The Spades game has several variations that make the game more fun. One of the variations is spades with jokers. As the name suggests, the game involves the use of jokers, to be exact, we use two!
Jokers in Spades is played using a standard deck of cards. The game uses two different jokers, and excludes two of clubs (2♣️) and two of hearts (2♥️). Moreover, the two jokers are considered as the highest trumps in the game.
The Spades with Joker game is played between two to five players as individuals or between four players in partnerships. While the gameplay is pretty similar to the basic Spades card game, the difference lies in the cards. Also, the Spades suit remains to be the Trump.
Curious to know more? Ahead, we walk you through everything you must know about the Spades game with jokers!
Card Order in Spades with Jokers
In the game of Spades with jokers, here’s how the card rankings work:
- Big Joker (Full-Color Joker) – This is the highest card.
- Little Joker (One-Color Joker) – This comes next.
- 2 of Spades – This ranks below the Little Joker.
- Ace of Spades – This is the highest regular spade card.
- King of Spades – Next highest regular spade.
- Queen of Spades
- Jack of Spades
- 10 of Spades
- 9 of Spades
- 8 of Spades
- 7 of Spades
- 6 of Spades
- 5 of Spades
- 4 of Spades
- 3 of Spades – This is the lowest spade card.
Also Read: Top Trick-Taking Card Games Similar to Spades
How To Play Spades With Jokers Online
Here are all the rules that will help you understand and play the game of spades. Take a look!
Object of Spades with Jokers
The objective of the Spades with Jokers online game is to win at least an equal number of tricks as a bid at the start of the game.
Number Of Players
The game of Joker Joker Deuce-deuce Spades is played between two to six players, either individually or in partnerships.
Game Rules
Learning the rules of spades with jokers will be a no-brainer if you know how to play spades game. Here are some key rules to play spades with jokers online with 2-players, 3-players, 4-players, and 5-players.
- The spades suit comprises 15 cards, including the two jokers.
- The Big Joker and Little Joker are the highest trump cards that can even beat the ace of spades in the game.
- In both 2-player and 4-player games, the two of clubs and two of diamond cards are removed from the deck.
- In 3-player games, no cards are removed, and each player is dealt 18 cards to make 18 tricks.
- In a 5-player Spades game with jokers and all four 2s removed, each player gets 10 cards, with jokers being the highest-ranking cards.
- Apart from 3-player games, each player is dealt 13 cards in all other games, with 13 tricks.
- A player cannot lead with spades unless the suit has been played previously or the player has no other suit than spades in hand.
- If there is a tie in players’ final scores, all the players must play one more round.
Dealing
To deal the cards to each player in Spades with Joker, a dealer is chosen. Each player randomly draws a card from the closed deck, and the player who draws the highest card becomes the first dealer. After that, each player gets the turn to deal in a clockwise direction.
The dealer begins from their left and deals the entire deck, face down, to every player, one at a time. After the cards are dealt, the players pick the cards and arrange them in the order of suits.
Also Read: How Many Spades Are in a Deck of Cards
Bidding
Once the cards have been dealt to each player in Spades with jokers online, the player at the dealer’s left makes the opening lead, which means he bids the number of tricks they will be able to win. Each player bids before the game starts. The goal is to win at least the number of tricks you bid. How many tricks you bid on is up to you, with a maximum of 13 tricks. If you meet your bid, you score points; if not, you lose points. For instance, let’s say you bid seven tricks while your opponent bids eight tricks. While you do eight, your opponent is able to meet only five. Here, you score.
When it comes to how to play Spades with Jokers, this is a crucial point of the game.
The other players follow in a clockwise direction and make a trick bid. Each player must make a minimum bid of one trick, and no player can pass or bid zero. The bidding takes place only in one round. Moreover, no player names a suit in the tricks bid, as the spades are the default. After the player’s bid, the game begins.
Also Read: How to Play Spades Game
Gameplay
Before the game begins, the Spades players decide the number of points that the winner must score, and the game is scored based on hands. Like the basic spades game, the spades with jokers game is usually played for 500 points and 200 points if the players want to play a short game.
The player sitting at the left of the dealer leads by playing a card. The other players follow suit. If any player cannot follow suit, the players can play a trump card or discard. The player who plays the highest value card will win the trick if no trump card is played.
If one or more players play a trump, the player with the highest value trump card wins the trick.
The player who wins the trick leads next, and the others follow suit. The game continues in a similar fashion until the players have no cards left in hand. Therefore, in total, each hand is worth 13 tricks.
