Everyone knows how to play spades, but becoming a master at it is harder said than done.
I'll start with pre bidding:
Always remember that there is a maximum of 13 bids between the 4 of you. Before
you bid, always look at the other 3 players' bids. Learn the style of the other 3 players,
whether they bid aggressively, normal, or safely. I always prefer to bid last.
If what you bid would exceed 13, then there's a chance that your
partner(aka P) might overbid OR 1 of his tricks could be cut by the opponents (aka O).
In this case, I would lower my bid by 1 or 2 so that the total bid is 13 (better
safe than sorry).
If your P is going nil, and based on your experience
playing with the O (whether they like to grab tricks or stick to their
bids), decide if you are going to take additional bags covering your P or not. If
you think you will be taking extra bags (base on your hand and O's style of play)
then up your bid by at least 1 or more. If not, then bid what you have.
If only the O bids Nil, then consider throwing away at least 1 or 2 tricks in order to try
to set the O's Nil. If your hand is such that you CAN'T duck anything or throw away
anything, then stick to your bid (you might consider trying to set the O bid that is
not going nil, if your hand is strong enough).
If 1 of the O bids Double Nil (thru DN passing or just bidding it, due to desperation), I
always try to set the DN at all cost. Better make them lose 200 (less his P bid)
than give them 200 (plus his P bid). If you feel that you can't set the DN, then try to
set the O not going DN.
Bidding your hand:
Always remember that there are 13 cards in each suit, and an even distribution of
cards between 4 players would mean that each of you have 3 cards of each suit, with 1
player getting the 13th card in each suit.
I always count only Aces and Kings in all suits, but if I have less spades but more cards
in other suits (say Hearts), then there's a chance that my Ace of Hearts might get cut.
I may or may not lower my bid by 1, base on my instinct. Always trust your instinct.
If you want to be safe, you could always lower your bid by 1. This way, if one of
your original bid is cut, then you could use your backup bid. If I control the spades,
then I always bid aggressively. Otherwise, I bid normally if it's a normal distribution
of cards, and bid safely if the distribution of cards is not normal.
Playing your hand:
Before playing your 1st card, whether you are leading or not, always look at the other 3
bids to determine their strength/weakness. If I only have 1 card in a suit, say Hearts,
I always lead that first. Other Hearts will follow (most players play like this), which
I could then trump or just let it go by.
Counter: If you take the trick after the 1st card is played, then
lead a different suit from the 1st card.
Anti-Counter: If you have only 1 card in Hearts, lead either
Clubs or Diamonds, and hopefully, the O will lead Hearts and stay in Hearts. Then you
trump on the Hearts.
If no one is going nil, and total bid is 12 or 13, I never lead my Aces if I go first.
Instead, I throw out a medium card in a suit that I have no Ace or King, to flush out the
Ace and King of that suit. Then I wait for the O to lead a suit which I have the Ace or
King, and if my P plays the highest card, I play a lower card, thus saving my Ace and
gaining an extra trick.
If there are no nil, and total bid is 11 or less, I look at my hand carefully, and
determines what cards I will keep to make my bid and throw away everything else. If the O
lead an Ace, I would throw away my Queen or whatever card is appropriate. If the O lead a
Q, and I have the Ace, I would not play my Ace (if it is a normal distribution of cards).
Thus, giving the O bags. You should trump with your highest spades and lead low spades as
well. Or trump your P tricks if necessary. If you are constantly taking tricks with low
cards in either Hearts, Diamonds, or Clubs, force the O to take the trick (hopefully) by
leading low spades.
If the O is going nil, I lead low with a 6, 7, or 8. I would stick to my bid and throw
away everything else. Hopefully, to set the nil and to avoid the bags.
If my P is going nil, I lead high and watch what my P is throwing out.
Hint: By watching cards being throw out, you eventually know what
the other 3 players have base on: their bids and whether they're hanging back or
not.
If both your P and O bids Nil, then you have 2 choices: try to set O's nil (in the
process, you might set your P nil), or cover both nils. If you try to set O's nil,
you must watch what your P is throwing out.
ie. If your P has no more hearts, and the O going nil still has
hearts, then lead low hearts. NEVER LEAD LOW unless you are SURE that
your P won't be in trouble, or you have no choice and can't lead spades.
Sometimes with 2 Nils, the other O not going nil will duck so as to give you bags.
This could be both good or bad. Good-you can hope to set the O's bid. Bad-you just get
bags. So depending on the strength of your cards, bid of O not going nil, how many
tricks the O still needs to make his bid, you could either try to set him or just take the
bags that he gave you.
Bidding Nil:
Going nil with 4 spades will hardly ever makes it. My success rate is less than
20%.
With enough experience, you'll eventually develop an instinct as to when to Nil.
If I have nothing higher than a Queen, and maybe 2 only Queens, then
I will Nil. Going Nil with a King in any suit is pushing it beyond my safety limits, and I
rarely go Nil, unless my P bids high and/or O bids high as well.
Miscellaneous Strategies:
Obliterate your O by all means: bagging them, setting them, beating them by a bag, knowing
what they have, prey on their mistakes and weaknesses, your instinct.
Remember that Spades is a dynamic game, so you must always be ready to adjust your
playing to achieve your objectives: making your bid, setting O, bagging O, etc.
20 seconds ago, you were trying to set your O, but now you know that he's just hanging
back (he has the Ace of Spades and/or King of Spades), so be ready to dump all highest
cards under him cuz all you will do is just bag.
Practice playing Suicide. This will further help you get the feel for when to bid Nil,
and hone your ducking abilities. But you can't duck when you have Ace of Spades.
There is a counter for any move, just like Chess. So learn all the tricks
and the counters against those tricks.
Once you know the other 3 players' cards, I can't teach you anymore. You have reach the
pinnacle of Spades.
Awesome things I've seen or done:
Set O's bid and Nil, while covering my P's Nil.
Saw both O bidding Nil, and both made it.
Saw two DN, one on each team, made it.
I once had a bid of 11, all in spades. Total bid was like 16. No one believe I had 11.