Strategy
Spider Solitaire strategy for 1, 2 and 4 suits
How to approach Spider Solitaire at every suit setting: building in suit, making and keeping empty columns, and timing the deals from the stock.
2 min read
Spider Solitaire
The two-deck solitaire. Arrange ten columns into full suits from king to ace, with 1, 2 or 4 suits to choose from.
Suits
Time0:00
Moves0
Click a card to move it where it fits best, or drag it. Click the stock to deal a new row. Keys: arrows choose a pile, Enter picks up and drops, D deals, U undoes.Tap a card to move it where it fits best, or drag it. Tap the stock to deal a new row.
Use Left and Right to move between piles, and Up and Down to choose how many cards to take from a column. Enter picks up cards and Enter on another pile puts them down. A sends the chosen cards where they fit best. D deals a new row, U undoes, H shows a hint and P pauses.
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About Spider Solitaire
Spider Solitaire is played with two full decks, 104 cards, across ten columns. The goal is to build eight complete runs, each from king down to ace in a single suit. Every finished run leaves the table.
Start with one suit while you learn, where every card is a spade. Two suits and four suits make the same game much harder, because only cards of the same suit can be moved together.
How to play Spider Solitaire
- Choose 1, 2 or 4 suits. Ten columns are dealt with only the top card of each face up.
- Move a card onto any card one rank higher, whatever its suit: a 6 can go on any 7.
- Build runs in one suit when you can. Only a run of a single suit can be moved as a group.
- When you run out of moves, click the stock to deal one new card onto every column.
- A complete run from king to ace in one suit is cleared off the table. Clear all eight to win.
Spider Solitaire controls
| Move cards where they fit best | Click them (or drag them to a pile) |
|---|---|
| Deal a new row | Click the stock, or press D |
| Choose a pile | Left and Right arrows |
| Choose how many cards to take | Up and Down arrows |
| Pick up and put down | Enter or Space, then Enter on the new pile |
| Undo / hint | U (or Ctrl+Z) / H |
| Pause / sound | P / M |
| Move cards where they fit best | Tap them |
|---|---|
| Move cards somewhere else | Drag them to the pile you want |
| Deal a new row | Tap the stock |
| Undo, hint or new game | The buttons above the table |
Spider Solitaire rules
The deal
Two decks are shuffled together. The first four columns get six cards and the other six get five, 54 in all, with only the top card of each column face up. The remaining 50 cards form the stock.
Moving cards
Any face-up card can go on a card one rank higher of any suit, or into an empty column. A group of cards can only move together if it is a run in one suit, such as 9, 8, 7 of hearts. Uncovered face-down cards turn over.
Dealing from the stock
Clicking the stock deals one card face up onto each of the ten columns, five times in all. You cannot deal while any column is empty, so fill gaps first.
Completing runs
When a column ends in a full run from king to ace in one suit, it is removed to the top of the table automatically. Remove all eight runs to win.
Suits
With 1 suit every card is a spade, so every run you build can be moved and completed. With 2 suits the cards are spades and hearts, and with 4 suits all four suits appear. The rules stay the same.
Time, moves and saving
The clock starts with your first move and stops while the game is paused. Your game in progress, best time and wins for each suit setting are saved in this browser.
Tips and strategy
- Build runs in the same suit whenever you have a choice. Mixed-suit runs get stuck because they cannot move as one.
- Turn over face-down cards as early as you can, starting with the shortest columns.
- An empty column is your most useful space. Use it to reorganise runs before filling it with a king.
- Before dealing from the stock, make every move that helps, because the new row covers your columns.
- Undo is free. If a deal goes badly, step back and try a different order of moves.
Frequently asked questions
Which Spider Solitaire setting should I start with?
Start with 1 suit. Most games can be won there, and it teaches you how to manage columns. Move to 2 suits when you win regularly, and try 4 suits for a real challenge.
Why can I not deal more cards?
In Spider Solitaire every column must have at least one card before you deal. Move a card into each empty column first.
Why will some cards not move together?
Only runs of a single suit can be moved as a group. A run like 9 of spades, 8 of hearts can only be moved one card at a time.
Can every game of Spider Solitaire be won?
No. Deals are random, and some cannot be won, especially with 4 suits. Undo and hints help you find the best line.
Will I lose my game if I close the page?
No. Your game, moves and time are saved in this browser as you play, and continue when you come back on the same device.
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