500 Card Game Scoring Explained: Bids, Tricks and the 500-Point Target

Scoring in 500 looks more complicated than it really is.

At first, the table can feel like a wall of numbers. Spades, Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, No-Trump. Six tricks, seven tricks, eight tricks, all the way up to ten. Then Misère appears and makes the whole thing feel like it was designed by someone who enjoyed arguments.

But once you understand the idea behind the numbers, 500 scoring starts to make sense.

A bid is not just a number.

It is a promise.

The more tricks you promise, the more points the contract is worth. The stronger the trump suit, the more points the contract is worth. Make the contract and your team scores. Miss it and your team goes backwards.

That is the whole heartbeat of 500 scoring.

For the full rules around bidding and play, see the How to Play 500 guide.

The Basic Idea

In 500, each hand is built around a contract.

The winning bidder chooses how many tricks their team must win and what the trump suit will be. For example, 7 Hearts means the contractor’s team must win at least 7 of the 10 tricks, with Hearts as trump. 8 No-Trump means the contractor’s team must win at least 8 tricks, with no trump suit.

If the contractor’s team makes the contract, they score the value of the bid.

If they fail, they lose the value of the bid.

That is why bidding matters so much. You are not just choosing a suit. You are choosing the size of the risk.

See How to Bid in 500: A Beginner’s Guide to Choosing the Right Bid for judging whether a contract is actually makeable.

The 500 Scoring Table

Here is the common scoring table used for Australian-style 500 on Solitaire Arcade.

6 tricks: Spades 40, Clubs 60, Diamonds 80, Hearts 100, No-Trump 120.

7 tricks: Spades 140, Clubs 160, Diamonds 180, Hearts 200, No-Trump 220.

8 tricks: Spades 240, Clubs 260, Diamonds 280, Hearts 300, No-Trump 320.

9 tricks: Spades 340, Clubs 360, Diamonds 380, Hearts 400, No-Trump 420.

10 tricks: Spades 440, Clubs 460, Diamonds 480, Hearts 500, No-Trump 520.

The pattern is easier to read once you see it.

For the same number of tricks, the suits rise in this order: Spades, Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, No-Trump.

So 6 Clubs is worth more than 6 Spades. 6 Diamonds is worth more than 6 Clubs. 6 Hearts is worth more than 6 Diamonds. 6 No-Trump is worth more than 6 Hearts.

The number of tricks matters even more. A seven-level bid is worth more than any six-level bid. An eight-level bid is worth more than any seven-level bid, and so on.

That is why a higher bid is not just more confident.

It is more expensive if you are wrong.

What Happens When You Make the Contract?

If the contractor’s team wins at least the number of tricks they bid, the contract is made.

They score the full contract value.

For example, a team bids 6 Hearts and wins 6 tricks. They score 100 points. A team bids 8 Diamonds and wins 8 tricks. They score 280 points. A team bids 9 No-Trump and wins 10 tricks. They score 420 points.

Notice that in 500, taking extra tricks does not usually increase the contract score. If you bid 9 No-Trump and take all 10 tricks, the contract is still 9 No-Trump. You score the value of that bid.

That makes the auction important. If you want the bigger score, you usually need to bid the bigger contract.

This is different from bags in Spades, where extra tricks add small points and can later trigger a penalty. In 500, overtricks usually do not raise the contract value.

What Happens When You Fail the Contract?

If the contractor’s team does not win enough tricks, they are set.

That means they lose the value of the bid.

For example, a team bids 7 Clubs and only wins 6 tricks. They lose 160 points. A team bids 8 Hearts and only wins 7 tricks. They lose 300 points. A team bids 10 No-Trump and only wins 9 tricks. They lose 520 points.

This is what gives 500 its tension.

A higher bid can win the game quickly. It can also send your score falling just as fast.

A bold contract is only good if your team can make it.

Defender Points

In many Australian-style games, the defending team scores 10 points for each trick they win.

So if the contractor bids 8 Diamonds and wins exactly 8 tricks, the defenders have won 2 tricks.

