01 / The dealNo jokers. All cards dealt evenly. A is high, 2 is low. The marked A♠ opens.
02 / Follow suitPlay clockwise. Match the first card’s suit whenever you can. Spades are not trumps.
03 / Make the cutNo matching suit? Play anything. From round two, this stops play: the highest card in the lead suit collects the trick and leads again.
04 / Get awayA clean trick is discarded. Its highest card leads next. Empty your hand to escape; the last player holding cards loses.
The details that matter
The opening round always finishes and is discarded, even if someone cannot follow spades. A leader with an empty hand draws a random card from older discards and must lead it. In a two-player finish, a lower final card escapes; if both finish together, the higher card loses. After a forced draw in a duel, an off-suit reply makes the leader lose immediately.
If enabled, between rounds you may take the next active clockwise player’s whole hand, making them safe. Equal ranks from extra decks: the first played stays higher.