How to Play Spoons: Card Game Rules, Scoring and House Rules

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How to play Spoons: Spoons is the fast card-passing game where players race to collect four of a kind, then grab a spoon from the middle of the table before they run out. There is always one spoon fewer than the number of players, so somebody gets left empty-handed every round. All you need is a standard 52-card deck and some spoons. This guide covers the setup, how passing works, the scramble for spoons, the S-P-O-O-N letter system, popular house rules and tips for big groups.

What you need to play Spoons

• A standard 52-card deck with jokers removed. For more than about eight players, shuffle two decks together.
• Spoons, one fewer than the number of players. Five players need four spoons.
• Three or more players. The game gets louder and better the more people you add.
• A table everyone can reach. The spoons sit in a small circle in the center.

Spoons setup

1. Place the spoons in a small circle or pile in the middle of the table, within reach of every player.
2. Choose a dealer. Shuffle and deal four cards face down to each player.
3. The dealer keeps the rest of the deck face down beside them as the draw pile.

How passing works

Everyone is trying to collect four cards of the same rank, such as four 7s or four queens. Play does not happen in turns. Instead, cards flow around the table as fast as players can manage.

1. The dealer draws the top card of the deck, so they briefly hold five cards.
2. The dealer chooses one card to get rid of and passes it face down to the player on their left.
3. That player picks up the passed card, chooses one card to get rid of and passes it left.
4. This continues around the table. Every player must stay at four cards after passing.
5. The last player in the circle drops their discard face down into a trash pile.
6. The dealer keeps drawing and passing as quickly as possible, so cards pile up on slow players.

If the draw pile runs out, pause, shuffle the trash pile and keep going.

Grabbing the spoons

As soon as a player holds four of a kind, they take a spoon from the center. They can do it loudly or as quietly as they like. Once the first spoon is gone, any player can grab a spoon, even if they do not have four of a kind. Sharp players watch the spoons, not just their cards.

Whoever is left without a spoon loses the round.

Keeping score with S-P-O-O-N

The player without a spoon takes a letter: S for the first loss, then P, O, O and N. A player who spells the full word S-P-O-O-N is out of the game. Remove one spoon each time a player is knocked out, so there is always one fewer spoon than the players still in. The last player standing wins.

For a quicker game with kids, players are out after a single missed spoon, which turns the game into a straight elimination.

Popular Spoons house rules

• False grab: if you touch a spoon without four of a kind before anyone else has taken one, you take a letter.
• Hidden spoons: put the spoons in another room. The first player with four of a kind runs for them, and everyone else follows.
• Pig: a spoon-free version where the first player with four of a kind quietly touches their nose. The last person to notice and copy them takes a letter.
• Two decks for big groups: shuffle two decks together for nine or more players so cards keep moving.

Tips for winning at Spoons

• Pick a rank early and commit. If you already hold two 9s, pass everything else.
• Keep your eyes moving between your hand and the spoons. Most rounds are lost by players who never saw the first spoon go.
• Pass fast. If you slow down, cards pile up next to you and the player on your right can still collect.
• Use plastic spoons or wooden spoons with kids. Metal spoons and grabbing hands are a noisy mix.

Spoons is one of the best games to start a holiday gathering because everyone learns it in a minute. If you would rather have a boxed version, PlayMonster Giant Spoons comes with oversized spoons and a matching card deck for 3 to 6 players and costs about $17. For more card games that need only a standard deck, see easy-to-learn card games for everyone and how to play War.

Spoons rules FAQ

How many spoons do you need to play Spoons?

One fewer spoon than the number of players. Five players use four spoons.

How many cards do you deal in Spoons?

Four cards to each player, with the rest of the deck kept by the dealer as the draw pile.

Can you take a spoon without four of a kind?

Yes, but only after someone else has taken the first spoon.

How do you get out in Spoons?

Each time you miss a spoon you take a letter of S-P-O-O-N. Spell the whole word and you are out.