Spades

Spades is a classic 4-player card game that requires 2 pairs of opposite partners. The goal is to be the first partnership to accumulate over 500 points. Although available in multiple variations, the summarized game rules remain pretty consistent.

The game's main feature is that the trump cards are always spades, where aces rank the highest. The table's highest spade card takes the trick or, if absent, the highest card of the suit lead decides. The first trick initiates by leading the 2 of clubs, after which players follow the suit of the lead card in clockwise order.

Players can play any card if they don't have the current suit to follow. However, the highest spade played on any trick wins, with the winner leading the next trick. Spades can only lead if someone has played them before or if the lead player has no other choice but to use spades. The first spade played in a game is known as the breaking spade.

Overall, Spades is a game that requires planning, strategizing and a knack for predicting the future. Regardless of the variation, the game's core objective remains the same. The game's simple yet addictive gameplay has made it a timeless classic.