How to Play Spider Solitaire - Rules, Strategy & Tips

Spider Solitaire can seem intimidating at first, but with a solid understanding of the rules and a few key strategies, anyone can learn to conquer the tableau. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from the basic setup to advanced techniques for winning the most difficult four-suit games. Playing Spider Solitaire is a test of patience and planning, and this page is your ultimate resource for improving your skills.

The Basics of Spider Solitaire: Setup and Objective

Before diving into strategy, it's crucial to understand the foundational elements of the game.

Game Setup

Spider Solitaire is played with two full decks of cards, totaling 104 cards. The game is set up as follows:

The Tableau: 54 cards are dealt into ten columns. The first four columns contain six cards each, and the last six columns contain five cards each. The top card of each column is dealt face-up, while the rest remain face-down.
The Stockpile: The remaining 50 cards form the stockpile, which you can draw from when you run out of moves on the tableau.
The Foundation: There is no initial foundation. The foundation piles are built by you as you complete full sequences of suits.

The Ultimate Goal

The objective is to remove all cards from the tableau by building sequences of the same suit in descending order, from King to Ace. Once a full sequence (King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, Ace) is completed, it is automatically moved to one of the eight foundation piles, and those cards are out of play. You win the game of Spider Solitaire when you have successfully built all eight foundation piles and the tableau is empty.

Core Rules of Spider Solitaire Gameplay

The gameplay revolves around moving cards between the tableau columns. The rules are simple, but their application is what makes the game strategic.

Moving Cards and Sequences

You can move a face-up card from the end of one tableau column to another if the destination card is one rank higher. For example, you can move a 7 of Hearts onto an 8 of Spades.
You can move a packed, in-suit sequence of cards as a single unit. For example, if you have the 9, 8, and 7 of Clubs in order, you can move all three cards together onto any 10.
You cannot move a sequence of cards that are not of the same suit. This is a critical rule that defines much of the game's strategy.

Using the Stockpile

When you have no more available moves on the tableau, you can deal from the stockpile. Clicking the stock will deal ten cards, one face-up card onto each of the ten columns. A crucial rule here is that you cannot deal from the stockpile if any of your tableau columns are empty. You must first place a card or sequence into the empty slot before you can deal.

Strategy by Difficulty Level: 1, 2, and 4 Suit Spider Solitaire

The true challenge of Spider Solitaire is revealed as you increase the number of suits. The core strategy changes significantly with each level.

H4: One-Suit Spider Solitaire (Beginner)

In one-suit mode (typically Spades), all 104 cards are of the same suit. This simplifies the game immensely, as you no longer need to worry about building "mixed-suit" stacks. Every sequence you build is movable. The primary strategy here is to focus on uncovering face-down cards as quickly as possible and creating empty columns to facilitate rearranging.

H4: Two-Suit Spider Solitaire (Intermediate)

This is where real strategy begins. With two suits (e.g., Spades and Hearts), you must carefully manage how you stack cards. You will inevitably need to create mixed-suit sequences (e.g., a red 6 on a black 7) to uncover new cards. However, remember that these mixed stacks are immobile. The key is to use these mixed-suit builds as temporary steps. Your long-term goal is always to consolidate cards into single-suit "natural" builds. An important strategy is to dedicate certain columns to "dirty" or mixed-suit stacks, while keeping others for clean, single-suit builds.

H4: Four-Suit Spider Solitaire (Expert)

This is the ultimate test of a Spider Solitaire player. All four suits are in play, making it incredibly difficult to build the clean, movable sequences needed to win. Key strategies for four-suit success include:

Extreme Patience: Do not rush your moves. Analyze the entire tableau before making a play. Sometimes the best move is no move at all.
Mastery of Empty Columns: You absolutely must create empty columns. Use them aggressively to re-order your cards, trying to sort out the chaotic mixed-suit stacks into clean ones.
The Undo Button is Your Friend: Don't be afraid to undo moves. Often, you'll need to explore a sequence of moves to see if it leads to a dead end. Backtracking is a core part of high-level play.
Plan Before Dealing: Before you deal from the stock, make sure you have exhausted every single possible move on the tableau. A new deal can often make a difficult position much worse if not timed correctly.

Advanced Winning Strategies for Spider Solitaire

Once you have the basics down, you can start incorporating advanced techniques to increase your win rate.

Uncovering Face-Down Cards

This is the most fundamental goal in the early and mid-game. If you have a choice between two plays, almost always choose the one that reveals a hidden card. More information and more available cards on the board directly translate to more options.

The Importance of a King

Revealing a King is a mixed blessing. A King can only be moved to an empty column. If you don't have an empty column, a King can block access to the cards beneath it for a long time. Therefore, prioritize moves that clear out columns containing Kings, or moves that create empty columns so you have a place to move them.

Building on Higher-Ranked Cards First

If you have a choice, it's often better to build on cards of a higher rank (e.g., build on a Jack rather than a 4). This is because lower-ranked cards are more plentiful and offer more flexibility later in the game. Locking in low-card sequences early can sometimes limit your options.

By mastering these rules and strategies, you'll be well on your way to conquering any game of Spider Solitaire that comes your way. The key is practice and careful planning. Good luck!