

Without a partner, you must rely entirely on your own hand strength. Bidding becomes more conservative since you have no partner to cover weak suits. Voids are even more valuable because you can trump in without worrying about coordination.

Mirror Spades

Mirror Spades adds a unique twist: both partners must bid the same number of tricks. This forces partners to coordinate their bids without communicating.

How It Works

• Players bid simultaneously (often by placing a number of fingers on the table at the same time or writing bids down).
• If both partners bid the same number, they play the hand normally with that shared bid as each player's individual target.
• If the bids do not match, a penalty is applied. Common penalties include using the lower bid for both players or losing a set number of points.

Strategy Notes

Mirror Spades rewards partners who can anticipate each other's thinking. Over time, experienced partners develop an intuitive sense of what "average" bid the other will choose based on typical hand strength.

Suicide Spades

Suicide Spades is a high-risk variant where one partner must bid Nil every hand. This creates dramatic swings in scoring and intense gameplay.

How It Works

• On every hand, one partner must bid Nil while the other bids normally.
• Partners alternate who bids Nil each hand, or the partnership may choose who bids Nil based on their cards.
• Standard Nil scoring applies: 100 bonus for success, 100 penalty for failure.
• The non-Nil partner must bid at least 4 tricks (varies by house rules).

Strategy Notes

The Nil player must aggressively dump high cards while their partner tries to win tricks and cover for them. This variant tests defensive skills and partnership coordination to the extreme. Games tend to be shorter and more volatile.

Joker Spades

This variant adds the two Jokers to the deck, making them the highest-ranking trump cards.

How It Works

• Add both Jokers to the 52-card deck, making a 54-card deck.
• The Big Joker (usually colored or marked) is the highest card in the game, ranking above the Ace of Spades.
• The Little Joker ranks second, between the Big Joker and the Ace of Spades.
• Both Jokers are considered spades for all purposes.
• Remove the 2 of Clubs and 2 of Diamonds so each player still receives 13 cards.

Strategy Notes

Holding a Joker is an almost guaranteed trick. This changes bidding calculations significantly. The Big Joker is the only truly unbeatable card in the game. Players with Jokers should bid more aggressively.

Whiz

Whiz is a restrictive bidding variant that limits your choices, creating more challenging and unpredictable gameplay.

How It Works

• Each player must bid either Nil or the exact number of spades in their hand. No other bids are allowed.
• If you hold 4 spades, you must bid either Nil or 4.
• Standard scoring applies for both regular bids and Nil bids.

Strategy Notes

Whiz forces dramatic decisions. With many spades, you are committed to a high bid. With few spades but strong side-suit cards, you face a tough choice between a low bid that ignores your aces and a risky Nil. This variant rewards careful reading of opponents' likely holdings.

Two-Player Spades

A head-to-head version of Spades for two players, adapted from the partnership game.

How It Works

• Each player is dealt 13 cards from a standard 52-card deck. The remaining 26 cards form a draw pile.
• Players bid on tricks just like in standard Spades.
• After each trick, both players draw one card from the draw pile before the next trick is led.
• Play continues for 13 tricks, after which scoring is the same as standard Spades.

Strategy Notes

The draw pile adds uncertainty since you cannot predict your full hand at bidding time. Flexible bidding and adaptive play are essential. Some two-player variants deal all 26 cards to each player from the start for a more strategic game.

Deuces High

A chaotic variant where the 2s become the most powerful cards.

How It Works

• All four 2s are promoted to the highest rank, beating Aces.
• The 2 of Spades becomes the most powerful card in the game.
• The remaining card ranking stays the same: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, down to 3.
• All other rules remain standard.

Strategy Notes

Cards that are normally throwaway become premium holdings. This reversal changes every aspect of strategy, from bidding to play. Players used to standard Spades will need to completely recalibrate their card valuation.