Spades glossary
Big Joker vs Little Joker: Which Is Higher?
In spades with jokers, the Big Joker is the highest card in the deck and the Little Joker is second. Both count as spades: they follow spade leads, trump other suits and can't be led before spades are broken. At Spades Night the order is Big Joker, Little Joker, 2♦, 2♠, then A♠.
The Big Joker is the highest card in spades played with jokers, and the Little Joker is the second highest. Both are trump. Put them together with the deuces and you have the classic "joker joker deuce deuce" game, which is our default. The full order is in the spades rules.
How it works
When jokers are in, two cards come out so the deck stays at 52. At Spades Night those are the 2♥ and 2♣. The trump order, high to low:
Big Joker > Little Joker > 2♦ > 2♠ > A♠ > K♠ > Q♠ … 3♠
Both jokers are spades in every way:
- If spades are led and you hold a joker, it counts as a spade you can follow with.
- If you are void in the suit led, a joker trumps the trick.
- You can't lead a joker until spades are broken, unless your hand is all trump.
The Big Joker is a guaranteed trick. The Little Joker is a guaranteed trick once the Big Joker has fallen, or when you hold both.
Example
Hearts are led. The players go: 9♥, A♥, Little Joker (void in hearts), Big Joker (also void). The Big Joker wins the trick.
Now a spade trick: A♠ led, then 2♠, then 2♦, then 4♠. The 2♦ wins, because in House Rules it ranks above the 2♠ and the ace.
When bidding, count the Big Joker as a sure book and the Little Joker as nearly one. They are also the worst cards to hold for a nil.
How Spades Night handles it
- Jokers are on by default (House Rules). The cards are clearly labelled Big and Little, so nobody argues.
- Big Joker > Little Joker > 2♦ > 2♠ > A♠.
- With jokers on and deuces high off, the 2♣ and 2♦ come out and the order is Big Joker > Little Joker > A♠ > K♠ … 2♠.
- Turn jokers off at a private table and you get the plain 52-card deck.
Variations at other tables
The joker pair is almost always on top, but what comes next varies. Some tables put 2♠ above 2♦. Some play "joker joker ace", with no deuces. Some play "deuce ace", where the 2♠ sits just above the A♠. Physical decks also differ on which joker is "big": agree before you deal. See spades card order for every common ladder.
Related terms
- Deuces: the 2♦ and 2♠ that sit just under the jokers.
- Trump: what makes spades, and jokers, beat every other suit.
- Breaking spades: why you can't lead a joker early.
- Spades with jokers: the full joker joker deuce deuce guide.
Questions people ask
Which joker is higher in spades?
The Big Joker. It beats every card in the deck, including the Little Joker. The Little Joker beats everything else, including the 2♦, 2♠ and A♠.
How do you tell the big joker from the little joker?
In most physical decks the Big Joker is the full-colour one and the Little Joker is black and white or smaller. Decks differ, so agree before the deal. Online, the cards are labelled.
Are jokers spades in spades?
Yes. When jokers are in play they count as spades for everything: following suit, trumping another suit, and the rule against leading spades before they are broken.