Gamehelpspades

2021-08-20T15:50:55Z

SicutInCaelo: change contract break penalty in example from -50 to -40

THE PACK:
The standard 52-card pack is used.

RANK OF SUITS:
The spade suit is always trump.

RANK OF CARDS:
A (high), K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.

OBJECT OF THE GAME:
To win at least the number of tricks bid.

THE DEAL:
The first dealer is chosen by a draw for high card, and thereafter the turn to deal proceeds clockwise. The entire deck is dealt one at a time, face down, beginning on the dealer's left. The players then pick up their cards and arrange them by suits.

THE BIDDING:
Each player decides how many tricks they will be able to take. The player to the dealer's left starts the bidding and, in turn, each player states how many tricks they expect to win. There is only one round of bidding, and the minimum bid is One. Every player must make a bid; no player may pass. No suit is named in the bid, for as the name of the game implies, spades are always trump.

THE PLAY:
The game is scored by hands, and the winner must make a certain number of points, which is decided before the game begins. Five hundred points is common, but 300 points is suitable for a short game. The player on the dealer's left makes the opening lead, and players must follow suit, if possible. If a player cannot follow suit, they may play a trump or discard. The trick is won by the player who plays the highest trump or if no trump was played, the player who played the highest card in the suit led. The player who wins the trick leads next. Play continues until none of the players have any cards left. Each hand is worth 13 tricks. Spades cannot be led unless played previously or player to lead has nothing but Spades in his hand.

HOW TO KEEP SCORE:
For making the contract (the number of tricks bid), the player scores 10 points for each trick bid, plus 1 point for each overtrick.

For example, if the player's bid is Seven and they make seven tricks, the score would be 70. If the bid was Five and the player won eight tricks, the score would be 53 points: 50 points for the bid, and 3 points for the three overtricks. In some games, overtricks are called "bags" and a deduction of 100 points is made every time a player accumulates 10 bags. Thus, it is usually better to fulfill the bid exactly.

If the player "breaks contract," that is, if they take fewer than the number of tricks bid, the player scores minus 10 points for each trick bid. For example, if a player bids four tricks and only wins three, -40 points are awarded.
One of the players is the scorer and writes the bids down, so that during play and for the scoring afterward, this information will be available to all the players. When a hand is over, the scores should be recorded next to the bids, and a running score should be kept so that players can readily see each other's total points. If there is a tie, then all players participate in one more round of play.

Taken from <a href="https://bicyclecards.com/how-to-play/spades/">Bicycle Cards</a>

Gamehelphardback

2021-06-18T10:36:02Z

SicutInCaelo: /* Differences from the Physical Game */

== FAQs / Troubleshooting ==

=== Help, my word is not accepted ===

'''Please don't file a bug.''' You can choose which dictionary to use when creating the table, but none are authored or maintained by Board Game Arena or Fowers Games. The default dictionary is [http://wordlist.aspell.net/12dicts-readme/ 12dicts, an open-source word list compiled by Alan Beale] with about 85,000 words. The preceding link details the author's methodology, but essentially this includes words defined by multiple English dictionaries published in the 1990s, plus a selection of modern words (like "emoji") chosen by the author in 2016. Most people would consider all entries in this list to be "real words", even though some are not in common usage (like "adagio", "pugilism", "slake"). If you want a larger word list, consider American Scrabble (190,000 words) or British Scrabble (280,000 words). While these dictionaries include more words, they also include some controversial entries that most people would not consider to be "real words" (like "aal", "abac", "faix", "xu", "zol", "zyzzyvas"). Like most word games, all the dictionaries exclude proper nouns (like "Argentina", "Christmas", "Hitler", "November"), acronyms/initialisms (like "FBI", "USA"), and hyphenated words (like "self-motivated", "twenty-four") even though these words would be defined in any standard English dictionary.

There's also an option to play the game without any dictionary. In this mode, the other players vote to approve or reject each word. You can choose either Majority Vote (half of the players must accept, with ties in favor of accepting) or Unanimous Vote (all the players must accept).

=== Help, my system can't run this game ===

This game requires a vaguely modern web browser (2017 or newer: Google Chrome 61+, Firefox 60+, Edge 79+, or Safari 11+). A computer [https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-windows-xp-support#:~:text=After%2012%20years%2C%20support%20for,to%20a%20modern%20operating%20system. still running Windows XP] is far too old, for example. If you meet the minimum requirements and cannot load the game, please [https://boardgamearena.com/bugs?game=1354 use the bug reporting system] to vote/file a report. If another player at your table cannot load the game, please kindly agree to abandon without penalty.

