Speed vs Spades vs Tarneeb: what’s the difference?

3 November 2026 · Jakoz Gaming

If you grew up in the Gulf you probably know Speed. Friends from the Levant may call a similar game Tarneeb, and Western players know Spades. They are all trick-taking games for four players in two teams, but the details change.

What they share

• 52 cards, 13 each, partners sitting opposite.
• You must follow the suit that was led if you can.
• One suit is trumps and beats the others.
• Teams bid how many tricks they'll win.

Speed (Gulf)

Spades are always trumps. Every player bids alone from 2 to 13 and partners add their bids. Make the total and you score it; miss and it's taken away. On Jakoz, by default you can't start a trick with a spade while you still hold another suit. Games go to 31 or 51.

Spades (Western)

Spades are always trumps too, but bids can be as low as zero ("nil"), extra tricks ("bags") can cost points, and scores are usually counted in tens to 500.

Tarneeb (Levant)

The trump suit is not fixed: the highest bidder chooses it. Players bid against each other for the contract, and only one team's bid counts each hand.

Which is easiest to start with?

Speed: the bidding is simple, spades are always trumps, and a hand takes a few minutes. Learn it on the Speed ♠ guide and play Speed free with friends and voice chat, or try Baloot, the other great Gulf card game.