FOOM™ Your Way To Fun!

Silver Creek Entertainment™ has created another way to keep the games fun, social and addictively interesting, with graphically rich player interactions.

FOOMs™ allow players to vent their frustrations or show their love at partners and opponents, from blasting fireballs to blowing kisses.

Hardwood Spades™

This traditional “trick” taking card game has been renewed with all the graphics, stunning sound, immersive environments and fun fantasy bases avatars, for which Hardwood Games has become known.

Hardwood Hearts™

Enjoy the “trick” taking game of Hearts with Hardwood Games' out-matched graphics, stunning sound, immersive environments and smooth game play against both computer characters or online friends.

Hardwood Euchre™

This classic card game was created with the same  graphics, sound, and playability as HW Spades and HW Hearts. Online play, tournaments, FOOMs™ and fun are all included with Hardwood Euchre.

Hardwood Solitaire™

Solitaire has never been so varied or so immersive! With more than a hundred versions of this classic card game available, you can keep rediscovering the addictive single-player action again and again.

Hardwood
Backgammon™

This ancient table game of chance and strategy has all the action and feel of the classic board-game with all the social and interactive variety of the best online game Hardwood Games™ has to offer. Turn your dice rolling and checker shifting into a FOOM™ throwing fight for supremacy in Hardwood Games Backgammon!

Ruckus Buck’s
Dangerous Mines™

The best mine sweeper style game available on the internet! Ruckus Buck’s brings all the environments, sounds, graphics and game play Hardwood Games™ has to in this internet classic. Multiple game styles, including online play allow fans to find a new gem among their gaming favorites.

Spades - An American Classic - History and Evolution

Excerpted from "The Complete Win At Spades", by Joe Andrews (copyright, 1998 and 2000)

The game of Spades became popular in the late 1940’s, especially on college campuses. A review of several card game reference sources revealed that Spades descended from Whist. Spades also has a kindred spirit with Bridge, Pinochle, and other similar games featuring partnership play, bidding and a trump suit.

George Coffin, the great Bridge author, traced the roots of Spades to the Mid-West. He determined it was introduced in Cincinnati, OH, sometime between 1937 and 1939. From there, it spread to other cities in the general region and eventually into the military. Spades was played extensively during World War II, as it was a fast paced game, which could be interrupted at any time – especially during battle conditions! The US Playing Card Company ("Bicycle" cards) donated hundreds of thousands of decks during WWII to help boost the morale of the troops stationed overseas. After the War, Spades became a mainstay on college campuses, in the workplace, at home, and in jails too! As time passed, players began to modify the game and its basics.

The original form of Spades (often called "Old School" or "Classic") had very different rules than our current version. Back then, it was permissible to lead spades (trump) at any time. The two Jokers ranked higher than the Ace of trump! Old School Spades is still played in some sections of the country. The period from the late 1940's through the early 1980's featured the introduction of Bags and Nils to the game, the elimination of the Jokers, and the stipulation that spades could not be led until trump had been played previously.

The introduction of personal computers in the mid 1990's, and various internet games sites allowed anyone to play Spades on line with human players or "Bots". Software companies began to manufacture card game CD's, and instructional programs. Hoyle Games introduced a multi - card game product. Three Spades authors, including yours truly, published books covering strategy and technique of all aspects of the game. In addition, a number of variations, including - "three handed", "Mirrors", "Suicide", passing of two cards - to name a few, became popular, and are now played by many. Silver Creek Entertainment / Hardwood Games, has featured the on - line game of Spades for more than 15 years!

The appeal of Spades is its relatively basic bidding system, opportunity for advanced play and the speed of the play. Many seasoned Bridge players were very proficient at Spades before graduating to their specialty.

The first official "live" Spades tournament was held in Indianapolis in the Fall of 1996. More than 150 players attended. The U.S. Open Spades and Hearts Tournament at Harrah's Casino in Las Vegas drew more than 400 players in the Spring of 1999. Grand Prix Tournaments and The Spades Connection have been organizing annual Spades events for more than ten years. Today Spades is, by far and away, the most popular partnership card game on the Internet.