Spider Solitaire

Overview

Spider Solitaire is a patience card game. This guide uses a straightforward common ruleset and notes where versions often differ.

Objective

Clear the tableau by completing eight same-suit sequences from King down to Ace.

What You Need

• 2 standard decks (104 cards)
• 1 player(s), as appropriate
• A clear table or playing area

Setup

Deal 54 cards into 10 tableau columns, with only each column’s top card face up. Keep the remaining 50 cards as a stock for five later deals of 10 cards.

How to Play

1. Build tableau cards downward by rank.
2. You may place a card on the next higher rank regardless of suit, but only properly ordered same-suit sequences can normally move together as a unit.
3. Turn over a newly exposed face-down card immediately.
4. Use empty columns to reorganise cards.
5. When no empty columns remain, deal one stock card face up onto each tableau column.
6. A complete same-suit King-to-Ace sequence is removed automatically; remove all eight to win.

Scoring / Winning

Physical Spider Solitaire is normally treated as a win/loss puzzle, so no score card is required. Computer versions may use move and time scoring.

Worked Example

A 7 may be placed on an 8. Building 7♠–6♠–5♠ keeps a movable same-suit sequence; mixed-suit descending cards may be harder to move together.

Strategy Tips

• Prioritise exposing face-down cards.
• Create empty columns and use them carefully.
• Build same-suit sequences whenever practical before dealing another row.

Common Mistakes

• Dealing from the stock while a tableau column is empty.
• Assuming any mixed-suit descending sequence can move as one unit.
• Filling an empty column without a plan to uncover more cards.

Variations & House Rules

One-suit Spider is easiest, two-suit is intermediate and four-suit is the standard difficult version.

FAQ

How many cards are used?

104 cards, equivalent to two standard decks.

When can I deal another row?

In standard Spider, only when no tableau column is empty.