Hey it depends. It varies with who you are playing with, I don't think there are any official rules. We always play by house rules, whoever's house you're in, that's who's rules you play by!

ZetaAce

i agree with Zeta Ace. it just varies. i play spades on yahoo sometimes and their rules are pretty consistent to how i was taught. you can only play or lead off with spades if 1)that's all you have left in your hand or 2) you are cutting the suit played.

Hey c&c-

I play on yahoo sometimes too. I also play on webcrawler.

ZetaAce

Alright y'all, I "minored" in spades LOL. This is the main reason to ask how everyone plays before you start dealing. If you were playing the game according to the rules set by Hoyle (which are the rules on Yahoo and other sites), then they're right, you can't lead spades unless you're trump tight or someone has cut. BUT, since you said you were using jokers, which aren't used according to Hoyle, that rule doesn't apply unless it was stated in the beginning of the game.

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Kelli
12-DN-94
SSU c/o 1997
something we all should see: http://www.seestudio.com/psa.html

[This message has been edited by 12dn94dst (edited June 22, 2000).]

Kelli, is there anything you don't know? http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif I think you need to go on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire", girl. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif Give them a run for their money!

Seriously though, you have taught me a thing a two. Thanks!

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Sincerity, Loyalty, Unity
Sigma Lambda Upsilon: Hasta La Muerte!

I have to agree that it depends on the house rules, but I know that if I was you I would have done the same thing.

If you lead off spades and make them get rid of all of their spades then you will be able to take just about all of the rest of the books, because you will be leading them all...so I say good job on your strategy

But you have to observe the house rules I guess

WOW! I have never heard of that rule. And like Kelli I also minored in spades.

If I had a hand such as yours and I did not lead off with spades my partner would have been upset with me for not taking advantage of my hand.

It is very important to set the rules and agree to them before you start playing. I like to play with the jokers, without a kitty, I don't allow "blinds", I don't use the sandbagging rule, and if you do not have any spades you can through in your hand regardless of whether or not you have face cards.

Now where are these spades websites? As if I need to know...I already spend too much time on the net!

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Alpha Kappa Alpha

I've always seen the you can't lead spades unless broken.

With so many varieties of spade rules, running through "house rules" to start is usually a good idea. "Nil" rules were normally the most contraversial for me.

Serenity, You're welcome. I do have a lot of "useless" information runnng around in my head. I've learned a thing or two on this board too........maybe I should go on Millionaire...HMMM...... http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif I wonder if we can con them into having a College/Greek version......


Taykimson, what the heck is a kitty?

Places to play: http://games.yahoo.com http://zone.msn.com/hub_card.asp http://www.won.net/promo/intro_hoyle.html http://www.excite.com/games/card/spades/ (list of 5 sites)


One of a Kind, ditto what everyone said about how you played your hand. I hope you bit at least 10, if not a Boston.


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Kelli
12-DN-94
SSU c/o 1997
something we all should see: http://www.seestudio.com/psa.html

I'd never heard of the "can't lead with spades rule" and "Nil" until I played on the net under excite.com. I really don't care for it either. I also like to throw in the hand if a player has no spades (especially if the player is me http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/wink.gif). But, I prefer to use the 2 of diamonds and the 2 of spades as high spades.

12dn94dst --- I went to that website --- so sad and yet so true.



[This message has been edited by tickledpink (edited June 23, 2000).]

Any spades players out there?
 

This question has nothing to do with Greek life, but I just have to get the answer from somewhere. I was recently involved in a serious game of Spades (Is there any other kind?) Anyway, I had like a WHOA hand (8 high spades included)...It was on me to set the game off so I played my two aces (heart & Diamond) After I got those two books, I played my big joker. I was trying to pull everyone else's spades. WELL...I was told that unless I'm trump tight, I can not lead off with Spades. I have been playing for years, and have never heard of this rule. Needless to say an all out Brawl insued. If anyone knows anything about Spades, please let me know who was in the right.

I have always led out with spades. I think that is more of a college rule than old skool so, you really have to know whom you are playing with.

Always find out what are the house rules before you play.

God Bless,

Pinkice9

Hey Zeta Ace-

Although I haven't been to play spades in a couple of months, we may have been partners! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif I usually play in yahoo's intermediate level, but sometimes the advanced. What about you?

Taykimson-
I like playing with the jokers also. we take the 2 of hearts and diamonds out, unless we are playing with just 3 people and we leave them in and 1 joker.

