How to play spider solitaire
Spider is played with two full decks, 104 cards in all. Ten columns are dealt, the first four with six cards and the other six with five, and only the bottom card of each column is face up. The remaining 50 cards form the stock in the top right corner, enough for five more deals of ten cards.
The goal is to build eight complete runs from King down to Ace, each in a single suit. A finished run is removed from the table automatically and moves to the top left. Clear all eight and you win.
The rules
- You can place any card on a card exactly one rank higher, in any suit. A 7 of hearts can go on an 8 of spades.
- You can move a group of cards together only when it is a descending run of one suit, such as 9, 8, 7 of spades.
- Any card or valid run can go into an empty column.
- When a face-down card is uncovered, it turns face up.
- Tap the stock to deal one new card onto every column. You cannot deal while a column is empty.
Controls
Drag a card or run to where you want it, or simply tap it and it jumps to the best legal spot, preferring a card of the same suit. Undo has no limit, Hint highlights a useful move (press again for the next idea), and Ctrl+Z also undoes. Your game is saved in your browser, so you can come back to it later.
One, two or four suits
- 1 suit: all spades. Every build is a same-suit build, so it is the best way to learn the game.
- 2 suits: spades and hearts. You now have to choose between building on any card and building in suit, and that choice is the heart of spider.
- 4 suits: the full challenge. Runs break easily, empty columns are precious, and a single careless deal can bury the cards you need.
Strategy tips
Turn over face-down cards early
Hidden cards are the main obstacle. A move that uncovers a card is usually better than one that only tidies a column.
Build in suit whenever you can
A mixed-suit stack like 8 of hearts on 9 of spades works for now, but you cannot move it as a unit later. If you have a choice of two 9s, put the 8 on the one of the same suit.
Treat empty columns as tools
An empty column lets you take apart a mixed stack and rebuild it in suit, or park a King. Do not fill it with a single low card unless that frees something important.
Get ready before you deal
Each deal drops a card on every column, which can cover runs you were building. Make every useful move first, and try to deal when your columns end in cards that are easy to build on.
Prefer a game where every card is visible from the start? Try FreeCell. For a different kind of logic, play Minesweeper.
Questions
Why can I not deal a new row?
The standard rule says every column must hold at least one card before you deal. Move any card or run into the empty column first, then deal.
Is every game winnable?
Not every deal can be won, especially with four suits. Most one-suit games can be won with careful play, while four-suit games are much harder and many experienced players win only a minority of them.
How is the score calculated?
You start with 500 points. Each move, deal or undo costs 1 point, and each completed King-to-Ace run adds 100 points.
Can I move a card onto a different suit?
Yes. Any card can go on a card one rank higher, whatever the suit. Only runs of one suit can be moved together or cleared, so same-suit builds are worth more.