The contractor’s team scores 280 points. The defending team scores 20 points.

If the defenders defeat the contract, the contractor’s team loses the contract value. Defender trick scoring depends on the active rules, but many versions still award defenders points for tricks.

This is one of the rule areas where 500 can vary.

Some tables use defender points freely. Some cap defensive scoring. Some Australian-style games use a “must bid to win” rule, which means defender trick points alone cannot finish the game.

That is why a good online 500 game should show the active scoring rule clearly.

The score should never feel like a surprise.

See Australian 500 vs American 500: What’s the Difference? for how defender scoring and winning the game can differ between versions.

The 500-Point Target

The game is called 500 because the usual goal is to reach 500 points.

A team wins by reaching 500, usually through a successful contract.

A team can also lose by falling to -500 points.

That creates two kinds of pressure.

If your team is close to 500, you may not need a huge bid. A steady contract might be enough.

If your team is far behind, a bigger bid, Misère, or Open Misère might be tempting because it can swing the score quickly.

But the target cuts both ways. A risky contract that fails can push you closer to -500.

In 500, the score is not just a record of what happened.

It changes what risks are worth taking next.

Why No-Trump Is Worth More

No-Trump bids are worth more than suit bids at the same trick level.

That makes sense because No-Trump removes the safety net of a trump suit.

In a trump contract, you may be able to win a trick by playing trump when you cannot follow suit. In No-Trump, tricks are won by the highest card of the suit that was led.

That means you need strength across the hand.

A bid like 7 No-Trump is worth more than 7 Hearts because it is usually harder to control.

No-Trump says: “We can win this without needing trump.”

That is a strong claim.

The scoring table rewards it.

For when a No-Trumps bid is actually justified, see How to Bid in 500: A Beginner’s Guide to Choosing the Right Bid. Trump ranking is covered in 500 Card Rankings Explained: Joker, Right Bower, Left Bower and Trumps.

Misère Scoring

Misère is different from normal contract scoring.

In Misère, the bidder tries to take no tricks.

In many Australian-style games, Misère is worth 250 points.

If the bidder succeeds, their team scores 250. If the bidder takes even one trick, the contract fails and their team loses 250.

Misère does not fit neatly into the normal suit table because it is not trying to win six, seven, or eight tricks. It is a special contract with a special purpose.

That is why Misère can change the auction.

It gives a player with the right kind of low, slippery hand a way to compete without a strong trump suit.

But it is not just a bid for bad cards.

A bad hand can still accidentally win a trick.

Read What Is Misère in 500? How Misère and Open Misère Work for when to bid it and which cards are dangerous.

Open Misère Scoring

Open Misère is the bigger, louder version of Misère.

The bidder still tries to take no tricks, but their hand is exposed under common Australian-style rules.

Because the defenders can see the bidder’s cards, Open Misère is harder to survive and is usually worth more.

On many Australian-style tables, Open Misère is worth 500 points.

That makes it a game-changing bid.

Successful Open Misère can take a team straight to the target. Failed Open Misère can be just as brutal in the other direction.

Exact Misère and Open Misère values can vary between rulesets, so always check the active game rules before assuming how they rank in the auction.

A Simple Scoring Example

Imagine North/South bid 8 Hearts.

The value of 8 Hearts is 300 points.

There are 10 tricks in the hand.

If North/South win 8, 9, or 10 tricks, they make the contract and score 300 points.

If they win 7 or fewer tricks, they fail the contract and lose 300 points.

If East/West are defending and win 2 tricks, they may score 20 defender points, depending on the active rules.

That is the basic rhythm: contract made, bidder scores the bid. Contract failed, bidder loses the bid. Defenders may score for tricks.

Another Example: The Cost of Overbidding

Imagine your team is sitting on 420 points.

You bid 8 Diamonds, worth 280 points.

If you make it, your team jumps past 500 and wins.

But if you only take 7 tricks, you lose 280 points and fall back to 140.

That is a huge swing.

This is why bidding near the end of a game is so tense. The right contract can finish the game. The wrong contract can undo several good hands.

