Spades Variant

Joker-Joker-Deuce-Ace (JJD) Spades

The 2 of Spades is promoted above the Ace of Spades, just below the Little Joker. Here is the exact deck, the full trump ladder, and how play changes.

The short answer

JJD promotes the 2♠ above the Ace of Spades. The trump ladder is: Big Joker → Little Joker → 2♠ → A♠ down to 3♠. The 2♠ is still a Spade for following suit — it just ranks above the A♠ when comparing trump. Bidding, bags, Nil, and scoring are unchanged.

The deck

Start from a standard 52-card deck. Add the Big Joker and Little Joker. Remove the 2 of hearts and 2 of clubs. The deck stays at 52 cards, dealt 13 to each player.

  • Add: Big Joker, Little Joker
  • Remove: 2♥, 2♣

Trump ladder

The trump order, highest to lowest: Big Joker → Little Joker → 2♠ → A♠ → K♠ → Q♠ → J♠ → 10♠ → 9♠ → 8♠ → 7♠ → 6♠ → 5♠ → 4♠ → 3♠. The 2♠ jumps above the Ace; the rest of the Spades run A♠ down to 3♠.

Trump ladder (highest → lowest)
  1. 1Big Joker
  2. 2Little Joker
  3. 32♠
  4. 4A♠
  5. 5K♠
  6. 6Q♠
  7. 7J♠
  8. 810♠
  9. 99♠
  10. 108♠
  11. 117♠
  12. 126♠
  13. 135♠
  14. 144♠
  15. 153♠

What changes in play

  • The 2♠ is the third-highest trump — it beats the A♠ and every other Spade.
  • Big Joker and Little Joker still beat the 2♠.
  • The 2♠ is still a Spade: it follows a Spade lead and counts as trump.
  • Jokers cannot be led until trump is broken — unless you hold only trump.

Example trick

Spades are already broken. An opponent leads the A♠, expecting it to win. You hold the 2♠ and play it — in JJD the 2♠ outranks the A♠, so you take the trick. A player who forgets the deuce rule will lose tricks they thought were safe. The only trump that beat your 2♠ are the Little Joker and Big Joker.

Ready to try it for real?

Frequently asked questions

What is Joker-Joker-Deuce-Ace Spades?

A Joker variant where the 2 of Spades outranks the Ace of Spades, sitting just below the Little Joker. Two Jokers are added and the 2♥ and 2♣ are removed.

Why does the 2♠ beat the A♠ here?

It is a house-rule tradition — the 'deuce' is promoted above the Ace in the trump order. The rest of the Spades run A♠ down to 3♠ below it.

Is the 2♠ still a Spade for following suit?

Yes. The 2♠ is a Spade and trump. It follows a Spade lead normally; it simply ranks above the A♠ when comparing trump.

Related variants

Internet Spades — rules team
Last updated: 2026-09-06