Score this hand
Team A (players 1 + 2)
0
0 bags
Team B (players 3 + 4)
0
0 bags
| Player | Nil | Bid (1–13) | Tricks won |
|---|---|---|---|
Enter all four bids and tricks, then “Add hand”. Score, bags, nil bonuses, and the 10-bag penalty are tracked for you.
How Spades scoring works
Before each hand, every player bids the number of tricks they expect to win — a team’s bid is the two partners’ numbers added together. Making the bid earns 10 points per trick bid. Each extra trick is a “bag”: it adds a single point now and a longer-term problem, because the tenth bag costs the team 100 points. Falling short of the bid costs 10 points per trick bid, with no softening for near misses. A successful nil — bidding zero tricks and winning none — is worth 100, and a broken nil loses 100. The game ends when a team finishes a hand with at least 500 points.
The risky part of Spades is rarely the bid itself — it’s the bags. Two careless overtricks a hand quietly stack up to a −100 swing, which is why the bag counters above sit right next to the scores.
Spades scoring at a glance
| Situation | Points |
|---|---|
| Bid made exactly | 10 × bid |
| Each extra trick (bag) | +1 now; 10 bags = −100 and bags reset |
| Bid missed | −10 × bid |
| Successful nil | +100 |
| Nil broken (any trick taken) | −100 |
| First team to 500+ | Wins (both over 500: higher score wins) |
Spades score calculator FAQ
How does the Spades score calculator count bags?
Every extra trick your team takes beyond its combined bid is one bag. Bags add 1 point each immediately; when a team collects ten bags, 100 points come off its score and the bag count starts over.
What happens if we fail our bid?
A team that takes fewer tricks than it bid loses 10 points per trick bid, and the hand adds no bags. The calculator shows the negative hand total so you can see exactly what the miss cost.
How is nil scored?
A player who bids nil promises to win no tricks: 100 points if they succeed, minus 100 if they take even one. Their nil bid does not add to the team bid — the calculator handles this automatically when you tick Nil.
When does the game end?
The first team to finish a hand with 500 or more points wins. If both teams pass 500 on the same hand, the higher total wins; an exact tie means the game continues.
Do you support blind nil or the 5-bag house penalty?
This calculator follows the most common US house rules: 10 bags cost 100, and nil is ±100. For blind nil or lighter 5-bag penalties, keep score on paper with our printable sheet.