By Jesse · Standard 52
A Spades hand set up in the Bid Lab and played out card by card, with 13 notes where it matters. 52 cards played. Step through it below, or read the play trick by trick.
This is round 1. The score going in is North-South 0, East-West 0. West deals and North leads.
Face down. Its cards show as they’re played.
Face down. Its cards show as they’re played.
Before the first cardSouth bids Nil, a promise to take no tricks. Make it and North-South score 100, take even one and they lose 100. The hand fits. Three low spades (6, 5, 3) with eight spades above the 6. A single heart, so South runs out early and can throw a risky card on later hearts. The card most likely to win a trick is the K♣, beaten only by the A♣.
1North leads A♣ · East 10♣ · South K♣ · West 8♣North wins
After card 3North leads the A♣, so the K♣ can't win this trick. South throws it now. With the ace gone, the king would be the highest club left, and a club lead later could force it to win.
2North leads A♥ · East 7♥ · South 9♥ · West 2♥North wins
After card 7South's only heart goes under the A♥. Now South is out of hearts, and every heart led from here is a chance to throw away a risky card.
3North leads Q♣ · East 8♠ · South 9♣ · West J♣East wins
After card 11East is out of clubs and trumps with the 8♠, so no club can win this trick. South plays its highest club, the 9♣. Getting rid of high cards when they can't win is how a Nil stays safe.
4East leads 10♥ · South 4♣ · West 3♥ · North 4♥East wins
After card 14East leads a heart, and South throws a club. The 4♣ goes because it has less cover. Three unseen clubs are higher than it, while four unseen diamonds are higher than the 10♦.
5East leads 3♦ · South 2♦ · West J♦ · North 5♦West wins
After card 18The 2♦ is the one diamond sure to lose to East's 3♦, so South plays it. The 10, 9 and 8 could still win if West and North play low.
6West leads A♦ · North 6♦ · East Q♦ · South 10♦West wins
After card 24The A♦ and Q♦ are already on the table, so the 10♦ can't win. South plays its highest diamond while it's safe.
7West leads 4♦ · North 7♦ · East K♦ · South 9♦East wins
After card 28Same again. East's K♦ is on the table, so the 9♦ goes.
8East leads J♥ · South 3♣ · West 6♥ · North 5♥East wins
After card 30Another heart, and South throws the 3♣. It keeps the 8♦. Every other diamond has been played, so nobody else can lead one, and the 8♦ can only ever be thrown away.
9East leads Q♥ · South 2♣ · West 8♥ · North 2♠North wins
After card 34South throws its last club. What's left is the 8♦ and three low spades.
10North leads Q♠ · East A♠ · South 6♠ · West 4♠East wins
After card 39North leads the Q♠ and East plays the A♠. South's 6♠ is under both.
11East leads 10♠ · South 5♠ · West K♠ · North 7♣West wins
After card 42East leads the 10♠, and South's 5♠ is under it. South's last spade is the 3♠, and every spade still out is higher.
12West leads 7♠ · North 6♣ · East J♠ · South 3♠East wins
13East leads K♥ · South 8♦ · West 9♠ · North 5♣West wins
After card 52South takes no tricks, so the Nil is made, worth 100 to North-South. North bid 2 and took 3, so its own bid is made too.
Set up a hand in the Bid Lab, play it card by card and add notes where they matter. Sign in free, then ask for it to go on the Lessons page.
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