When you are close to 500, you do not always need the flashiest bid.

You need the bid your hand can actually make.

Another Example: Defender Points Near 500

Imagine your team has 490 points and the opponents win the bid.

You defend well and win two tricks.

Under some scoring rules, those two tricks may be worth 20 points. But under a “must bid to win” style rule, defensive points may not be enough to end the game by themselves.

That rule changes the endgame.

It means your team still needs to win a contract to finish properly.

This is one of the clearest examples of why 500 scoring rules should be visible before play begins. Two tables may both say they are playing 500, but handle this exact moment differently.

How to Read the Scoring Table

Beginners often stare at the scoring table as if they need to memorise every number.

You do not.

Start with the pattern.

Six-level bids begin at 40 and rise by 20 as the suit gets stronger: 6 Spades is 40, 6 Clubs is 60, 6 Diamonds is 80, 6 Hearts is 100, and 6 No-Trump is 120.

Each higher trick level adds 100 points to the same suit.

So 6 Hearts is 100, 7 Hearts is 200, 8 Hearts is 300, 9 Hearts is 400, and 10 Hearts is 500.

That makes the table easier to learn.

Find the suit. Find the trick level. The number follows the pattern.

How Scoring Affects Strategy

Scoring is not just bookkeeping.

It shapes how you bid.

A 6 Spades contract is a small risk. A 10 No-Trump contract is enormous. Misère and Open Misère can swing the game in one hand.

The score also affects how aggressive you should be.

If your team is ahead, a steady contract may be better than a risky leap.

If your team is behind, you may need to take more risk.

If the opponents are close to 500, defending well may matter more than chasing your own big bid.

If your team is near -500, even a medium failed contract can lose the game.

Good players do not bid in isolation.

They bid the hand, the table, and the score.

Common 500 Scoring Mistakes

One common mistake is thinking extra tricks always increase your contract score.

They usually do not. If you bid 7 Hearts and take 9 tricks, you still score the value of 7 Hearts.

Another mistake is forgetting that failed contracts go backwards. A high bid is not just harder to make. It is more painful to miss.

Players also get caught by defender scoring. Depending on the rules, defenders may score 10 points per trick, but those points may not always be able to win the game by themselves.

Misère and Open Misère can also cause confusion because they do not sit inside the normal scoring table.

Finally, beginners sometimes focus only on reaching 500 and forget the danger of falling to -500. The bottom of the scoreboard matters too.

Quick 500 Scoring FAQ

How do you score 500?

The winning bidder’s team scores the value of the contract if they make it. If they fail, they lose the value of the contract. Defenders may also score points for tricks, depending on the rules.

What is the target score in 500?

The usual target is 500 points.

Can you lose points in 500?

Yes. If the contracting team fails to make its bid, it loses the value of the contract.

What is 6 Spades worth in 500?

6 Spades is worth 40 points.

What is 10 No-Trump worth in 500?

10 No-Trump is worth 520 points.

Do extra tricks give extra points?

Usually, no. The contractor scores the value of the bid, not extra points for every overtrick.

How many points do defenders get?

In many Australian-style games, defenders score 10 points for each trick they win. Some rulesets cap or limit how those points can win the game.

What is Misère worth in 500?

Misère is commonly worth 250 points in Australian-style 500, but exact values can vary.

What is Open Misère worth in 500?

Open Misère is commonly worth 500 points, but this can vary by ruleset.

Can defender points win the game?

That depends on the rules. Some versions allow it. Some Australian-style games require a team to win through a successful contract.

Final Thought

Scoring in 500 is not just a table of numbers.

It is the risk system that makes the game work.

Every bid has a price. Every contract has a reward. Every failed hand has a cost. Misère and Open Misère sit outside the normal pattern and give the game its dramatic swings.

Once you understand the scoring table, the bidding starts to make more sense.

You stop seeing random numbers.

You start seeing pressure.

And that is where 500 becomes interesting.

Ready to practise? Play 500 online, or start with the full How to Play 500 guide.