Hey c&c-

I haven't played in a while either. I usually play in intermediate too. I have ventured to advanced a couple of times, but the people that usually play in there take the whole game way too seriously and need to lighten up. My name on there is Zeta_Ace1920. I think I remember playing with a Delta on there before. Was that you? Small world! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

ZetaAce

Thanks! I have been playing spades for years and I have never heard of such a rule until now. I don't mean to vent in this forum but, it's been over a week now and I'm still pissed off.(Yall know how IGNANT black people can get over a spades game!) We actually did discuss the rules before we started playing and no one mentioned this absurd rule! The game IS called SPADES is it not?!? I don't see how it is against the rules to lead off with them. What makes it so bad is that my own "alleged" partner was like "It is the rule, you can't do that". With a partner like this, who needs any more competition? Don't get me wrong, I've been playing spades with this "partner" for years and she's one of my best friends (and mentor) but she just put me on BLAST out of know where. I've been cheating with her for years (pulling spades out of the books and playing them again, etc.) and she allows it. But oh no, God forbid I lead off with spades? Does anyone know another strategy in trying to pull off a ten, maybe even a Boston? Another thing, my friend is a member of a BGLO and the guys we were playing against (or should I say, I was playing against) just happen to be her "bruhs". I was just the poor, unsuspecting GDI ,( as some people put it). CONSPIRACY!
:-( It's all good though...I guess I'm just conditioned to play the way I was taught. As someone posted, most people would beat your #ss if you had my hand and did not lead off with spades. O.k., I'm fine now. I had to release the anger. :-)

What is a boston and a kitty? I've never heard those terms before in spades.

c&c- Definitely, that would be cool!

A Boston is when one team takes all of the books (tricks). The game is over if one team runs a boston.

A kitty is a few extra cards that are dealt in the middle and whoever has a certain card (say the big joker) gets the Kitty and gets to put cards s/he doesn't want into the Kitty.

ZetaAce

Thanks ZetaAce for answering the kitty question. For us, the person that had the 2 of clubs got the kitty. The 2 extra cards that make the kitty are the 2 of diamonds and 2 of hearts that you would normally leave out when you use the Jokers.

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Alpha Kappa Alpha

Zeta Ace-

i don't recall your name. but i played so much it's possible. my name there is caramelhoneyluv. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/wink.gif I hear you about playing on the advance level. i only go there if i want a quick game without a lot of chit-chat. i like the intermediate because it is laid back (most of the time) and most people do know how to play. i've played checkers through yahoo before also, now if they would find a way to play dominoes, then it would be on! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif

maybe we'll have to set up a time to meet and play.

[This message has been edited by c&c1913 (edited June 23, 2000).]

The way that I learned to play spades was this:


you take out the 2 of clubs and the 2 of hearts. Here was your card order:

Big and little joker, 2 of diamonds, 2 of spades, ace of spades and so on...


We usually allowed blinds and overs, but of course it was house rules of how its played.


I went down south and I was taught a totallly different way without the jokers, it was weird but you adjust

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In complete darkness we are all the same... It is only our knowledge and wisdom that separates us... Don't let your eyes deceive you

Janet Jackson

[This message has been edited by Diva_56 (edited June 26, 2000).]

Hi all,
Well I am from the south, and it is even different around here, depending on where you play. Some people play Big J, Lil J, duece of spades, then diamonds, and then some play Big J, Lil J, duece of diamond then spades, that's what always confuses me. Then with the Jokers, sometimes people say that the biggest one is the Big J and sometimes they say that the one with the writing is the Big J b/c it is a "guaranteed " book. Also some people say that playing with the dueces is too many high cards, but that just makes the game better to me, because then you can get some beautiful hands. That is why when you play, you must let all the rules be known before you even start, and don't let folks change them or make up new rules halfway through the game. We also play blind, and sandbagging, but I have never played with a kitty.
ambitious

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"No one is your friend who demands your silence or denies your right to grow." -Alice Walker

I have always played that unless you have already broken reg by playing a trump.....and that can only happen when you are trump tight then you cant lead with any...

I definitely love a little spades game or two.

Now I love some Spades
I agree though with Zetace, but from the way we play out here, I didn't think you could throw the big J that earlier, but it does depedns on "The House Rules"
Hey if you really like playing though, a site called playsite.com, has spades gamees similar to yahoo, and it's a phat site*
DGPhoney~