About Spade

A turn-based strategy game for debate.

Choose a side, make your case, and use abilities to test the argument. Every debate leaves a readable transcript and records where both minds land.

Sign in to play
01

Choose a side

02

Take turns

03

Play abilities

04

Lock your stance

How to play

The complete rules of a Spade debate.

Start a debate

1

Choose

Find a topic and take Agree or Disagree.

2

Open

Explain your take and join the queue, or challenge someone.

3

Play

Once matched, alternate turns with the person on the opposite side.

Turns and rounds

One day per turn

You have 24 hours. A saved draft is submitted when time expires; an empty turn is an abandonment.

One round

One turn from each debater. You can quote a specific passage when responding.

X and Y

X frames the case; Y challenges it. Your role affects which abilities you receive.

Ending a debate

Checkpoint

Every 5 rounds, both players choose Keep debating or Agree to Disagree. The debate ends only if both choose Agree to Disagree.

Concede

From round 3, you can concede that your mind changed. The debate ends immediately without an abandonment penalty.

Abandon

Leaving—or letting an empty turn expire—ends the debate. Before round 15, the rating penalty is at least 25 points. From round 15, either player may leave without that penalty.

Abilities

Abilities appear as you play. A charge lasts 3 rounds, and you may play one ability with each turn. Required answers must be completed before the normal response is submitted.

Pin

X

Ask a question that must be answered Yes or No before any explanation.

Budge

X

Make your opponent name what would change their mind about a claim.

Frame

X

Reframe the debate premise and test whether the disagreement survives different wording.

Root

Y

Ask a why-question that requires a substantive justification.

Sever

Y

Test whether a conclusion survives when one of its premises is removed.

Suppose

Y

Pose a scenario and test whether an opponent’s claim still holds.

Trace

X & Y

Make your opponent explain how something they said relates to the topic.

Steelman

X & Y

Make your opponent argue the strongest case for the side they oppose.

Mirror

X & Y

Make your opponent restate your argument accurately before continuing.

Anchor

X & Y

Introduce another opinion in a chosen direction. Allow binds the debate; Reject ends it and starts a new one on that premise.

Axiom

X & Y

Introduce a matured opinion and explain why it matters. Its majority direction becomes binding.

Axiom is available from round 2, with 3 rounds between uses. Ignored or improperly used abilities can be flagged for review.

Results

Final stance

When a debate concludes, each player locks their position. A changed stance records a mind change.

Spade Score

Your rating reflects debate performance. The review judges how you argued, not which side it agrees with.

Rewards

Hearts

Earned when you change an opponent’s mind. A Heart can help create and promote a topic; otherwise topic creation requires a Spade Score of 900. Spending one lowers that requirement to 700.

Diamonds

Earned when you change your own mind, provided your starting Spade Score is at least 500. Diamonds boost a topic in Explore.