500 Card Game Scoring Explained: Bids, Tricks and the 500-Point Target

Scoring in 500 looks more complicated than it really is.

At first, the table can feel like a wall of numbers. Spades, Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, No-Trump. Six tricks, seven tricks, eight tricks, all the way up to ten. Then Misère appears and makes the whole thing feel like it was designed by someone who enjoyed arguments.

But once you understand the idea behind the numbers, 500 scoring starts to make sense.

A bid is not just a number.

It is a promise.

The more tricks you promise, the more points the contract is worth. The stronger the trump suit, the more points the contract is worth. Make the contract and your team scores. Miss it and your team goes backwards.

That is the whole heartbeat of 500 scoring.

For the full rules around bidding and play, see the How to Play 500 guide.

The Basic Idea

In 500, each hand is built around a contract.

The winning bidder chooses how many tricks their team must win and what the trump suit will be. For example, 7 Hearts means the contractor’s team must win at least 7 of the 10 tricks, with Hearts as trump. 8 No-Trump means the contractor’s team must win at least 8 tricks, with no trump suit.

If the contractor’s team makes the contract, they score the value of the bid.

If they fail, they lose the value of the bid.

That is why bidding matters so much. You are not just choosing a suit. You are choosing the size of the risk.

See How to Bid in 500: A Beginner’s Guide to Choosing the Right Bid for judging whether a contract is actually makeable.

The 500 Scoring Table

Here is the common scoring table used for Australian-style 500 on Solitaire Arcade.

6 tricks: Spades 40, Clubs 60, Diamonds 80, Hearts 100, No-Trump 120.

7 tricks: Spades 140, Clubs 160, Diamonds 180, Hearts 200, No-Trump 220.

8 tricks: Spades 240, Clubs 260, Diamonds 280, Hearts 300, No-Trump 320.

9 tricks: Spades 340, Clubs 360, Diamonds 380, Hearts 400, No-Trump 420.

10 tricks: Spades 440, Clubs 460, Diamonds 480, Hearts 500, No-Trump 520.

The pattern is easier to read once you see it.

For the same number of tricks, the suits rise in this order: Spades, Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, No-Trump.

So 6 Clubs is worth more than 6 Spades. 6 Diamonds is worth more than 6 Clubs. 6 Hearts is worth more than 6 Diamonds. 6 No-Trump is worth more than 6 Hearts.

The number of tricks matters even more. A seven-level bid is worth more than any six-level bid. An eight-level bid is worth more than any seven-level bid, and so on.

That is why a higher bid is not just more confident.

It is more expensive if you are wrong.

What Happens When You Make the Contract?

If the contractor’s team wins at least the number of tricks they bid, the contract is made.

They score the full contract value.

For example, a team bids 6 Hearts and wins 6 tricks. They score 100 points. A team bids 8 Diamonds and wins 8 tricks. They score 280 points. A team bids 9 No-Trump and wins 10 tricks. They score 420 points.

Notice that in 500, taking extra tricks does not usually increase the contract score. If you bid 9 No-Trump and take all 10 tricks, the contract is still 9 No-Trump. You score the value of that bid.

That makes the auction important. If you want the bigger score, you usually need to bid the bigger contract.

This is different from bags in Spades, where extra tricks add small points and can later trigger a penalty. In 500, overtricks usually do not raise the contract value.

What Happens When You Fail the Contract?

If the contractor’s team does not win enough tricks, they are set.

That means they lose the value of the bid.

For example, a team bids 7 Clubs and only wins 6 tricks. They lose 160 points. A team bids 8 Hearts and only wins 7 tricks. They lose 300 points. A team bids 10 No-Trump and only wins 9 tricks. They lose 520 points.

This is what gives 500 its tension.

A higher bid can win the game quickly. It can also send your score falling just as fast.

A bold contract is only good if your team can make it.

Defender Points

In many Australian-style games, the defending team scores 10 points for each trick they win.

So if the contractor bids 8 Diamonds and wins exactly 8 tricks, the defenders have won 2 tricks.

