Dustin

1 The Thirty-One Bidding Convention. Here is a useful "psychic" bid to use against your fourth-seat opponent.

2 The Doubleton Reverse Signal. If you and your partner are accustomed to signaling high-low, can you pass information by refusing to signal?

3 The Bluff Nil. When all appears to be lost, reach into your bag of tricks and pull out the Bluff Nil.

4 Defense Against Endplays. Being on the wrong end of an endplay is the height of frustration, especially when it could have been prevented. You know you have a strong Partner if he makes this alert play.

5 Play the Table, Not the Cards. No two opponents are alike. Study their habits, and learn to make plays that take advantage of an opponent's particular weakness.

6 Preserving an Entry Card. Of what use is a hand loaded with winners if it has no entries? Partner must keep the lines of communication open.

7 Sacrificing Partner, Part 1. No, this isn't an attempt to pacify the Spades gods. (It sounds like a good idea, though.) You are going to trump partner's winner so that you can lead spades.

8 Sacrificing Partner, Part 2. This time you trump your partner's winning card in order to gain a finessing position against an opponent.

9 Sacrificing Partner, Part 3. Finally, you need an entry to your hand in order to cash a winner or two. Trumping your partner is the way to get there.

10 The Thirteenth Card. Playing the 13th card of a suit while there are still plenty of spades roaming about usually favors the other side. But here are three situations in which you can nail the opponents -- by leading the thirteener.

11 False Convention Signals Part 1. Your carding signals are useful not only to your partner, but also to the opponents. Perhaps you can give them more help than they really want.

12 False Convention Signals Part 2. Here is a second way to "help" your opponents. If it is dangerous for them to lead a particular suit, tell them how safe it is!

13 Unblocking. It's nice to hold high cards, but sometimes they get in Partner's way. Get rid of them, and prevent a traffic jam.

14 Spades Time. Part I In which Dustin explores the key concept of timing in Spades. This one is a fine introduction to the idea.

15 Spades Time. Part II We take a look at how timing affects one's play of a hand when your side clearly can go on the attack.

Jay

1 The Law of Total Tricks. Jay offers two methods of evaluating a hand for bidding, the Quick Trick Method and the Losing Trick Count. Both systems are worth trying.

2 Get More Bang for Your Buck from Our Bidding. Must you always bid your hand in straightforward fashion or can you be imaginative? There are times when, for strategic purposes, you ought to find an unusual bid.

3 Just as I thought I Had Seen Everything on the Zone... Think you know your Spades slang? If not, your "stiff Johnson" could get you into a lot of trouble. Read how the experts handle the post-mortem.

4 Good Cards. Your cards can increase or decrease in value even while the bidding is still going on. Learn how your bidding and play will be affected by this re-evaluation.

5 Defensive Signaling. If you plan to establish a regular partnership, agreements about defensive signaling is a must! Card signaling, perfectly legal, creates a pair that is stronger than the sum of its two players.

6 That Ole Ace-King Thing. When you hold a suit headed by the Ace-King, which card do you lead? The lead of either the Ace or King has its advantages and disadvantages.

7 Wasted Values. Sometimes you and Pard may be bidding on the same cards. Is there a way to stay out of trouble? And how to you take full advantage of a perfect fit?

8 Trump Promotion. Even though you may be outgunned in the spade suit, there are still ways to win extra trump tricks -- if not for yourself, then for your partner!

9 Leading. There are still plenty of folks who lead the Queen or Jack from KQJx. Other players will cleverly select a different card each time. Does it matter? Which card is right? Check Jay Tomlinson's table of Standard Leads.

10 Can You Actually Have Great Results With a Pickup Partner? Certainly you can! But fresh partners need a bit of care and handling. Jay Tomlinson offers a few tips on playing with a stranger.

11 Just 12 Tricks If you don't like Spades puzzles you may skip this one. But if you enjoy such challenges, here is a truly elegant problem. Seeing all 52 cards, how do North and South win 12 tricks? It can be done, but it is not easy!

12 Squeeze Me Squeeze play at Spades is quite rare, and you can become an expert without knowing anything about squeezes. Still, if you pull one off, you definitely have something to brag about!

13 Singletons and Such We have all known Spades players who are grateful to be dealt a side-suit singleton because they now have no problem with their opening lead. But is it always right to lead a singleton? Jay has some thoughts on the matter.

