Euchre vs Spades
Euchre and Spades are both partnership games for four, and both are classics of the kitchen table. Euchre is short and punchy: a 24-card deck from 9 to Ace, five cards each, and a trump suit chosen by ordering up or calling after one card is turned. The Jack of trump and the other Jack of the same colour become the two highest cards.
Spades uses the whole deck, thirteen cards each, and spades are always trump. Instead of choosing trump you bid how many tricks you will take, with Nil as a high-risk option, and overtricks pile up as bags that eventually cost you.
Side by side
| Euchre | Spades | |
|---|---|---|
| In one line | Partnership trick-taking with a 24-card deck, bowers and a turned-up trump. | Partnership trick-taking: bid your tricks, spades are trump. |
| Players | 4 | 4 |
| Family | Trick-taking | Trick-taking |
| Type | Table game, bots or friends | Table game, bots or friends |
| Options | Play to: 10 or 5 or 7; Going alone: Allowed or Off | Play to: 250 or 500 |
| Online turn timer | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
The differences that matter
- Deck and hand: Euchre plays 24 cards with five each; Spades plays all 52 with thirteen each.
- Trump: Euchre's trump changes every hand and its two highest trumps are Jacks; in Spades the trump is always spades and the Ace is high.
- Commitment: in Euchre the side that picks trump must take at least three of five tricks or be euchred; in Spades each player bids an exact number of tricks.
- Going alone: Euchre lets the maker play without a partner for extra points; Spades has the Nil bid instead.
- Pace: a Euchre hand is five tricks and games go to 10 (or 5 or 7) points; Spades games run to 250 or 500.
Which should you play?
Choose Euchre if you want quick hands, fast decisions and the thrill of the bowers.
Choose Spades if you prefer longer hands with more counting, and an auction that rewards accurate prediction.
How to play Euchre
Four players in partnerships, 24 cards (9 to Ace), five cards each. One card is turned up.
In round one, players may order the dealer to pick it up, making its suit trump; otherwise any other suit may be called in round two (the dealer must call).
The Jack of trump is the highest card, then the other Jack of the same colour. The maker may go alone.
Makers score 1 for 3-4 tricks, 2 for all five (4 alone); a euchre gives the defenders 2. First to the target wins.
How to play Spades
Four players in partnerships (seats 1&3 vs 2&4). Spades are always trump.
Each player bids the tricks they expect to win, or bids Nil (win none). Spades cannot be led until broken.
Making your team's combined bid scores 10 points per trick plus 1 per extra trick (bag); missing it loses 10 per bid trick.
Nil succeeds for +100, fails for -100. Ten bags cost 100 points. First side to the target wins.