The contractor’s team scores 280 points. The defending team scores 20 points.

If the defenders defeat the contract, the contractor’s team loses the contract value. Defender trick scoring depends on the active rules, but many versions still award defenders points for tricks.

This is one of the rule areas where 500 can vary.

Some tables use defender points freely. Some cap defensive scoring. Some Australian-style games use a “must bid to win” rule, which means defender trick points alone cannot finish the game.

That is why a good online 500 game should show the active scoring rule clearly.

The score should never feel like a surprise.

See Australian 500 vs American 500: What’s the Difference? for how defender scoring and winning the game can differ between versions.

The 500-Point Target

The game is called 500 because the usual goal is to reach 500 points.

A team wins by reaching 500, usually through a successful contract.

A team can also lose by falling to -500 points.

That creates two kinds of pressure.

If your team is close to 500, you may not need a huge bid. A steady contract might be enough.

If your team is far behind, a bigger bid, Misère, or Open Misère might be tempting because it can swing the score quickly.

But the target cuts both ways. A risky contract that fails can push you closer to -500.

In 500, the score is not just a record of what happened.

It changes what risks are worth taking next.

Why No-Trump Is Worth More

No-Trump bids are worth more than suit bids at the same trick level.

That makes sense because No-Trump removes the safety net of a trump suit.

In a trump contract, you may be able to win a trick by playing trump when you cannot follow suit. In No-Trump, tricks are won by the highest card of the suit that was led.

That means you need strength across the hand.

A bid like 7 No-Trump is worth more than 7 Hearts because it is usually harder to control.

No-Trump says: “We can win this without needing trump.”

That is a strong claim.

The scoring table rewards it.

For when a No-Trumps bid is actually justified, see How to Bid in 500: A Beginner’s Guide to Choosing the Right Bid. Trump ranking is covered in 500 Card Rankings Explained: Joker, Right Bower, Left Bower and Trumps.

Misère Scoring

Misère is different from normal contract scoring.

In Misère, the bidder tries to take no tricks.

In many Australian-style games, Misère is worth 250 points.

If the bidder succeeds, their team scores 250. If the bidder takes even one trick, the contract fails and their team loses 250.

Misère does not fit neatly into the normal suit table because it is not trying to win six, seven, or eight tricks. It is a special contract with a special purpose.

That is why Misère can change the auction.

It gives a player with the right kind of low, slippery hand a way to compete without a strong trump suit.

But it is not just a bid for bad cards.

A bad hand can still accidentally win a trick.

Read What Is Misère in 500? How Misère and Open Misère Work for when to bid it and which cards are dangerous.

Open Misère Scoring

Open Misère is the bigger, louder version of Misère.

The bidder still tries to take no tricks, but their hand is exposed under common Australian-style rules.

Because the defenders can see the bidder’s cards, Open Misère is harder to survive and is usually worth more.

On many Australian-style tables, Open Misère is worth 500 points.

That makes it a game-changing bid.

Successful Open Misère can take a team straight to the target. Failed Open Misère can be just as brutal in the other direction.

Exact Misère and Open Misère values can vary between rulesets, so always check the active game rules before assuming how they rank in the auction.

A Simple Scoring Example

Imagine North/South bid 8 Hearts.

The value of 8 Hearts is 300 points.

There are 10 tricks in the hand.

If North/South win 8, 9, or 10 tricks, they make the contract and score 300 points.

If they win 7 or fewer tricks, they fail the contract and lose 300 points.

If East/West are defending and win 2 tricks, they may score 20 defender points, depending on the active rules.

That is the basic rhythm: contract made, bidder scores the bid. Contract failed, bidder loses the bid. Defenders may score for tricks.

Another Example: The Cost of Overbidding

Imagine your team is sitting on 420 points.

You bid 8 Diamonds, worth 280 points.

If you make it, your team jumps past 500 and wins.

But if you only take 7 tricks, you lose 280 points and fall back to 140.

That is a huge swing.

This is why bidding near the end of a game is so tense. The right contract can finish the game. The wrong contract can undo several good hands.

