Spider Solitaire Rules of the Game

Spider Solitaire is a popular variation of a single-player card game, and often played using two decks of cards. Similar to traditional solitaire, the objective of the game is to clear or expose all the cards.

The goal of the Spider Solitaire game is to build cards in descending order: King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8,7,6,5,4,3,2, and Ace in the columns of the tableau. Once you form this sequence, you can instantly locate it to the foundation. Once you play all the cards and you have moved them to 8 separate descending sequences, then you win the game.

In order to determine significant differences, it is ideal to define the terms used in playing the game.

The tableau refers to the columns and rows of cards where you play the game. In the conventional form, the tableau is made of seven columns with every column containing a single card rested atop on a stack of cards on face down. While traditional Solitaire is played with seven stacks in the table, Spider Solitaire is played with 10 stacks.

The Foundation refers to the area in the tableau where you need to move the cards as you play the game. Your objective is to move all the cards in the Foundation. Meanwhile, the stock refers to the remaining cards that are not yet dealt when you set up the game. Once you cannot make more moves with the current face up cards, you can pick cards from the stock.

Spider Solitaire is different from traditional Solitaire Game in terms of Suits, Sequencing Cards, and Stock.

Suits

In traditional Solitaire, the four suits are played. But in Spider Solitaire, this is not strictly observed. There are three levels according to difficulty - One Suit (Easy), Two Suits (Medium), and Three Suits (Hard). It is highly recommended that you master each suit first before you move up.

Card Sequence

In playing both games, you need to rearrange the cards in the tableau in numerical descending order. In playing Spider Solitaire, the cards should be of the same suit for you to arrange them in sequential order. This is in opposite to conventional solitaire wherein the sequencing of the cards should be alternating black and red suits.

Stock

In the traditional form, you need to deal one card from the stock once you can’t make any moves. In Spider Solitaire game, using the stock means adding one card to every column in the tableau, which has advantages and disadvantages. The main advantage is that you can work with more cards. On the other side of the coin, the cards that you have dealt will cover the sequences that you have already made, which means you need to sort them out of the tableau to continue the card sequences.

Spider Solitaire is regarded as one of the most difficult among the variations of solitaire game. Based on how the cards are drawn, most games can be very difficult to win. It is estimated that you can only win at least 50% of the time. Take note of this and just don’t concentrate on your score. The game is for entertainment so just enjoy it.

Rules of the Solitaire Game

Building the card sequence is done on the columns on the tableau with the foundations not really an active element in the game. You can move revealed cards from the end of the column to another column if you build a valid sequence even from different suits, for example: 7 of spades, 6 of hearts, 5 of spades, 4 of clubs, and 3 of diamonds.

You can also transfer a packed sequence of descending cards as one group to another column if they are from similar suit such as 9 heart, 8 heart, 7 heart on 10 heart or 10 club. Hence, you can try to pack cards of the same suit if it is allowed, or else you will stuck early on. If you can create a complete sequence of descending cards from King to Ace, then you can move instantly to one foundation.

You can move any card or a sequence of descending cards to empty tableau columns. Once you cannot make any move, you can click on the stock to draw another card to every column on the tableau. It is a must to fill the empty columns in the tableau before you can draw cards from the stock, even it could break the sequence that you have already created.

The 2-Suit Version Solitaire Online

The 2-Suit Version is a common type of Spider Solitaire that you can play online. In order to simulate the game using a two-standard card decks, just think that all black cards are one suit and the other is all red cards. The packs can be transferred if they are in perfect order and they are all from similar suits. For example, you can move a 10 of hearts, a 9 of hearts and an 8 of diamonds unto a red Jack.

To Play Free Spider Solitaire online without downloading anything, visit www.spidersolitaire.org