The Ultimate Guide to
Spider Solitaire
Rules, History, and Strategy
If you spent any time on a computer in the late 90s or early 2000s, chances are you've lost hours to the green felt background of Spider Solitaire. Included in the Microsoft Plus! package for Windows 98 and later pre-installed on Windows XP, this digital card game quickly became a staple of office procrastination and late-night gaming sessions.
But Spider Solitaire is more than just a nostalgic click-fest; it is one of the most popular and cognitively challenging single-player card games in existence, revered for testing memory, logical thinking, and forward planning.
Unlike its cousin, Klondike Solitaire (often just called "Solitaire"), which relies heavily on luck and building foundations up from Ace to King, Spider Solitaire is a puzzle of assembly and deconstruction. It requires you to build sequences down within the tableau, often juggling multiple suits to organize chaos into order.
In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through everything you need to know about how to play Spider Solitaire. We will cover the specific rules for 1, 2, and 4 suit variations, dive into advanced strategy, and answer the burning question: is Spider Solitaire winnable every time?
How to Play Spider Solitaire (The Basics)
Before you can master the strategy, you must understand the landscape. Spider Solitaire is a "Patience" game generally played with two decks of standard playing cards, totaling 104 cards. While the ultimate goal is to clear the board, the path to getting there is unique compared to other solitaire variants.
The Setup
When you start a game of free Spider Solitaire online or on your desktop, the computer deals the cards automatically. However, understanding the layout is crucial for strategy:
- The Tableau: The main playing area consists of 10 columns. The first four columns on the left contain 6 cards each, while the remaining six columns contain 5 cards each. This totals 54 cards initially on the table.
- Face-Up Cards: Only the top card of each column is dealt face-up. All cards underneath are face-down (hidden).
- The Stockpile: The remaining 50 cards are placed in a stack (the stock) at the bottom or top corner of the screen, to be dealt later when you run out of moves.
The Objective
The goal of Spider Solitaire is to assemble 13 cards of a single suit in descending order from King to Ace (King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, Ace) within the tableau columns. Once a full sequence is completed, that entire stack is removed from the table and placed in a foundation pile. To win, you must create eight of these sequences, effectively clearing all cards from the tableau.
Basic Rules
- Moving Cards: You can move a single exposed card from one column to another if the destination card is exactly one rank higher. For example, you can place a 4 of Hearts onto a 5 of Spades.
- Suit Rules: This is the most critical mechanic. While you can place a card on a card of a different suit to organize your columns, you cannot move them together later. You can only move a group of cards if they are in descending order and share the same suit.
- Turning Cards: When you move a face-up card and expose a face-down card underneath, that hidden card is flipped face-up and becomes available for play.
- Empty Columns: If you clear a column of all cards, you create an empty space. You can move any single card or a valid packed sequence into this empty space.
- The Stockpile: When you have exhausted all useful moves on the tableau, you click the stockpile to deal a new row of cards—one face-up card onto the bottom of each of the 10 columns. Important: You generally cannot deal cards from the stock if any column in the tableau is empty.
Difficulty Levels and Variations
One of the reasons Spider Solitaire remains so popular is its scalability. It offers difficulty tiers that cater to everyone from absolute beginners to masochistic logic-puzzle experts.
1 Suit (Beginner)
This is the perfect entry point for learning. It simulates using only Spades for all 104 cards. Because every card belongs to the same suit, every descending sequence you build is valid for group movement. This version is very forgiving and has a high win probability, making it excellent for relaxing or understanding the flow of uncovering hidden cards.
2 Suits (Intermediate)
Usually played with Hearts and Spades, this version introduces the friction that defines the game. You can place a Heart on a Spade to clear space, but you cannot move them as a unit. You must balance the short-term need to move cards with the long-term goal of sorting suits. It requires significantly more planning than the 1-Suit version.
4 Suits (Expert)
This is the classic, "true" version of the game. Uses all four suits (Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs, Spades). The complexity skyrockets. A "pure" sequence is much harder to maintain when you have four different suits cluttering the board. Casual players often find their win rate drops significantly here, often winning only 1 in 3 games without advanced techniques.
7 Essential Strategies to Win
Moving from a casual shuffler to a Spider Solitaire master requires changing how you view the board. It is not just about making moves; it is about managing chaos. Here are 7 expert strategies to help you clear the tableau.
Prioritize Empty Columns
Empty columns are your lifeline. They act as temporary storage, allowing you to dismantle mixed-suit piles, sort them, and put them back together correctly. Early in the game, aggressively target the smaller columns (the ones with 5 cards) to clear them out and create your first empty slot.