14 Momma, Momma, I Don't Want to Ruff Right Now. You can often gain extra trump tricks by refusing to overtrump with a high spade. Read more about this type of strategy, known as trump promotion.

15 Present Count Here is more on Signaling. Jay takes an actual deal to show how various attitude and count signals can really pay off.

16 Opening Leads and Such The opening lead is always a piece of guesswork, but this article may suggest considerations that will help you narrow the choices.

17 Falsecards Throw the opponents off the scent! Read this article and learn an excellent trick for confusing the opposition.

18 Hand Evaluation This melange of tips includes advice on short-suit leads, avoidance, and assumptions.

19 Active or Passive? It's your lead and you don't have an AK combination or a singleton. You are forced to do something clever. Should you make an active or a passive lead?

20 The Obligatory Finesse Can you finesse against an opponent's Ace? Here is an unusual finessing situation that actually occurs quite frequently.

21 One is the Loneliest Number If you think Spades bidding offers few challenges, add the
N-1 Principle to your system, and combine it with the Spadesweiser signaling convention!

22 Have You Had Your Bath Yet? The Bath Coup is an interesting hold-up play used with great effectiveness by experts. Here's how it works.

23 Flip A Coin Have you and your favorite partner mastered the gentle art of signaling with high/low cards? Get even more versatility in signaling by incorporating Odd/Even Discard signals.

24 Duck Soup Everyone knows it is correct to play second-hand low, right? Here's how to take advantage of an opponent who plays low in second position!

25 Dang Me, Hang Me Anyone can make a wrong guess, especially if he takes plenty to time to think before he acts!

26 Here's MUD in your Eye The MUD lead convention has been around for a while, and some players find it useful. Here is a new twist on basic MUD.

27 Pip Tip 1 Events may not be going your way, but don't lose your head and make things worse. Stay, cool, calm, and collected.

28 Pip Tip 2 - Mirrors (under construction)

29 Pip Tip 3 - The Grand Illusion Here is a clever and useful device for setting up an extra winner. All it takes is a bit of hocus-pocus and misdirection.

30 Pip Tip 3 - Captaincy We have been waiting a long time for this one. Discussing the issue of captaincy can cement a good partnership into a formidable one.

31 Honor Leads and Continuations In which we extend our ability to show Pard our high-card holdings in a suit by subtle leads.

32 Building a Better Mousetrap Are you satisfied with your current bidding methods? Or do you feel that standard bidding has some major weaknesses? Read this treatise on bidding theory. It is original and potentially valuable.

33 A Subtle Signal When you take a discard your partner can well assume that your card has been carefully chosen to send a message. But will it be the right one? And can Pard read it the same way? You are the judge on this interesting deal.

34 13 Did you know there are two ways to divide the number 13? Well, two ways that apply to Spades. Jay will show you an aid to counting out a Spades hand.

35 I Saw the Light You can succeed on some Spades deals only if you have vast imagination. Half-vast is not good enough. Test yourself on this lively deal taken from actual play.

36 Jack, Tens, and Nines What does your partner have when he leads a Jack or a Ten? What are your options with A9xx? See if these lead conventions are helpful to you.

37 Two Ways to Win Find plays that put your opponents to a guess. Such plays reward you whenever they guess wrong!

38 The Cost of Being Wrong Did you make a wrong decision? Or did your decision turn out to be wrong? Jay explains the difference and how this understanding affects the rest of your game.

39 Hand Patterns - Part 1 I can tell you that hand patterns are important in Spades. Jay starts us on our journey in this worthwhile series.

1 Bidding with A Stranger. Are there still a few Spades players who are short in trump management skills? Only about 90% or so... If you draw one for a Pard, adjust your bidding.

Popsicle

1 The Endplay at Spades. If you take your winners right away, you won't get as many as when you let the opponents have a few. Learn when it is right to give up the lead.

2 Squeeze Play at Spades. What do you do if the opponents won't throw away the cards you want them to? No worries; squeeze them out!

3 Strip Squeezes. Not true squeezes, the group of plays called strip squeezes are quite common in Spades -- or, they would be if players knew what they were!

4 Setting the 11-Bid, Part 1. Expert do not rely not on rare squeeze positions for their success, but on the basics of setting the opponents. Popsicle offers an excellent series of articles to show how this is done -- while holding down the bags.

5 Setting the 11-Bid, Part 2. If you can gain an early advantage, keep pressing. Let there be no escape for your hapless opponents!

