Spades in Cartomancy: Meaning of the Suit and Its 8 Cards

About the suit

Spades are the second black suit of the French playing-card deck. It is generally given a German origin: in the fifteenth-century decks beyond the Rhine, the series of “leaves” (Laub) is said to have been redrawn as a spearhead by French engravers, hence the name “pique”, which evokes the pole-arm. The English “spade” comes, for its part, from the Italian “spada”, the sword: this is the source of the link with the tarot's Swords.

Spades have the reputation of being the feared suit of the deck. That image deserves revisiting: what manuals read in it is above all the suit of what requires a choice, of what cuts and of what clarifies.

The traditional domain

In most manuals, spades are the suit of trials, decisions, breaks and turning points. It is also the suit of clear-sightedness: frank speech, critical mind, the truth that cuts through. By modern habit, it is associated with the element Air, like the tarot's Swords: that of thought.

According to many authors, the red suits (hearts, diamonds) touch feeling and material matters, while the black ones (clubs, spades) involve effort and choice more directly. This is a heuristic, not a rule.

The eight cards of the suit

The keywords come from a common traditional core; authors propose others.

The three court cards

In the nineteenth-century Paris portrait cards, the king of spades is named David, the queen Pallas and the jack Hogier (or Ogier). These names are late decorative additions of uncertain origin, and they play no part in the reading. The king is the man of authority or of law, the queen the independent and clear-sighted woman, the jack the reserved young person or the messenger of an unwelcome piece of news.

Older manuals often portray the court cards harshly, especially the queen of spades. Today's readers temper these portraits: they read qualities (rigour, frankness, vigilance) rather than flaws of character.

The ace and the number cards

The ace of spades is the best-known card in the deck, notably for its large central spade: it opens the suit at a turning point. The numbers then describe a rise: the seven (small worries), the eight (the hurtful word), the nine (anxiety) and the ten (grief, or moral weariness).

This progression is sometimes presented as dark. It can also be read as a path: from a small annoyance to the fullest trial, and then to its resolution. No card predicts a health event or a bereavement, and a responsible reading avoids turning it into such an announcement.

Reading the suit in a spread

Many spades in a spread point to a period of rethinking: the situation calls for deciding, protecting oneself or telling a truth. Their absence does not mean there is no problem, only that the question is played out more in feeling or in action.

Look at the neighbouring cards. A spade next to a heart evokes a feeling confronting a trial; next to a club, an action meeting an obstacle that it can overcome; next to a diamond, news or a formality that causes frustration. A pair such as ace of spades and ace of clubs is readily read as an ending that opens onto something else.

Kinship with the tarot and the Lenormand

By modern convention, spades are paired with the tarot's Swords: the same mental register, the same element Air. See for example the Ace of Swords, a blade raised towards the crown, far less sombre than the cartomantic ace of spades. The equivalence is practical but not historical.

In the Lenormand, spades correspond to the cards in the table, with a striking contrast: the king of spades is the Lily (peace, maturity), the queen of spades the Bouquet (joy offered). The systems do not overlap. See the introduction to cartomancy.

Nuances and differences between authors

Authors differ widely on spades. For some it is the suit of misfortune; for others, that of truth and decision, which is quite different. The nine of spades has the darkest reputation, but some readers count it among the cards that soften in the company of their neighbours. The ace of spades, for its part, is sometimes an ending and sometimes a turning point. This diversity is a useful reminder: with spades more than with any other suit, the reading depends on context, on the question and on the reader's tone.

A reflection exercise

Think of a decision you have been putting off. Write down the three criteria that would matter to you (for example: time, money, peace of mind). Draw a spade card and ask yourself: what is this card inviting me to look at squarely? Note one small first step to take this week. If the subject is heavy, speak to a trusted person: a card does not decide in your place.

Frequently asked questions

Also read

The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to Cartomancy with a standard deck of playing cards.