Spider Solitaire
Spider Solitaire is a challenging solitaire card game played with two decks (104 cards). Your goal is to build 8 complete sequences from King to Ace, which are then removed from the game. Choose your difficulty: 1 suit (easy), 2 suits (medium), or 4 suits (hard).
How to Play Spider Solitaire
Objective
Build 8 complete sequences from King down to Ace. Completed sequences are automatically removed from the game. Clear all cards to win.
Setup
- Cards: 2 decks (104 cards total)
- Tableau: 10 columns with 54 cards total
- First 4 columns: 6 cards each (5 face-down, 1 face-up)
- Last 6 columns: 5 cards each (4 face-down, 1 face-up)
- Stock: 50 remaining cards in 5 groups of 10
Basic Rules
- Build down by rank regardless of suit (any 6 on any 7)
- Move same-suit sequences as a group
- Any card can fill an empty column
- Deal 10 new cards when stuck (requires no empty columns)
- Complete K-A sequences are removed automatically
Difficulty Levels
| Mode | Suits Used | Win Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Suit | Spades only | ~99% | Beginners, relaxing play |
| 2 Suits | Spades + Hearts | ~25% | Intermediate players |
| 4 Suits | All suits | ~10% | Expert players |
Spider Solitaire Strategy
Winning Tips
- Build same-suit sequences — They can be moved together
- Create empty columns — Essential for moving cards around
- Expose face-down cards — The more you reveal, the more options you have
- Plan before dealing — New deals cover all columns, trapping cards
- Complete sequences quickly — Remove them to free up space
Spider Solitaire FAQ
Can all Spider Solitaire games be won?
Almost all 1-suit games are winnable (~99%). 2-suit games drop to ~25% winnable, and 4-suit games to ~10%.
Why is it called Spider Solitaire?
The name comes from the 8 sequences you need to complete—like the 8 legs of a spider.
What happens when I complete a sequence?
A complete King-to-Ace sequence of the same suit is automatically removed from the game, freeing up space on the tableau.
More Solitaire Games
- Klondike Solitaire — The classic version
- FreeCell — Strategic with free cells
- Pyramid Solitaire — Match pairs that equal 13