Spider Solitaire uses two decks (104 cards) and ten tableau columns. Instead of foundations, you remove a complete run from King down to Ace in a single suit. Clear all eight and you win. Play Spider here with 1, 2 or 4 suits.
Setup
Fifty-four cards are dealt into the ten columns: the first four columns get six cards and the other six get five. Only the last card of each column is face up. The remaining 50 cards stay in the stock, to be dealt ten at a time.
Moving cards
- A card can be placed on any card that is exactly one rank higher, whatever the suit. A 6 can go on a 7 of any suit.
- You can only move several cards together if they form a run of the same suit in descending order, such as 9, 8, 7 of hearts.
- Any card or run can be moved into an empty column.
- When you move the last face-up card of a column, the card beneath it turns face up.
Dealing from the stock
When you click the stock, one new face-up card is dealt onto every column. You may only deal when no column is empty, so you must fill gaps first. A deal can bury a run you were building, so use up your useful moves before dealing.
Removing a suit
When a full run of one suit from King to Ace lands at the end of a column, it is lifted off automatically. Eight such runs clear the board.
1, 2 or 4 suits
| Mode | Suits in play | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 suit | Spades only | Every placement builds a movable run, so the game is forgiving. |
| 2 suits | Spades and hearts | Mixed-suit stacks cannot be moved as a unit, so you have to choose which suit to build on. |
| 4 suits | All four | The classic version. Runs of one suit are rare and every move needs care. |
Tips that matter most
- Empty a column early. A space lets you rearrange freely and is the strongest resource in the game.
- Prefer same-suit placements. Putting a 6 of spades on a 7 of spades makes a run you can move; on a 7 of hearts it makes a stack that will be stuck.
- Uncover the column with the most face-down cards. Hidden cards are where options come from.
- Do not dig out of a good run. Pulling a card off a same-suit run can split it for no gain.
- Deal last. Make every useful move before you deal, because each deal adds ten cards on top of your columns.
- Use Undo to explore. Try a plan, look at what it opens up, and take it back if it does not.
Frequently asked questions
Can any card be placed on any other card in Spider?
A card can be placed on any card exactly one rank higher, regardless of suit. Only same-suit descending runs can be moved together.
Can I deal when a column is empty?
No. Every column must contain at least one card before you can deal a new row from the stock.