How to Play Spider Solitaire
Spider Solitaire is a challenging card game played with two complete decks (104 cards). The goal is to build eight sequences from King down to Ace in the same suit and remove them from the board.
Game Setup
- Two complete 52-card decks are used (104 cards total)
- 54 cards are dealt into 10 tableau columns: first 4 columns get 6 cards, remaining 6 columns get 5 cards each
- Only the top card in each column starts face-up
- Remaining 50 cards form the stock pile
- Choose difficulty: 1-suit (easiest), 2-suit (medium), or 4-suit (hardest)
Difficulty Modes
- 1 Suit (Beginner): All cards are Spades - easiest to build sequences
- 2 Suits (Intermediate): Uses Spades and Hearts - moderate difficulty
- 4 Suits (Expert): Uses all four suits - most challenging
How to Win
Remove all eight complete King-to-Ace sequences (13 cards each) to win the game!
Game Rules
- Building Tableau: Cards can be placed on any card one rank higher, regardless of suit (e.g., 7 on 8)
- Moving Sequences: You can move a sequence of cards ONLY if they are all the same suit and in descending order
- Face-down Cards: When you move a card, the card beneath automatically flips face-up
- Empty Columns: Any card or valid sequence can be placed in an empty column
- Complete Sequences: When you build a complete King-to-Ace sequence in one suit, it's automatically removed
- Stock Pile: Click the stock to deal one card to each of the 10 columns (all columns must have at least one card)
Strategy Tips
- Expose Face-down Cards: Priority is revealing hidden cards to see more options
- Empty Columns Are Valuable: Try to create empty columns for strategic card movement
- Build in Suit When Possible: Same-suit sequences give you more flexibility
- Don't Rush to Deal: Exhaust all moves before dealing from stock
- Plan Several Moves Ahead: Consider how each move affects future options
- Keep Sequences Pure: Avoid mixing suits in long sequences when possible
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you play Spider Solitaire?
In Spider Solitaire, arrange cards in descending order (King to Ace) in the tableau. Complete sequences of the same suit are automatically removed. You can move any face-up card or sequence. The goal is to clear all cards by building eight complete sequences.
What is the difference between 1-suit, 2-suit, and 4-suit Spider Solitaire?
1-suit Spider uses only Spades (easiest), 2-suit uses Spades and Hearts (medium difficulty), and 4-suit uses all four suits (hardest). In all versions, you must build complete sequences in the same suit, but fewer suits make this easier to achieve.
Can you move any card in Spider Solitaire?
You can move any face-up card, but you can only move multiple cards as a sequence if they're in descending order of the same suit. For example, you can move a 7-6-5 of Hearts together, but not a 7 of Hearts, 6 of Spades, 5 of Hearts.