Spar (Norwegian)

Spar is the Norwegian word for the spades suit, and the trick-taking game takes its name from it, much like American Spades does. It reflects the strong role the spades suit plays in Scandinavian as well as Anglo-American trick-taking traditions.

They share the spade theme and a place in the wider Whist family of trick-taking games, but Spar developed within Norwegian and broader Scandinavian card traditions rather than from the American partnership game. Rules vary regionally, so the two games should not be assumed to play identically.

Spar is played with a standard 52-card deck, which keeps it accessible with any ordinary pack. Like many Scandinavian trick-taking games, it belongs to the same deck-and-tricks tradition as Norwegian whist variants such as Krypkas.

Spar survives mainly as part of Norway's regional card-game heritage rather than as a widely organized competitive game. It sits alongside other Scandinavian trick-taking traditions, and interest persists through local play and collections of Norwegian card game rules.