Scoring
Knowing how the running score is calculated helps you stay in the loop and understand where you stand. When a player makes a contract (wins an equal number of tricks as they bid initially), the player earns 10 points per trick. Moreover, if the player wins more tricks than the bid, they score one point for each trick.
For instance, if a player bids 6 tricks and actually wins 6 tricks during the round, the score will be 60 points. But if the player bids 6 tricks and wins 8 tricks, the score will increase to 62 (60+2) points.
If a player breaks the contract (fails to win at least an equal number of tricks as the bid), the player’s score is 0. For instance, if a player bids 5 tricks and wins only 4 tricks in the game, no points are awarded.
In some games, making too many overtricks or bags in some games results in a penalty score. If a player accumulates 10 bags in a game, the player receives 100 penalty points.
In offline games, a player keeps track of the score to make scoring afterward easy. However, with Spades with Joker online, you don’t have to worry about it.
In case of a tie, the play continues. All players participate in one more round to decide the winner. That said, rules can differ as per the platform.
Rules Of Spades Game With Jokers
- 2 to 6 players, can play individually or in teams.
- You use a standard 52-card deck plus two Jokers.
- Winning the tricks helps meet your bid and earn points.
- The highest card is Big Joker in Spades.
- The second highest is the Little Joker, and Spades is the trump suit.
- You must predict (or bid) how many tricks you will win each round.
- You must take turns leading with a card; others must follow suit if they have it.
- You must meet your bid to score points; underbids lead to penalties.
- Overtricks (extra tricks won) can add up to penalties or bonuses as per the particular platform rules.
- The first to reach the set score wins the game.
Also Read: Popular Card Games to Play on Any Occasion
How To Strategize Correctly?
Now that you are well aware of all the house rules when it comes to spades game with jokers, let’s take a look at a few strategies to help you win.
Bid Wisely
Accurately estimate the number of tricks you can win based on your hand. Don’t let overconfidence hamper your game. Consider the high cards and trump (spades) cards, especially jokers, before deciding.
Play Jokers Strategically
Use jokers to win crucial tricks, mainly when opponents play high cards or to break an opponent’s strong suit. Also, keep track of other’s total points to know where you stand.
Save High Spades
Hold onto high spades, including the jokers, for later tricks to control the game when it’s crucial. For example, let’s say you have K, Q, J, 10. K can be used to win a high-value trick.
Variations of Spades With Jokers Game
Here are a few variations of Spades with Jokers Game.
Joker Joker Deuce Deuce
In this version, the Big Joker, Little Joker, and two deuces (2 of Diamonds and 2 of Spades) as high-ranking trump cards. To play Joker Joker Deuce Deuce Spades, each player gets a hand of cards, and they bid on how many tricks they think they can win. You must follow the suit led unless you are out, then you can use a trump card (Spades or Jokers) to win the trick.
Joker Joker Ace
In Joker Joker Ace Spades, the Big Joker and Little Joker are the two highest cards, followed by the Ace of Spades. Each player is dealt a hand, and they bid on how many tricks they expect to win.
You must follow the suit of the card led unless they don’t have it, in which case they can use a trump card to try to win the trick.
Also Read: Best 3-Player Card Games
FAQs
When to play Joker in spades?
The Little Joker, the second-highest card in spades, should be played when a player leads by playing the Big Joker. When a player leads with the Little Joker as the first card in the trick, the other players should play the lowest spade card in hand.
Can I play Joker Joker Spades without the deuces?
Yes, Joker Joker Spades doesn’t usually use high deuces, which are the 2 of Spades or 2 of Diamonds, unless you’re playing the Joker Joker Deuce Deuce variation.
What are some strategy tips?
The best strategy is to hold onto Jokers and high Spades to win important tricks. If you are in a team, communicate with your partner through your bids and play conservatively if you are unsure.
Are jokers used in spades?
Jokers are used in one of the variations of spades – Spades with Joker. Two jokers, namely, Big Joker and Little Joker, are added to a standard deck of 52 cards. The jokers are also called Full-Color Joker and One-Color-Joker, respectively.
What is Joker-Joker-Deuce-Deuce in Spades?
Joker-Joker-Deuce-Deuce in Spades implies that the cards are ranked in the order Big Joker, Little Joker, 2 of Diamonds, and 2 of Clubs. Therefore, while playing spades with jokers, you must never forget that the Deuce of Diamonds ranks higher than the Ace of Spades.
