How to Play Spider Solitaire

Objective

Your goal is to clear the board by building eight complete King-to-Ace sequences in the same suit. Each finished sequence is automatically removed from the tableau. Win the game when all eight sequences are gone and the tableau is empty.

Video Tutorial

How to Play Spider Solitaire (wikiHow)

Game Setup

• The tableau: Ten columns containing 54 dealt cards. Columns 1-4 hold 6 cards each; columns 5-10 hold 5 each. Only the top card of every column starts face-up.
• The stock pile: The remaining 50 face-down cards in the lower-right. Each tap deals one new card to every tableau column at once — five deals total.
• Completed sequences: A row of slots above the tableau showing how many King-to-Ace same-suit sequences have been auto-removed. Reach eight to win.

Complete Rules

• Build tableau columns in descending order (regardless of suit for placing, but only same-suit sequences can be moved as a group).
• You can place any card on top of a card that is one rank higher.
• Only a same-suit descending sequence can be moved as a group (e.g., 8-7-6-5 of Spades).
• A complete same-suit sequence from King down to Ace is automatically removed from the board.
• Any card or valid sequence can be placed on an empty column.
• Deal 10 new cards from the stock (one per column) when no more moves are desired — but all columns must have at least one card before dealing.
• Win by removing all eight King-to-Ace same-suit sequences.
• In one-suit mode, all cards are Spades, making every sequence same-suit by default.
• In two-suit mode, cards are Hearts and Spades, adding moderate complexity.
• In four-suit mode, all four suits are used, making same-suit sequences much harder to build.
• Scoring starts at 500 points, with -1 per move and +100 for each completed sequence.
• The game ends when all eight sequences are completed or no valid moves remain.

Strategy Tips

• Focus on building same-suit sequences whenever possible. Mixed-suit columns become dead weight.
• Try to empty a column to create workspace — empty columns are extremely valuable in Spider.
• Do not deal new cards from the stock until you have exhausted all useful moves on the tableau.
• Prioritize uncovering face-down cards, especially in columns with many hidden cards.
• In four-suit Spider, plan several moves ahead. Every move matters.
• Build long same-suit runs even if it means temporarily covering useful cards.
• Use empty columns as temporary storage to rearrange cards and create same-suit sequences.
• Before dealing from the stock, try to have at least one empty column — it makes the deal much easier to manage.
• In two-suit mode, try to keep red and black cards separated into different columns when possible.
• Start by identifying which columns have the fewest face-down cards and work on those first.

Advanced Strategy

• The "stock counting" technique: since there are 5 deals of 10 cards, you can estimate when certain ranks will appear and plan accordingly.
• Create "staging columns" dedicated to building same-suit runs. Let mixed-suit columns serve as temporary holding areas.
• When you have multiple empty columns, use them in combination for complex rearrangements — one empty column lets you move 1 extra card, two let you move 3.
• In four-suit, prioritize building complete sequences over uncovering cards. A partial same-suit run of K-Q-J-10 is incredibly valuable.
• Watch for "dead columns" — columns where mixed suits make it impossible to ever create a same-suit sequence. Plan to dismantle these early.

Frequently Asked Questions