Solitaire is one of the most commonly played single-player card games in the world. Most players are well-acquainted with the Klondike version. If, like me, you’ve spent countless hours playing Klondike and want to amp up the difficulty, then you can start trying out some more difficult variants.
Spider Solitaire is one such variant. It is not only notorious for being difficult but also for having two subvariations that represent the pinnacle of difficulty. If this piques your interest and you want to learn more, then keep reading!
Introduction to Spider Solitaire
Most of the Solitaire variants we talk about are good for both beginners and seasoned veterans. Spider Solitaire is, unfortunately, probably not suitable for beginners. I recommend that new players (who’ve won a few Klondike games) try out 1 Suit Spider, but 2 Suit and 4 Suit might be too big an ask.
Spider Solitaire emerged in the early 20th Century but became mainstream when it was published with the enhancement of Microsoft Plus 98 for Windows 98. Up until that point, Windows users were only familiar with Klondike. If you are transitioning from Klondike to Spider, then you’ll want to note the following differences:
| Spider Solitaire | Klondike |
| Played with two decks of 52 cards. | Played with one deck of 52 cards. |
| The objective is to build eight foundation piles. | The objective is to build four foundation piles. |
| You can move a card from one pile to another as long as it is one rank lower than the card you place it on. | You can move a card from one pile to another as long as it is one rank lower and the opposite color to the card you place it on. |
| You can move a sequence of cards to another pile as long as the first card is one rank lower than the card you place it on and the entire sequence contains cards of the same suit. | You can move a sequence of cards to another pile as long as the first card is one rank lower than and the opposite color to the card you place it on. |
| The tableau consists of ten piles. | The tableau consists of seven piles. |
| Using the stock means drawing ten cards and placing each on top of one pile. | Using the stock means drawing the top three cards and placing them in the waste pile. |
| You can move any card or group of cards to an empty pile. | You can only move a King or a group of cards starting with a King to an empty pile. |
How to Play Spider Solitaire
If Spider Solitaire’s unique aspects have caught your attention, then here’s how you can start playing.
Objective
The objective in Spider Solitaire is to complete the eight foundation piles.
- In the 1 Suit variant, you treat every card as if it’s the same suit (typically Spades), so you end up building eight foundations of Spades.
- In the 2 Suit variant, you treat all red cards as Hearts and all black cards as Spades. So, you end up building four foundations of Hearts and four of Spades.
- In the 4 Suit variant, you treat each card as it is. So, you build two foundations for each suit (Hearts, Diamonds, Spades, and Clubs).
Setup and Dealing
If you’re playing digital Spider Solitaire (whether on a website or an app), then the setup will be done for you. However, if you want to keep things ‘old school’ and play with a physical deck of cards, then keep reading:
- Take two decks of 52 cards and combine them into one big deck. Shuffle this deck to the best of your abilities. The more random the cards, the better the experience.
- Lay out ten piles of four face-down cards. Add one more face-down card to the first four piles. So, the first four piles will have five cards, while the remaining piles will have four.
- Turn over the top-most card from each pile in the tableau.
- Set the remaining cards aside; these will make up the stock.
- Set aside some space for the eight foundation piles. Now you’re good to go!
Gameplay Rules
Now that you’ve successfully set up a game of Spider Solitaire, how do you actually go about playing the game? Here are the official rules. These dictate what you can and cannot do:
- You can move a face-up card from one pile to another as long as it ranks lower than the card it is being moved onto. This rule applies to moving individual cards regardless of suit.
- You can move a group of cards from one pile to another as long as (a) the first card in the group is one rank lower than the card you are moving it onto and (b) the group itself only contains cards of the same suit.
- In 1 Suit Spider, this doesn’t mean much because all cards are treated as Spades.
- In 2 Suit Spider, you can interpret this rule as pertaining to groups of cards with the same color. This is because both Hearts and Diamonds are treated as Hearts and both Spades and Clubs are treated as Spades.
- If a face-down is at the top of a pile, then you can flip it over. This typically happens when you move a card or group of cards across the tableau or into the foundation piles.
- If there is an empty pile in the tableau, then you can move any card or group of cards into it.
- You can use the stock when you have no possible moves to make or if you just want a set of fresh new cards. In this case, take the top ten cards from the stock and distribute them across the tableau face-up.
- However, you can’t use the stock if there are empty piles on the tableau. So, you should populate vacant piles before using the stock.
Tips and Strategies for Spider Solitaire
Now you understand Spider Solitaire’s objective, how it’s set up, and the rules. But, you’ll quickly become lost within a suitable strategy. So, let me share some of the tips and tricks that have helped me master this formidable Solitaire variant.
Uncover Cards As Fast as Possible
The more face-down cards you flip over, the more possible moves become available to you. This makes the building process easier. This tip becomes all the more important as you engage in more difficult subvariations of Spider Solitaire (with 4 Suit Spider being the most difficult).
If you flip up an Ace of Spades, for instance, then you should immediately send it to the foundation pile to uncover the card underneath.
Vacate Your First Pile Quickly
Vacant piles can be a nightmare for someone who’s overly reliant on the stock. Yet, vacating even one pile opens up opportunities to store cards. This allows for easier rearrangements and uncovering face-down cards in the tableau (if the face-down card is at the top of its respective pile, of course).
Sequence on Higher Cards First
When the game begins, look for ways to build on high-ranking face-up cards. If you start with a low card, then it won’t take long before you finish the sequence and place an Ace on top. This could become a problem because you can’t place any card on top of the Ace. So, aim to draw out your sequences by building on higher cards first.
Use the Stock Sparingly
People generally give this advice to Klondike players, but it is just as important in Spider Solitaire. In Klondike, the stock cards go into a waste pile. However, in Spider, stock cards directly replace cards from piles in the tableau. So, if you use the stock without thinking, then you risk losing out on potent moves – moves that might be difficult to rediscover later on.
There Is No Shame in Undoing
Due to Spider Solitaire’s difficulty, you should not feel guilty for using the undo feature (if available). You have ten piles in front of you, and it can become difficult to keep track of all the different sequences and available moves. So, if you slip up and realize it straight away, then don’t shy away from the undo option. In this variant, every move counts!
Conclusion
Spider Solitaire is a very challenging variant to get to grips with. But, that’s also why it’s popular amongst Solitaire aficionados. If you’re a relatively new Solitaire player but want to try Spide, then I recommend playing the 1 Suit variant. That said, make sure to take note of the above tips. They will help you master the game and then one day take on the 4 Suit challenge!