=== Help, the cards are too large or too small ===

Choose your preferred card size under the top-right corner menu (within a game). Due to the smaller screen size, playing on mobile means you'll end up choosing between larger cards that are easier to read or smaller cards that are easier to rearrange.

== How To Play ==

Hardback is a deck-building word game. Each player starts with their own deck of 10 Starter cards: The 8 letters (A, E, I, L, N, R, S, T) plus 2 random letters from the set (B, C, D, G, H, M, O, P, U, Y). Each player has their own draw and discard piles. A shared deck of 140 cards from 4 other genres is used to form the offer row. The 5 genres in the game are: Starter (grey), Adventure (yellow), Horror (green), Mystery (blue), Romance (red). A colored bar in the player panel displays the current composition of each player's deck.

=== Spell A Word ===

Each round you receive a hand of 5 cards from your deck. Use these cards (and any '''Timeless Classics''', if available) to spell a word. When your turn begins, your hand of cards automatically move into the current word area. Simply drag and drop the cards to rearrange them. You're not required to use all your cards and can remove cards from your word by clicking the card or dragging it up to your hand area. If you change your mind, you can re-add a removed card by clicking it (adds to the end of your word) or dragging it down to your word in the proper position.

Any card can be made wild, but wild cards do not provide any benefits. Click '''WILD''' below a card to flip it face-down and assign any letter by clicking or typing the letter. If you change your mind, click '''RESET''' below a wild card to flip it face-up.

Any cards left in your hand are discarded. You cannot save cards from one round to the next. If you can't spell a word, you may choose to skip your turn.

=== Resolve Card Benefits ===

The face-up cards in your word provide various benefits. Hover your mouse (on mobile: tap and hold) on the benefit section of the card to see more information.

• Basic benefits are listed ''in black, above the line''. You gain these every time you use the card face-up to spell a word.

• Genre benefits are listed ''in color, below the line''. You gain these if you have at least one other card of the same genre (color) in play (in your word or in the '''Timeless Classics''' area).

Coins (¢) allow you to purchase new cards and ink. Points (★) increase your final score. Abilities alter the state of play in special ways:

• Double (on Romance/red cards) allows you to double the coin and point values provided by an adjacent card. If you double the same card twice, it is tripled (not quadrupled). When you double or triple a card, the numbers on the card change are highlight in yellow. Doubling doesn't count towards activating genre benefits or allow you to perform any other abilities twice.

• Dump (on Romance/red cards) allows you to remove a card from your discard pile to gain an amount of coins.

• Ink (on Horror/green cards) grants you an ink or remover. This is the only way to get remover.

• Jail (on Mystery/blue cards) allows you to either reserve or remove a card from the offer row. If you reserve the card, it goes into your personal jail, allowing only you to purchase it later. You can only reserve one card at a time. In both cases, the effect to other players is the same: The card you choose won't be available to them anymore.

• Trash (on Adventure/yellow cards) allows you to remove that particular card from your word to gain an amount of coins or points.

• Uncover (on Mystery/blue cards) allows you to flip a wild card back to its face-up side, allowing you to play a card as any letter and still earn the benefits.

Cards are that removed (through Dump, Jail, or Trash) are discarded from the game. In the unlikely event that you go through all 140 offer row cards, the removed cards are reshuffled to form a new offer row deck.

=== Flush Offer Row ===

In certain situations, you can trash all 7 cards in the offer row and get 7 new cards. You will be prompted to do this once per turn, before purchasing, if either conditions is met:

• At least 4 cards in the offer row cost 6¢ or more

• At least 4 cards in the offer row are the same genre (color)

=== Purchase ===

You can purchase ink and cards from the offer row using the coins you earned this turn.

Each card's cost is indicated in the price tag in the top-left corner. Click a card to purchase it. Note that some Adventure (yellow) cards also indicate a number of points on the price tag. This is not a cost, but a one-time benefit you ''earn'' when purchasing the card.

Ink costs 1¢. Any coins you do not spend are automatically converted to ink at the end of your turn. You cannot save coins from one turn to the next.

It is possible to convert ink earned on previous turns back to coins at a reduced rate (3 ink for 1¢). Board Game Arena only presents this option when it would allow you to purchase something that you otherwise couldn't afford.

=== Timeless Classics ===

All cards from your word are discarded at the end of your turn, except Timeless Classics.

