The first dealer deals each player a 13-card conealed hand.
After cards have been dealt, each player must bid on how many tricks they will be able to take, starting with the person to the left of the dealer and moving clockwise. Players cannot pass the bidding but bidding zero is allowed. Bidding zero is known as bidding “nil.” Before looking at their cards, players also have the option to bid “blind nil,” or zero. Once all bids have been made but before play starts, the blind nil bidder exchanges two cards with their partner (the bidder sets two cards facedown which are picked up by their partner, who picks them up and then gives two cards facedown to the bidder, who picks them up). Bidding blind nil is only allowed if your team is losing by at least 100 points. Bidding nil and blind nil have special scoring implications (see below).
Play consists of a series of tricks. The first trick is led by the player to the dealer’s left, and they may lead with any card except a spade. Everyone must play a card in the leading suit if they are able. If they do not have a card in that suit, they can play any card they wish. The winner of the trick is the person who played the highest-ranking spade. If there are no spades in the trick, the person who played the highest-ranking card of the leading suit wins. The winner of the trick sets the cards next to them and leads the next trick. Spades cannot be used to lead a trick until after someone has played a spade within a trick. This is known as “breaking spades.”
If a player bid nil and did not collect any tricks, the team gets a 100-point bonus, regardless of whether or the team made its collective bid. If a nil bidder takes any tricks, the team gets a -100 point penalty. For blind nil, the corresponding bonus and penalty values are 200 and -200, respectively. Rounds are played until one team has at least 500 points.