6 Setting the 11-Bid, Part 3. The final part to this excellent series shows you the single, most deadly play you can make to complete the set of an 11-bid.

7 Away From the Ace. The last time we saw this play at the table was Never. It ought to be much more common, especially if you take Popsicle's advice on when to use it.

8 Bagger's Opera. There are players who think that Spades is all about bags. Here are some tips for players who are stuck with such a partner.

9 Down for the Count. Use the Count Card Principle in conjunction with the a review of the bidding to place the spade honors at the finish.

10 Trump Attack. When it is time to lead spades, how do you play from A10742? The answer may surprise you.

11 The Forcing Game. Part 1, Trump Promotion. When an opponent has a long spade suit, consider using the forcing strategy. Instead of denying him ruffs, give him a few more.

12 The Forcing Game. Part 2, Defense. There are always those hands in which all you can do is hang on for dear life. If you defend using the forcing strategy, you may yet survive.

13 The Forcing Game. Part 3, Attack. Even though an opponent may start with a formidable spade suit, the forcing attack will whittle him down to size. Then you close in for the kill.

14 The Forcing Game. Part 4, Counterattack. Sometimes the forcing game can be used on you, by the opponents or even by Dear Partner. Learn the counter-strategy to the forcing game.

15 Control Freak. When you own the Ace of Spades you have control of the hand. Don't give up control too hastily.

16 Too Many Spades. Who can imagine having too many spades? Spades are good. But sometimes they can get in the way.

17 Step Right Up. An opponent may find himself cornered but too often he will be allowed to escape by humdrum defense. Recognize the signs, and show no mercy.

18 What's Your Style? Part 1. What kind of Spader are you? Do you play safe or do you like to live dangerously? See if you can identify your bidding style.

19 What's Your Style? Part 2. Are Spades games won by setting or by bagging? How well do you handle the cards? Just how good a player are you? Are you sure?

20 Away From the Ace, Revisited. Your partner can sometimes neutralize your cleverness with some cleverness of his own. Here's one way you might outwit -- oops, encourage your partner to do the right thing.

21 O Captain, My Captain. Part 1 The two players who make up a team work much better when one of them takes charge. This is the concept of captaincy. Who wants the job?

22 O Captain, My Captain, Part 2 Now that you have been introduced to the idea of captaincy, what are some of the situations where you can use it? They can pop up almost anywhere, any time.

23 O Captain, My Captain, Part 3 A ship can have but one captain and he is not always right. No problem; just replace him with a better one.

24 The High Road or the Low Road? Part 1 After two rounds of a suit you know that your partner can trump the next lead. You hold the boss card and a small one. Should you lead high or low?

25 The High Road or the Low Road? Part 2 If you suspect an opponent is void in the same suit as your partner, how does that influence your choice of lead?

26 The Count Having trouble keeping track of the cards as they are played? Here are some hints that may help you develop counting skills.

1 The Bagger. I don't know who was the modest soul who submitted these observations on playing with and against baggers, but here are sensible words of wisdom that all Spades players should read.

1 Situational Bidding - Part 1. We do not always make straight bids. If your side can only avoid defeat by winning a certain number of tricks, your bid is decided for you. All you must do is find it.

2 Situational Bidding - Part 2. The correct bid of a hand does not always depend on the cards you hold. On the last hand, particularly if you are trailing in the score, make the bid that gives your side a chance to win.

3 Situational Bidding - Part 3. If you have the advantage in the score, don't do anything that gives the opponents a chance to recover. When they're down, keep 'em down.

1 Signaling Methods. You may have heard something about signaling in Spades. What's it all about? Does it work? Brandon tells you what you need to know.

2 Is It Worth Playing the Third Round? How are 13 cards divided according to the laws of probability? Can this information help our game? The mathematical spaders will memorize these valuable numbers. The rest of us will continue making inferior plays.

1 The Double Nil Sucker Bid. If double nils (blind nil) bids are permitted in your game, a shrewd opponent will judge when to use this bid against you. Dave Hadley shows how you can not only outfox him, but also neutralize his shrewdness whenever he plays against you!

2 Conservative Bidding (to Stay Out of Trouble). Quoth Dave: "Conservative bidding allows you to set many a hand, and also you can typically ditch cards if it turns out to be a bag bid. Whenever I play with strangers (in advanced rooms, but you still get some jokers there) I'd rather bid conservatively and eat bags than get set because they are over-bidding."

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