There are 12 Timeless Classic cards, which are printed sideways. When you spell a word using a face-up Timeless Classic card, it stays in play at the end of your turn. On subsequent turns, you continue to gain the benefits of the card ''whether or not you use it in your word''!

Your Timeless Classic card stays in play until another player uses it in their word, which sends it to your discard pile. Any player can use any active Timeless Classic when spelling a word, no matter which player owns the card, but these cards cannot be made wild.

When you use another player's Timeless Classic card, you do not get any benefits and its genre does not count towards triggering other genre benefits in your word. Astute authors will use other players' Timeless Classic cards anyway in order to discard the card.

=== Ink and Remover ===

After your turn is complete, you may immediately begin working on your next word, including using any previously obtained ink and remover. At any time before you spell a word, even during another player's turn, you can draw additional cards from your draw pile by spending 1 ink per card. Inked cards '''must''' be used in your next word and cannot be made wild.

Remover cancels ink. You can spend 1 remover to convert an inked card back to a normal card, meaning you are no longer required to use it in your word. Remover can only be obtained by playing certain cards; it cannot be purchased.

Pressing your luck with ink is the only way to make words longer than 5 letters. If you push your luck too far and can't form a word with all inked cards, you must skip your turn.

=== Game End ===

When a player reaches 60 points, the game ends at the conclusion of the current round (all players receive the same number of turns). The player with the most points is the winner and the finest author of the age! In the case of a tie, the player with the most ink remaining wins the game.

Note: A game option allows the creator of the table to specify a shorter (40 points) or longer game (80 points). The game options display on the confirmation screen before the game starts and during the game under the top-right corner menu.

== Variants ==

=== Literary Awards ===
Literary Awards provide bonus points to the player who spells the longest word of the game, encouraging players to compete more directly and spell longer words.

The first player to spell a word with 7 or more letters claims the appropriate award. The first player to subsequently spell a longer word claims the appropriate award and discards all lower awards. In this way, only one award is ever in play at a time. Whichever player is holding the award at the end of the game earns the stated number of points. Because these points are not scored immediately, they do not count towards the 60 point threshold needed to end the game.

{| class="wikitable"
! Length
! Literary Award
|-
| 7 letters
| 5 points
|-
| 8 letters
| 6 points
|-
| 9 letters
| 7 points
|-
| 10 letters
| 9 points
|-
| 11 letters
| 12 points
|-
| 12 or more letters
| 15 points
|}

=== Adverts ===

Adverts allow you to purchase points with coins.

Each advert can only be purchased once and must be purchased in the order listed. You can buy multiple adverts (in order) during your turn. Points from adverts are scored immediately.

{| class="wikitable"
! Cost
! Advert
|-
| 6¢
| 3 points
|-
| 9¢
| 6 points
|-
| 12¢
| 10 points
|-
| 15¢
| 15 points
|-
| 18¢
| 20 points
|}

=== Cooperative Anthology & Solo Mode ===

In this challenging co-op variant, 1 - 4 players win or lose together against archrival Penny Dreadful. The following rule changes apply:

• Penny Dreadful takes a turn after each player. She purchases the oldest (right-most) card in the offer row and earns points equal to the card's cost.

• In the ''Cooperative Anthology With Signature Genre'' variant, Penny Dreadful also earns points based on the condition displayed in her player panel.

• Players can never flush the offer row.

• Any player can use your Timeless Classic cards without discarding them. Instead, each time a new card is added to the offer row during your turn or Penny Dreadful's turn immediately following your turn, your oldest Timeless Classic card of that same genre is discarded.

• The game is played to a final score of 60 points per human player (for example, play to 180 points with 3 players). The game ends immediately when one side - either the players or Penny Dreadful - earns enough points. The players win if they beat Penny's score (tying with Penny is a loss).

== Differences from the Physical Game ==

If you've played this board game in real life, note that minor rules changes from the game designer have been incorporated in the BGA adaption to improve balance.

• The Horror H card benefits have been changed. Astute players were able to avoid the penalty "All other players must return an unused ink or remover" by spending their ink/remover tokens out-of-turn. The new benefits of Horror H are: 1¢ and 2★ (basic), 1¢ per inked card in your word (genre)

• In the Cooperative Anthology variant, a maximum of 1 Timeless Classic card is discarded per card added to the offer row. For example, if you have both Romance B and Romance K in play and a Romance card is added to the offer row, discard the older of Romance B/K.

• There is no current mechanism for Ghostwriting.

Board Game Arena - User contributions [en]

Gamehelpspades

Gamehelphardback