How did you learn to play spades?
I learned from my dad when I was about 10 years old. He taught me how to play, and then it just went on from there. I learned by watching. A lot of people need to realize you don’t just get on the table and learn as you go. You have to build up to that. I learned from watching first and then finally stepped on the table. It’s been a wrap since.
How did spades become a Black game?
Spades started in Cincinnati, right after World War II. A lot of Black people and Black Navy soldiers were out there first playing spades. For me, a team game is always the ultimate way to talk trash. With spades, I think there’s a level of strategy that requires wit, quick thinking and smarts.
