What is Grunt Spades?
Military-born partnership Spades with one published standard for learning, teaching, scoring, and organized play.
See how the game works →The local mission starts now
One table.
One standard.
A place to belong.
Grunt Spades preserves a military-born version of Spades and brings Veterans and communities together around one shared standard—and a reason to return to the table.
Free rules · Local club forming in North Arkansas · Host-coordinated pilots
FOUR PEOPLERank, race, age, and background stay away from the table.
Why it matters
A table can turn a remote place into a community.
In the field, we made tables and chairs from MRE boxes. A familiar game gave us a place to gather and a little normalcy. I carried that tradition from Fort Benning to Germany and Macedonia.
Grunt Spades puts the rules in writing and carries the tradition into new tables. Loyalty to the people around the table is what drives us.
Read the founder story →Start here
Six straight answers.
No hunting around. Choose the question that brought you here.
Why does it exist?
To bring veterans and communities together around the card table and rebuild connection, teamwork, and camaraderie.
Read the mission and origin →How do I learn to play?
Download the free GS-1 Civilian Edition. It begins with the deck and walks a new player through a complete game.
Download the free rules →Where can I play?
The first local tables are being organized in Cherokee Village, Ash Flat, and the surrounding Arkansas area.
See the local club path →When is the next event?
The next scheduled pilot is October 19 at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. Attendance is coordinated with the host; no open public tournament is posted yet.
View confirmed events →How do I start a club?
Bring four interested players or a willing host. We will help you learn the standard and work toward sanctioned-club status.
Start or join a sanctioned club →Current area of operations
Start local. Prove the model. Expand with discipline.
Our immediate focus is Cherokee Village, Ash Flat, and nearby communities. We are completing the pilots and appointments already on the calendar while building the first dependable local club.
Current relationship lanes include the Elks, VFW, American Legion, and Marine Corps League in Fort Smith. These are limited, grandfathered outreach lanes; they do not open territory or establish a sanctioned club. We are not opening additional territories until the local club system is tested and repeatable.
01Teach the same game
02Build one dependable club
03Train a local table leader
04Expand only after it works
What is available today?
A clear first step—not a sales pitch.
Free GS-1 Civilian Edition
The complete learn-to-play path, from opening the deck through finishing the game.
Download GS-1 →Sanctioned club interest
Players and hosts can join the local list while the first club structure is field-tested.
Start or join →Confirmed pilots
University pilots and existing organization appointments will continue. New expansion is paused.
View the schedule →Join the local mission
Tell us where you fit at the table.
Use this form to learn how to play, join a local table, help form a sanctioned club, or receive confirmed event updates.