How to Play Spider Solitaire: Rules, Setup, and Strategies
How to Play Spider Solitaire: Rules, Setup, and Strategies
Contents
Spider Solitaire is a challenging single-player card game using two standard decks (104 cards). The goal is to build eight complete descending sequences (King to Ace) within the tableau by strategically moving cards. It requires patience and planning, with three difficulty levels based on suit-matching rules.
What You Need
- Two standard 52-card decks (104 cards total)
- Flat playing surface (table or digital board)
- 1 player (though some digital versions offer multiplayer)
How to Play
-
Setup:
- Shuffle both decks together.
- Deal 10 tableau piles:
- First 4 piles: 6 cards each (5 face-down, 1 face-up)
- Next 6 piles: 5 cards each (4 face-down, 1 face-up)
- Place remaining 50 cards face-down as the stock.
-
Moving Cards:
- Move face-up cards to any card one rank higher (e.g., 8♠ to 9♦).
- You can move multiple sequenced cards if they share the same suit (or color/any suit depending on difficulty).
- Empty tableau spaces can be filled by any single card or sequence.
-
Dealing Stock:
- When no moves remain, deal 10 new cards (1 per tableau pile) from the stock.
- All 50 stock cards must be used to win.
-
Completing Sequences:
- A full King-to-Ace sequence of the same suit automatically moves to the foundation.
- Win by clearing all 8 sequences.
How to Win
Complete all eight King-to-Ace sequences in the same suit (or color/any suit for easier modes). The game ends if no moves remain before completing sequences.
Strategy Tips
- Prioritize revealing face-down cards to expand options.
- Limit empty tableau piles—they’re useful but required for stock deals.
- Group same-suit cards early to avoid blocked stacks.
- Avoid rushing stock deals; exhaust all moves first.
| Difficulty Level | Suit Rules |
|---|---|
| Easy | Any suit |
| Medium | Same color |
| Hard | Same suit |
FAQ
Can I play with one suit for practice?
Yes—many digital versions (e.g., Spider Palace) offer single-suit modes for beginners.
Why can’t I win every game?
Spider Solitaire has a high difficulty curve; even optimal play doesn’t guarantee wins. Start with easier suit rules.
How are points scored?
Digital versions often award points per move/sequence completed. Multiplayer modes rank players by speed or fewer moves.
Conflict Note: Source 1 states stock deals require no empty piles, while Source 4 suggests they’re allowed if “possible.” Digital games typically enforce the former rule.
Related guides
- How to Play the 500 Card Game
- How to Play Blackjack
- How to Play Bridge: Rules, Setup, and Strategy
- How to Play Canasta
- How to Play Crazy Eights: Rules, Setup, and Winning Strategies