This is a game for two to four players. At the beginning of the game, each player receives a card from the deck. Every player tries to take tricks in the first turn, and the player with the highest score wins. The player with the highest score in each trick wins the game.

Spades is played with a standard 52-card deck. A trick is won when the player takes more than the opponent's tricks, or when the opponent leads with a card of the same suit.

In the initial phase, the players are paired into two teams, with two players in each team. The round of bidding begins. Players can bid for the number of tricks they will take. The players must be able to pay for their bid. If both players in the team put their bids in the same suit, then the bid will be fulfilled. In addition, if the bid is for an overtrick, then the player is obliged to pay the entire value of that contract.