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Bidding Instructions and Tips


    Endgame bidding is one of the most challenging, thought-provoking, and strategical nuances of the game of Spades. The first lesson in endgame bidding is learning to be patient. The biggest mistake a player can make is to rush this phase of the game. There are a myriad of variables that can have a diverse affect on finding the appropriate bid and they must be thoroughly examined. How Not To Lose At Spades author JohnGalt Strichman sums it up with his quote "Think twice and bid once!" Spades is a thinking game, why spend 45 minutes playing a game just to throw it away by rushing through the last bid?

    Answers to SpadesQuizzes should include what you believe is the correct bid for the scenario and more importantly WHY is it the correct bid. Assume your opponents are strong players and you are matched with a regular pard you can trust. Consider every possible factor then give a brief description of what your strategy for the play of the hand is. When you are finished, compare your answer to mine.

    There are some tips and tricks to endgame bidding. The most important part of proper endgame bidding is understanding and implementing the many variables that come into play. There are 13 major variables that affect how a player should bid, how many can you identify?
  1. Your team's score
  2. Your opponent's score
  3. Your team's bag count
  4. Your opponent's bag count
  5. The position in which you are bidding
  6. Effect of other players' bids on the current score
  7. The maximum and minimum trick taking power of your cards
  8. The distribution of the cards in your hand
  9. The skill level of your partner
  10. The skill level of your opponents
  11. Playing style and tendencies of your partner
  12. Playing style and tendencies of your opponents
  13. Which player has opening lead


    The first step to endgame bidding is identifying an endgame scenario. This consists of any point during a game in which the result of the current hand could possibly lead to the end of the game. Players must be able to identify these circumstances and be ready for them. When an opponent has 350 points and the first bidder from their team bids 5, you must be ready for a nil and an endgame scenario. Last hand bidding consists of three approaches: preventative defense, offensive bidding or a mix of both. When you are behind and your opponents are threatening to win, you must elicit a plan for preventative defense. If you are ahead and have a chance to bid out, then you go on offense. In offensive mode risk-over-reward factors come heavy into play. Considering the threats of being bagged, set, or outbid, players should try to make the minimum safe bid to put their team in a winning position. If the scores are close and both teams have a chance at winning on the same hand you must be prepared to play offense and defense simultaneously. It isn't always easy, it takes understanding the logic, taking the time to do the math and analyze the circumstances and finally lots and lots of practice.