Uncover Face-Down Cards
The game is won or lost based on information. You cannot plan a sequence if you don't know what resources you have. If you have a choice between a tidy same-suit move that doesn't flip a card, or a messy mixed-suit move that does flip a hidden card, choose the flip.
Build Same-Suit Sequences
Whenever possible, build sequences in the same suit. These "natural" builds are mobile, meaning you can move the entire stack to a different column if a spot opens up. Mixed-suit sequences become cemented in place until you sort them out card by card.
Manage the Stockpile
Clicking the stockpile is a destructive action. It deals 10 new cards randomly, covering up every stack you have worked to organize. Never click the stockpile until you have exhausted absolutely every possible productive move on the tableau.
Use the Undo Button
The undo button is a vital learning tool. Spider Solitaire often presents "blind choices"—you have two 7s available to move a 6 onto. Use the "Peek" Tactic: move a card to see what is underneath. If it isn't helpful, use Undo and try the other option.
Use Higher Ranks for Mixed Suits
If you are forced to mix suits, try to do it on higher-ranked cards (Kings, Queens, Jacks) rather than lower ones. A mixed sequence starting on a Queen gives you space to stack a Jack, 10, 9, etc. If you start on a 3, you can only place a 2 and an Ace before the stack is "dead."
Strategic Chain Reactions
Don't just look at the immediate move. Look for chain reactions. Moving a 5 of Clubs onto a 6 of Diamonds might allow you to move a 9 of Spades to an empty column, which allows you to flip a card that completes a different sequence. Think 2 or 3 moves ahead.
Is Spider Solitaire Always Winnable?
This is a question that haunts players during those frustrating games where no moves seem possible. Is it you, or was the deal rigged?
Human vs. Computer Win Rates
For the average human player, winning Spider Solitaire 4 Suits is tough. Good players might win around 50% of their games, while casual players might see a win rate closer to 30%. However, this limitation is mostly due to the "fog of war"—we cannot see the face-down cards.
The "Thoughtful" Solitaire Study
Researchers and enthusiasts have used AI solvers to analyze winnable rates. In the academic literature, a game where the player knows the location of every card (effectively creating a perfect information game) is called "Thoughtful Solitaire."
Recent studies suggest that Thoughtful Spider Solitaire is winnable between 98.5% and 99.9% of the time.
This means that mathematically, almost every deal can be solved if you make the perfect moves from the very start. While this assumes you never make a mistake and know exactly where every hidden card is located, knowing that a solution exists changes the game from a test of luck to a rigorous logic puzzle.
Benefits of Playing Solitaire
While often dismissed as a time-waster, playing free Spider Solitaire actually offers tangible psychological and cognitive benefits.
Productivity & Focus
It seems counterintuitive, but Solitaire can boost workplace productivity. It acts as a "transition activity"—a low-stakes mental break that helps reset your brain between high-intensity tasks.
Cognitive Health
Spider Solitaire is a workout for your brain. It requires planning, working memory, and pattern recognition. Regular engagement fosters a "quick-thinking mindset" and helps sharpen decision-making skills.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Klondike and Spider Solitaire?
Klondike uses one deck and requires you to build up onto foundations (Ace to King). Spider uses two decks and requires you to build down on the tableau (King to Ace) before moving the full stack to the foundation.
Why can't I move a stack of cards?
You can only move a group of cards if they are all in descending order and they all share the same suit. If you have a sequence like 9♠-8♠-7♥, you cannot move the 7♥ with the Spades because the suit is broken.
Is Spider Solitaire rigged?
Generally, no. Most reputable software deals cards randomly. However, because Spider Solitaire 4 Suits is so difficult, players often feel the game is biased against them. Some software versions do offer "difficulty levels" which may curate deals.
What is the highest score in Spider Solitaire?
In the classic Windows version, you start with 500 points. You lose 1 point for every move (including undos) and gain 100 points for every completed suit. A score over 1200 is considered exceptional.
Can I play Spider Solitaire with real cards?
Yes! You need two standard decks of cards. Deal out the tableau (4 piles of 6, 6 piles of 5) and keep the rest as your stock. It requires a large table, but playing physically can be a great way to visualize the game without screen fatigue.
Conclusion
Spider Solitaire is a game that perfectly balances the luck of the draw with deep, analytical strategy. It rewards patience, punishes rash decisions, and offers a level of satisfaction that few other card games can match.
If you are new to the game, start with the 1 Suit variation to get a feel for the mechanics. Once you feel comfortable, graduate to 2 Suits to practice suit management. When you are ready for the ultimate test, tackle the 4 Suit challenge.
Remember: empty columns are your best friend, hidden cards are your priority, and the undo button is there to help you learn, not just to save you from defeat.
Ready to test your skills? Grab a virtual deck and see if you can untangle the web!