Act one
Children are playing, women and men are strolling through a summer garden, officers are talking. Only Herman, the Russian officer of German descent, is unable to enjoy the glorious spring day. Because of his precarious financial situation, he feels like an outsider in fashionable St. Petersburg. In addition, he is unhappily in love with the noblewoman Liza, who has already been promised to Prince Yeletsky. His friend Count Tomsky tells the officers the story of Liza’s grandmother. The Countess–whom people call the »Queen of Spades«–knows a secret to winning a three-card game. So far she has entrusted her knowledge to her husband and to a young lover. However, the prophecy is grim for the third person who will demand the secret from her: namely, it will bring him death. While the listeners laugh, Herman is very interested in the story. Polina and other friends want to celebrate Liza’s engagement with her, but Liza is thoughtful and sad. After everyone has left, Herman suddenly appears and tells her how much he loves her. She too can no longer hide her feelings for him.

Act two
The engagement between Liza and Prince Yeletsky is to be celebrated at a masked ball. But Liza seems sad again. A pastoral is performed as an intermezzo which metaphorically portrays the triangular conflict between Liza and the two men. Liza makes an appointment with Herman to meet him secretly at night. In order for Herman to see her, he has to cross the Countess’s room. When the Countess returns to her room, they meet, and when Herman demands, with a pistol, that she reveal the secret of the three cards, the old lady dies of fright. Liza rushes in and is horrified to discover that his primary interest has been the game and not her.

Act three
Herman loses himself in delusions, and in a nightmare he learns the three winning cards: three, seven, and ace. Liza wants to talk to Herman at a nighttime meeting. When midnight strikes and Herman doesn’t show up, she is bitterly disappointed that his gambling obsession has left him with eyes only for possible wealth and fame, and she throws herself to her death. In the casino Herman is eager to try his luck with the knowledge of the three cards. He wins twice, but loses everything on the third card: instead of the ace, he holds the queen of spades in his hand. Succumbing to madness, the dead Countess appears to him one last time; finally he dies.