When you are close to 500, you do not always need the flashiest bid.

You need the bid your hand can actually make.

Another Example: Defender Points Near 500

Imagine your team has 490 points and the opponents win the bid.

You defend well and win two tricks.

Under some scoring rules, those two tricks may be worth 20 points. But under a “must bid to win” style rule, defensive points may not be enough to end the game by themselves.

That rule changes the endgame.

It means your team still needs to win a contract to finish properly.

This is one of the clearest examples of why 500 scoring rules should be visible before play begins. Two tables may both say they are playing 500, but handle this exact moment differently.

How to Read the Scoring Table

Beginners often stare at the scoring table as if they need to memorise every number.

You do not.

Start with the pattern.

Six-level bids begin at 40 and rise by 20 as the suit gets stronger: 6 Spades is 40, 6 Clubs is 60, 6 Diamonds is 80, 6 Hearts is 100, and 6 No-Trump is 120.

Each higher trick level adds 100 points to the same suit.

So 6 Hearts is 100, 7 Hearts is 200, 8 Hearts is 300, 9 Hearts is 400, and 10 Hearts is 500.

That makes the table easier to learn.

Find the suit. Find the trick level. The number follows the pattern.

How Scoring Affects Strategy

Scoring is not just bookkeeping.

It shapes how you bid.

A 6 Spades contract is a small risk. A 10 No-Trump contract is enormous. Misère and Open Misère can swing the game in one hand.

The score also affects how aggressive you should be.

If your team is ahead, a steady contract may be better than a risky leap.

If your team is behind, you may need to take more risk.

If the opponents are close to 500, defending well may matter more than chasing your own big bid.

If your team is near -500, even a medium failed contract can lose the game.

Good players do not bid in isolation.

They bid the hand, the table, and the score.

Common 500 Scoring Mistakes

One common mistake is thinking extra tricks always increase your contract score.

They usually do not. If you bid 7 Hearts and take 9 tricks, you still score the value of 7 Hearts.

Another mistake is forgetting that failed contracts go backwards. A high bid is not just harder to make. It is more painful to miss.

Players also get caught by defender scoring. Depending on the rules, defenders may score 10 points per trick, but those points may not always be able to win the game by themselves.

Misère and Open Misère can also cause confusion because they do not sit inside the normal scoring table.

Finally, beginners sometimes focus only on reaching 500 and forget the danger of falling to -500. The bottom of the scoreboard matters too.

Quick 500 Scoring FAQ

How do you score 500?

The winning bidder’s team scores the value of the contract if they make it. If they fail, they lose the value of the contract. Defenders may also score points for tricks, depending on the rules.

What is the target score in 500?

The usual target is 500 points.

Can you lose points in 500?

Yes. If the contracting team fails to make its bid, it loses the value of the contract.

What is 6 Spades worth in 500?

6 Spades is worth 40 points.

What is 10 No-Trump worth in 500?

10 No-Trump is worth 520 points.

Do extra tricks give extra points?

Usually, no. The contractor scores the value of the bid, not extra points for every overtrick.

How many points do defenders get?

In many Australian-style games, defenders score 10 points for each trick they win. Some rulesets cap or limit how those points can win the game.

What is Misère worth in 500?

Misère is commonly worth 250 points in Australian-style 500, but exact values can vary.

What is Open Misère worth in 500?

Open Misère is commonly worth 500 points, but this can vary by ruleset.

Can defender points win the game?

That depends on the rules. Some versions allow it. Some Australian-style games require a team to win through a successful contract.

Final Thought

Scoring in 500 is not just a table of numbers.

It is the risk system that makes the game work.

Every bid has a price. Every contract has a reward. Every failed hand has a cost. Misère and Open Misère sit outside the normal pattern and give the game its dramatic swings.

Once you understand the scoring table, the bidding starts to make more sense.

You stop seeing random numbers.

You start seeing pressure.

And that is where 500 becomes interesting.

Ready to practise? Play 500 online, or start with the full How to Play 500 guide.