Community Discussion → Spades Strategy 2# - The End Game Basics
Spades Strategy 2# - The End Game Basics
Midnightguy
This post in many ways is associated with my first post on "Bid the Score". I was using two example on first post to show the importance to know what the score is and not just bid by what cards you have in your hand. Here on this post, we'll take this a step further by going over problems that many players face when playing Spades. Many players tend to go wrong during the End Game and fail to secure that win that was theirs for the taking or failed to stop the other team from winning by setting them and continue the game.
What exactly is an End Game anyhow? The End Game is where one or both teams have a score of at least 350 or greater. I use the score 350 because its not too uncommon where you will see one player bid 5 and their partner will go nil (in another post will go over strategies some teams use to increase this likelihood) . A nil is 100, plus the 5 bid of 50 added to 350 will give the team of 500 to the win. Also note if the first or second bidder bids 6 or greater and has a score that is less than 350, be prepared if the third or last bidder bids nil, that bid total plus nil would give them 500. (Example a 7 bid by player one with the score of 330 plus nil would be 500)
Let us look what each team should be thinking when one team has a score of 350 or greater and the other team can not win on that hand no matter what their score is.
350-399 - You should be aware that the team with 350 to 400 can bid nil plus with their partners bid of 1-5 to win the game on this deal. Clearly if you are the second bidder and losing, you can take in the important information if the first bidder doesn't bid high enough plus the nil to win the game. If they don't bid high enough then you can be certain another hand will be dealt even if their partner does bid nil and is successful. If the first player does go nil, then you should be prepared perhaps their partner maybe bid the needed bid of 1-5 to win the game if the nil is successful.
400-449 - This is the "gray" area. If the losing team is far behind, a nil bid on first bid "could" be signal to tell the other team to go ahead and bid high together for the game. However, there are times also when one of the players on the with the lead, will go ahead and bid nil anyway, thinking they have a surefire hand that even a bot couldn't mess up and want to avoid possible complications if another hand is dealt . Course if that happens, you'll just have to hope and pray for the best that your team can stop the nil or unless if your team can set the defenders bid and their set bid would prevent them from getting to 500 if the nil is successful.
450-499 - If bagging is not an option and one team has less than 50 to win game and the losing team has no way to win the game on that hand, the losing team should be playing for set at all costs. Odds are highly likely a total of 5 bid from the team with the score of 450-499 will take place. Even if the last bidder is on the winning team elects not to bid to win and plays it safe, 470-490 vs a score by the other team far away still means they can easily win game on the next hand. Unless if you are playing with weaker players who just bid their hands or they are just a team who likes to "showboat", don't expect them to nil here ever. An average team to even a good team will know not to bid nil and bid 1 and hope their partner can cover their bid. Better to go set with a smaller bid than going set by 100 missing that nil.
Do note that if a team has 6 or more bags, you may wish to opt to bag the team and hope for a better situation on the next deal. If a team has 5 or less bags, the benefits of bag setting them is greatly reduced and the chances of setting them would have been greater and perhaps the better option. If the other team bids high and you feel you have the cards to set them even though they have 6 or more bags, it's not a crime to still play for the set. Be prepared early if they seem likely to make their bid, you may have to fall back on bag setting again.
Noticed I did not go over what if both teams have 350 or greater. This is for future posts where I'll go over other strategies and offer insights on quizzes.
The main point I wish people who read this to understand if one or both teams have the score of 350 or greater, the game could end on that deal pending on the bids. If you are on the losing team with no hopes of winning on that deal, make bids and plays that would make sense to stop the other team from winning and look for a better situation on the next deal.
What exactly is an End Game anyhow? The End Game is where one or both teams have a score of at least 350 or greater. I use the score 350 because its not too uncommon where you will see one player bid 5 and their partner will go nil (in another post will go over strategies some teams use to increase this likelihood) . A nil is 100, plus the 5 bid of 50 added to 350 will give the team of 500 to the win. Also note if the first or second bidder bids 6 or greater and has a score that is less than 350, be prepared if the third or last bidder bids nil, that bid total plus nil would give them 500. (Example a 7 bid by player one with the score of 330 plus nil would be 500)
Let us look what each team should be thinking when one team has a score of 350 or greater and the other team can not win on that hand no matter what their score is.
350-399 - You should be aware that the team with 350 to 400 can bid nil plus with their partners bid of 1-5 to win the game on this deal. Clearly if you are the second bidder and losing, you can take in the important information if the first bidder doesn't bid high enough plus the nil to win the game. If they don't bid high enough then you can be certain another hand will be dealt even if their partner does bid nil and is successful. If the first player does go nil, then you should be prepared perhaps their partner maybe bid the needed bid of 1-5 to win the game if the nil is successful.
400-449 - This is the "gray" area. If the losing team is far behind, a nil bid on first bid "could" be signal to tell the other team to go ahead and bid high together for the game. However, there are times also when one of the players on the with the lead, will go ahead and bid nil anyway, thinking they have a surefire hand that even a bot couldn't mess up and want to avoid possible complications if another hand is dealt . Course if that happens, you'll just have to hope and pray for the best that your team can stop the nil or unless if your team can set the defenders bid and their set bid would prevent them from getting to 500 if the nil is successful.
450-499 - If bagging is not an option and one team has less than 50 to win game and the losing team has no way to win the game on that hand, the losing team should be playing for set at all costs. Odds are highly likely a total of 5 bid from the team with the score of 450-499 will take place. Even if the last bidder is on the winning team elects not to bid to win and plays it safe, 470-490 vs a score by the other team far away still means they can easily win game on the next hand. Unless if you are playing with weaker players who just bid their hands or they are just a team who likes to "showboat", don't expect them to nil here ever. An average team to even a good team will know not to bid nil and bid 1 and hope their partner can cover their bid. Better to go set with a smaller bid than going set by 100 missing that nil.
Do note that if a team has 6 or more bags, you may wish to opt to bag the team and hope for a better situation on the next deal. If a team has 5 or less bags, the benefits of bag setting them is greatly reduced and the chances of setting them would have been greater and perhaps the better option. If the other team bids high and you feel you have the cards to set them even though they have 6 or more bags, it's not a crime to still play for the set. Be prepared early if they seem likely to make their bid, you may have to fall back on bag setting again.
Noticed I did not go over what if both teams have 350 or greater. This is for future posts where I'll go over other strategies and offer insights on quizzes.
The main point I wish people who read this to understand if one or both teams have the score of 350 or greater, the game could end on that deal pending on the bids. If you are on the losing team with no hopes of winning on that deal, make bids and plays that would make sense to stop the other team from winning and look for a better situation on the next deal.
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