How to Take Score in Spades: Scorecard & Sheet Guide
So you volunteered (or got forced by your friends!) to be the official scorekeeper for tonight's Spades tournament? Don't panic! Being the scorekeeper is actually the most powerful role at the table because everyone relies on your ledger to know who's winning and who's dangerously close to getting bagged!
In this article, I will show you the exact template I draw in my spiral notebook whenever we play Spades. No fancy apps needed—just a sheet of paper, a pencil with an eraser, and this 4-step system!
Step 1: Set Up Your 2-Team Column Template
Grab a piece of paper and divide it vertically into two equal halves: Team "Us" on the left, and Team "Them" on the right. In each team's column, you will track 4 numbers for every single deal:
- Bid (B): Combined tricks promised by the two partners.
- Made (M): Actual number of tricks the team captured.
- Round Score (RS): Points earned or lost in this specific deal.
- Total (T) & Bags (Overticks): Running overall score and accumulated bags.
Step 2: Record Bids Before Playing the First Card
Never let anyone lead a card until both teams have finalized their bids on the paper!
For example: Player 1 bids 4 tricks, Player 2 (their partner) bids 3 tricks. Add them up and write "7" in the Bid column. Once written down, bids are locked in.
Step 3: Calculating Scores at the End of the Deal
When all 13 tricks have been played out, run through this simple 30-second checklist:
Case A: They Made Their Bid Exactly
Team bid 7, won 7. Write: +70. Bags = 0.
Case B: They Won Overtricks (Bags)
Team bid 7, won 9. Write: +72 (70 for contract + 2 for the extra bags). Add 2 marks to their bag tracker.
Case C: They Got "Set" (Under Bid)
Team bid 7, won only 6. Write: -70. Subtract 70 from their total! Do not award any bags.
Case D: Nil Bid Success / Failure
Partner made Nil: Add +100. Partner failed Nil: Subtract -100 and add their taken tricks to the team's bags!
Step 4: The Separate "Bag Tracker" (Crucial Tip!)
The number one mistake rookie scorekeepers make is forgetting how many bags a team has accumulated across previous rounds.
How I Track Bags in My Notebook:
At the top corner of each team's column, draw a small box. Every time a team gets overtricks, draw a small tally mark (• • •). When you reach 10 dots, loudly announce: "Ten bags! -100 point penalty!", deduct 100 points from their current running total, erase the 10 dots, and start a fresh count.
Interactive Scoresheet Example
| Deal | Team A [Bid | Made] | Team A Score (Bags) | Team B [Bid | Made] | Team B Score (Bags) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deal 1 | Bid 5 | Made 6 | +51 (1 bag) | Bid 7 | Made 7 | +70 (0 bags) |
| Deal 2 | Bid 6 | Made 5 (SET) | -60 (Total: -9, 1 bag) | Bid 6 | Made 8 | +62 (Total: 132, 2 bags) |
| Deal 3 | Bid 7 | Made 7 | +70 (Total: 61, 1 bag) | Bid Nil + 4 | Made Nil + 4 | +140 (Total: 272, 2 bags) |
Now you're officially ready to take score in Spades like a seasoned pro! If you also enjoy multiplayer card games where points are calculated automatically with zero paper math, try GoGo Rummy!