How to bid a spades hand simplified: Bid 1 for each ace and king, plus 1 more for the queen of spades. (AKQ of dimes=2 AKQ spades=3) If you play aggressively, add 1 for an ace-queen combination. If you have only one spade or none at all, subtract 1, from your bid. Add 1 for each spade beyond the basic 3-card holding. (358Jspades=1) Add 1 for a singleton or void if you hold exactly three spades. (if you have 4 non-counting spades, that’s a 1 bid by itself, don’t make the mistake of bidding 1 for the spades, then 1 for the cut, you will probably get 1 for the cut but not one for the 4 spades) These are your main factors, and most players can use this system effectively. Other considerations also come into play, such as hand distribution, sometimes you get a killer hand, with a lot of spades. Most times in this case to decide your bid you can count the tricks you can’t possibly take, i.e. you have 7 spades with AKJxxxx but you also have 2,3 H’s and 3,4 D. That’s 4 tricks out of 13 you WON’T take. Finally, there are adjustments based on the game situation, which includes the score, bags, the other bids, and the abilities of the other players. How to cover a nil: If you bid after your partner, bid conservatively. You may have to pass up a few easy tricks to preserve your high cards for later. (If you have A109 of dimes, and you pard leads 7, you cover with 9, next hand he plays 8, you cover with 10, well you have probably lost the Ace) If you counted that Ace chances are you are set, especially on a high bid nil. When you are leading, select a suit with multiple high cards. A lead from Q J 8 is better than a lead from A 5 4. Prefer leading from your long suits. Maybe you will find partner will run out of this suit and he can discard other suits. (You may very well bag, but the nil is covered) If you are not long suited, lead from a short suit of two middle cards, such as 10 8, or a singleton above a 6. If you have a spades length, break spades early and push the suit. Partner should get a few key discards. Learn to read a hand, watch what your pard plays. If partner plays a low card under an Ace, you’ve found his short suit. Play this suit at every opportunity. If you have no good leads at all, try to pass the lead to the other team. Take a chance, lead an 8 or 9, most times they will take with higher card behind the nil. On a low bid nil try to let opponents keep the lead. Unless you see it’s important to lead what you know your pard’s void in. (if after 3 dime leads you don’t see ace, but you know your pard is void in clubs, take the dime lead and lead clubs) Tips for avoiding bags: Try to bid more aggressively if you consistently seem to get a lot of bags. When it’s a 10 or 9 bid some players try to avoid bags, hold off leading or playing their aces, some overtake their pard’s winner, or leading middle cards first. This may work on some hands but fail on others. The difference is that bags ultimately go to the players who have no small cards. The best players don't begin play by allowing the opponents to win a few easy tricks. Aggressive play at the start of the hand causes the opponents to worry about making their bid, they usually wind up with the overtricks themselves. In reality, weak players worry far more about bags than do strong players. The experts are always looking for the set, and don't mind taking an extra bag or two if there is any possibility at all of setting the opponents.

2008-05-19  -  Beginner Bidding Part 1 – Hand Evaluation

2008-04-17  -  Bidding in late stages of Spades

2008-04-17  -  Tips for Partnership Spades

2007-08-20  -  Change of Rules at Spadester.com

2007-07-31  -  Spades getting more popular

2007-07-20  -  Grand Prix World Series of Spades