Objective
Win the fifth and final trick of each hand. The first four tricks score nothing at all; they only decide who gets to lead next. Points go to the winner of the last trick, and the lower the card that wins it, the more it is worth.
Setup
Make the 35-card Spar pack by removing every 2, 3, 4 and 5 from a standard deck, along with the ace of spades. In every suit, cards rank from ace (high) down to 6 (low). The spade suit simply tops out at the king.
Choose the first dealer at random. The dealer gives each player three cards, then goes around again with two more, so everyone holds five. With seven players, the whole pack is dealt. After the first hand, the winner of each hand deals the next.
How to play
The player to the dealer’s left leads any card. Going around the table, each player must play a card of the suit that was led if they have one. If you have none of that suit, you may play any card you like, but it cannot win.
The highest card of the suit led wins the trick. Tricks are not gathered up; the played cards stay in a face-up pile in the middle. The winner of each trick leads any card to start the next.
Play continues until all five tricks are done. Only the fifth trick counts.
- 1The player to the dealer’s left leads any card
- 2Follow suit if you can; if not, play anything
- 3The highest card of the suit led wins the trick
- 4The trick winner leads the next one
- 5After five tricks, only the last one scores
Scoring
The winner of the fifth trick scores points based on the card that won it. Nobody else scores for the hand.
| Last trick won with | Points |
|---|---|
| A 6 | 3 |
| A 7 | 2 |
| An 8 or higher | 1 |
Keep a running total and play to a score the table agrees on, or simply play for as long as you like. The winner of each hand deals the next one.
Variations
Seven-card Spar: deal seven cards each instead of five, which works for up to five players. Only the seventh trick scores.
The ace of spades: some groups leave it in for a 36-card pack.
Under ten: a player dealt five cards that are all 9 or lower may show them and exchange the whole hand for five new cards.
Double scoring: in one well-known version, winning both of the last two tricks with low cards pays a bonus: 6 points for two 6s, 5 for a 6 and a 7, and 4 for two 7s.
Tips from the table
Plan backward from the fifth trick. To win it with a 6, you almost always need to lead that 6 yourself, so you need to win the fourth trick first.
Spend your high cards early. An ace or king is a great way to grab the lead before the last trick, and it is worth only 1 point if you save it for the end.
Count the suits as they fall. If the other 7s, 8s and higher cards in your 6’s suit are gone, your 6 is a sure winner when you lead it.
When you cannot follow suit, throw away the card you are least likely to win with later, not your lowest card.
Video Guides Are on the Way
We’re filming Game Guides that walk through full hands at the table, from the deal to the score.
Frequently asked
Do the first four tricks count for anything?
Not for points. They matter because the winner of each trick leads the next, and leading the last trick is the best way to win it.
Is there a trump suit?
No. Only cards of the suit led can win a trick.
Why does a 6 score more than an ace?
Because it is much harder to win a trick with the lowest card in the suit. Spar rewards the player who sets up a cheap win at the end.
How many players can play?
Two to seven. Five cards each for seven players uses all 35 cards, so seven is the limit for the standard deal.
New rules every month
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