ACE-HIGH SPADES.
Ace-High is traditional Spades: a standard 52-card deck with no Jokers, where Spades are always trump and the Ace of Spades is the highest card. Four players form two partnerships, each team bids how many tricks (books) it will win, and making the bid scores points. BooksMade Spades supports Ace-High online, including ranked play, CREW lobbies and Leagues.
Ace-High trump order
Spades are always trump. In Ace-High the ladder is the natural card order:
- 01Ace of SpadesHighest card in the deck
- 02King of SpadesSecond-highest
- 03Queen, Jack, 10 … 3 of SpadesContinues in normal rank order
- 042 of SpadesLowest trump, still beats every card of another suit
- 05Other suitsAce high down to 2 low; they lose to any spade
The basics
Each of the four players gets 13 cards. Partners sit across from each other. Each team bids the number of books (tricks) it expects to win, play proceeds one trick at a time, and the highest trump or the highest card of the suit led wins the trick.
Spades cannot be led until they have been "broken" (played on an earlier trick) unless a player holds only spades.
Scoring
A team that makes its bid scores 10 points per bid book. Extra books are "bags" worth 1 point each, and collecting too many bags costs the team points. A team that misses its bid is "set" and loses points. A Nil bid, where a player says they will win no books, is worth a bonus if made and a penalty if not.
Online, hosts can adjust the target score, bag limit, Nil value and other house rules when they create a CREW lobby or league. The defaults differ from JJDD: Ace-High defaults to no Boston, no wheels and a 100-point Nil.
Ace-High versus the Joker variants
JJA adds two Jokers above the Ace of Spades. JJDD adds the two Jokers plus the 2 of Diamonds and 2 of Spades, so four cards beat the Ace. In Ace-High nothing beats the Ace of Spades, which makes it the most predictable of the three.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ace-High Spades?+
Ace-High is traditional Spades with a standard 52-card deck and no Jokers. The Ace of Spades is the highest card and Spades are always trump.
How many players are needed for Spades?+
Four players in two partnerships, with partners sitting opposite each other.
What is a bag in Spades?+
A bag is a book won above the team bid. Each bag is worth 1 point, and collecting too many bags triggers a point penalty. The exact limit is a house rule.
Where can I play Ace-High Spades online?+
BooksMade Spades is free on iOS and Android and supports Ace-High in ranked play, CREW lobbies, Leagues, Solo play against bots and the Scorekeeper.