Rules ::
The game of spades is a four player (two teams) card game with partners sitting opposite each other.  A standard deck of cards will be used and provided during the tournament.

Teams will be matched up by random assignment. In the event of an odd number of teams, one team will be given a bye and will automatically advance to the next round, where they will play the team with the highest score from the first round.

Cards rank in each suit from highest to lowest A,K,Q,J,10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2. There are no wild cards such as jokers and the 2 is the lowest card in the game.

Bidding ::
Each hand begins by players bidding starting with the player to the left of the dealer. Bids must be in whole numbers and a minimum team bid of 4 tricks/books is required.

10 for 2: A team bid of 10 for twice the points. (Bids of 11 & 12 are scored as 10 for 2 with an additional one or two tricks.)

Blind::
A blind is a team bid that is declared before any player looks at his/her cards. When declared a minimum bid of 6 is required.  Blind bids are scored at twice the points.  Thus a blind bid of 6 tricks/books if achieved is scored as 120 points. Blind bids may only be placed when a team is down by 100 points.

Play ::
The spades tournament will be played through a series of rounds each consisting of 45 minutes.  The first team to score 500 points or the team with the highest score at the end of the round advances to the next round until the end of the tournament.

Play begins with the player to the left of the dealer discarding any card except for a spade and every player following suit if possible in a clockwise direction (a spade may not be used to collect the first trick). Play proceeds with the winner of the first trick leading the second round with any card except a spade.  If a player is void in the leading suit, then he/she may play any card desired.  A trick containing a spade is won by the highest spade; otherwise the highest card in that suit wins the trick.  Play continues with the winner of each trick leading the next round. A player can
not lead with a spade unless spades have been broken or the leader has only spades left in is/her hand.

The dealer will be determined at the beginning of the round by the player who pulls the highest card from the deck.

Your hand may not be thrown in at any time.  No spades does not constitute a dead hand.

A team receiving all 13 books will not end the game immediately.

Scoring ::
Once play has finished each team that makes at least their bid receives 10 times their bid amount plus one point for each sandbag (any trick over the amount bid).  A team that falls short of its bids loses ten times the amount of the bid.

Blind bids that are not reached are penalized at 10 times the bid amount.

10 for 2 bids that are not reached are penalized at 10 times the bid amount.

A team is penalized 100 points for accumulating 10 sandbags.

No switching partners. If one team member is unable to play the team forfeits.

No displaying cards during the dealing process.

No reneging.  If you are caught reneging the other team gets 2 of your tricks/books.

No Cheating or talking across the board.  Any act of cheating deemed by the judge may result in a loss of 75 points or immediate termination.