Spider Solitaire Variations

The basic idea of Spider never changes: build runs from King down to Ace in one suit and clear them away. But there are several ways to set the difficulty, a couple of rules that people play differently, and a few close cousins worth knowing. Here's a guide to the most common ones, and which of them you can play on our site.

Choosing the Number of Suits

The biggest difference between one Spider game and another is how many suits are in the 104 cards. The layout and rules stay the same; only the mix of cards changes. Our game offers all three.

One Suit (Spider Solitaire One Suit)

All 104 cards are spades: eight complete sets from King to Ace. Because every card is the same suit, every run you build can be moved as a group and every finished run is removed. This is the gentlest version and the one we recommend for learning. With careful play and the help of Undo, most one-suit deals can be won. It's our default setting.

Two Suits

The cards are split between spades and hearts, four sets of each. Now you have to think about which suit you're building on, and mixed runs start to get in the way. It's a good middle step: noticeably harder than one suit, but still very winnable once you get the knack.

Four Suits

The classic game with two ordinary decks: two sets of each suit. Building in suit becomes much harder, empty columns are precious, and many deals will beat you. Some can't be won at all. Our four-color card option, which gives each suit its own color, makes this version much easier on the eyes.

Dealing With Empty Columns (Relaxed Spider)

The standard rule says you can't deal a new row from the stock while any column is empty. You have to put something in every column first. Many players don't care for this rule, and a popular house version, sometimes called Relaxed Spider, lets you deal whenever you like. The new card simply lands in the empty column.

It makes a modest difference. You no longer have to give up an empty column just to deal, so it's a little easier. Our game follows the standard rule, but you can switch on Allow dealing with empty columns in Settings. It's off by default.

Scoring

The traditional score starts at 500. Each move costs 1 point, and each completed run adds 100. A win with 160 moves would score 500 − 160 + 800 = 1,140. Some versions also deduct points for using Undo.

Our game doesn't keep a points score. Instead it shows your number of moves, plus statistics for games played, games won, your current streak and your best time, kept separately for one, two and four suits. The timer is hidden by default; you can turn it on in Settings.

Spider With Undo vs. Without

When Spider was played with real cards, there was no taking a move back. Purists still play that way, and it makes every decision count. Most people today enjoy having Undo, especially when learning or playing four suits.

Our game gives you unlimited Undo, even after you deal a new row. If you'd like the old-fashioned challenge, simply don't press it. There's also a Restart This Deal button to try the same cards from the start, and deal numbers (such as Deal #48213) so you can replay or share a particular deal.

Spiderette

Spiderette is a smaller version played with one deck. The cards are laid out like Klondike: seven columns with one card in the first, two in the second, and so on up to seven, with only the top card face up. The other 24 cards form the stock, which is dealt one card per column. The building rules are the same as Spider, and you need four King-to-Ace runs to win. It's quick, but with only seven columns it can be surprisingly tough.

Scorpion

Scorpion is a close relative played with one deck in seven columns. You build down in suit only, but you may move any face-up card, along with everything on top of it, even if those cards aren't in order. Only a King can fill an empty column, and the small stock of three cards is dealt onto the first three columns. It feels quite different: less about sorting runs and more about digging out buried cards.

Other Ways People Play

• Fewer cards in the layout. Some older sets of rules dealt fewer face-down cards to begin with. This makes the start easier.
• Moving any ordered run. A few house rules allow moving a run in order even if the suits are mixed. It makes the game much easier and takes away much of its puzzle.
• Runs stay on the table. In some versions you choose when to remove a finished run. Our game removes them automatically.

Related Games

If you enjoy Spider, you'll likely enjoy its relatives. Klondike Solitaire is the classic one-deck game where you build foundations from Ace to King. FreeCell deals every card face up and gives you four free cells to work with, so almost every deal can be won with careful thought.