Spider Solitaire - Free Online Card Game

About Spider Solitaire

Spider Solitaire stands as one of the most beloved and challenging solitaire card games ever created. Using two full decks of cards (104 cards total) and featuring 10 tableau columns, Spider offers a significantly more complex puzzle than classic Klondike solitaire. The game's name derives from the eight foundation piles that must be completed, resembling the eight legs of a spider.

Spider Solitaire gained worldwide recognition through its inclusion in Microsoft Windows, first appearing in Windows 98 as part of the Plus! 98 add-on pack, and later becoming a standard feature in Windows ME, XP, Vista, and beyond. Microsoft's implementation introduced the clever difficulty levels using 1, 2, or 4 suits, making the game accessible to beginners while providing expert-level challenges for seasoned players.

Today, Spider Solitaire remains one of the most-played card games globally, with millions of daily players enjoying the perfect balance of strategy, patience, and problem-solving it offers. Our free online version faithfully recreates the classic experience with all three difficulty modes, smooth animations, undo functionality, and a scoring system that rewards efficient play. Whether you are a Spider Solitaire veteran or trying it for the first time, this timeless game offers endless hours of engaging entertainment.

How to Play Spider Solitaire

Spider Solitaire uses two complete decks shuffled together (104 cards). The objective is to build eight complete sequences, each running from King down to Ace in the same suit. Here is your complete guide:

1. Understand the Layout: The game begins with 54 cards dealt across 10 tableau columns. The first 4 columns have 6 cards each, while the remaining 6 columns have 5 cards each. Only the top card of each column starts face-up.
2. Select Your Difficulty: Choose 1 Suit (Easy), 2 Suits (Medium), or 4 Suits (Hard). Fewer suits means easier sequence building.
3. Build Descending Sequences: Place cards on other cards that are exactly one rank higher. A Queen goes on a King, a Jack on a Queen, and so on down to Ace on a Two.
4. Move Cards Freely: Any card can be placed on any card one rank higher, regardless of suit. This flexibility makes moves possible but creates mixed sequences.
5. Move Same-Suit Sequences: Only sequences of the same suit can be moved as a group. Mixed-suit sequences must be moved one card at a time.
6. Complete Sequences: When you create a complete sequence from King to Ace in the same suit (13 cards), it is automatically removed to a foundation pile.
7. Deal From Stock: When stuck, click the stock pile to deal one new card to each of the 10 columns. All columns must have at least one card to deal.
8. Win the Game: Complete all 8 sequences (King to Ace of same suit) to win. There are 2 of each suit in the two-deck game.

Spider Solitaire Rules and Gameplay

Understanding the complete rules is essential for developing winning strategies:

• Card Placement Rules: Any single face-up card can be moved onto another card that is exactly one rank higher, regardless of suit or color. This differs from Klondike where alternating colors are required.
• Sequence Movement: Multiple cards can only be moved together if they form a descending sequence of the same suit. A sequence like King-Queen-Jack of Spades can move as a unit, but King(Spades)-Queen(Hearts)-Jack(Spades) cannot.
• Empty Column Rule: Any card or same-suit sequence can be moved to an empty column. Empty columns are extremely valuable for maneuvering.
• Face-Down Cards: When the last face-up card is removed from a column, the top face-down card automatically flips over.
• Dealing Requirement: You cannot deal from the stock if any column is empty. Fill all columns before dealing.
• Stock Contents: The stock contains 50 cards (5 deals of 10 cards each). After all stock cards are dealt, no more deals are available.
• Automatic Removal: Complete King-to-Ace sequences of the same suit are automatically moved to foundation piles and removed from play.
• Scoring System: Start with 500 points. Each move deducts 1 point. Completing a sequence adds 100 points. Aim for high scores by minimizing moves.

Difficulty Levels

• 1 Suit (Easy): Uses only Spades (8 copies of each card). Every sequence is the same suit, making the game much more forgiving. Perfect for learning the mechanics.
• 2 Suits (Medium): Uses Spades and Hearts (4 copies of each). Requires more careful planning to match suits. Good balance of challenge and solvability.
• 4 Suits (Hard): Uses all four suits (2 copies of each). Maximum difficulty with the most constrained sequence-building. Only about 1 in 3 games is winnable even with perfect play.

Tips and Strategy

Master Spider Solitaire with these expert strategies:

• Prioritize Same-Suit Builds: Whenever possible, build sequences using the same suit. This preserves your ability to move multiple cards together later.
• Create Empty Columns: Empty columns are your most powerful tool. They serve as temporary storage and enable complex multi-move sequences. Protect empty columns once you have them.
• Expose Face-Down Cards: Focus on turning over face-down cards. More information about the hidden cards helps you plan better moves.
• Delay Dealing: Deal from the stock only when absolutely necessary. Each deal adds complexity and potentially buries important cards.
• Plan Before Moving: Think several moves ahead. A move that looks good now might block a crucial card later.
• Watch for Complete Sequences: Keep track of which cards you need to complete sequences. Sometimes the King you need is buried deep.
• Use Undo Wisely: Our game offers unlimited undo. Use it to explore different move sequences and find optimal plays.
• Build on Higher Cards: When you have a choice, build on Kings or high cards. This gives you more room to extend sequences downward.
• Balance Your Columns: Avoid building very long columns while leaving others empty. Distribute cards to maintain flexibility.
• Consider Mixed Sequences Temporarily: Sometimes building a mixed-suit sequence is necessary to access buried cards, even though it cannot move as a group.