What is the difference between 1, 2, and 4-suit Spider Solitaire?

They control difficulty by how many suits the two decks use. 1-suit uses only spades, so almost any sequence can be moved as a block, making it the easiest. 2-suit uses two suits, and 4-suit uses all four, which splits sequences and makes moving multi-card runs much harder. The setup and goal of eight complete runs stay the same in every mode.

Can I move several cards at once in Spider Solitaire?

Yes, but only if they form a descending run of the same suit. A single card can be placed on any card one rank higher regardless of suit, but to lift a group together every card in it must match in suit and rank order. This is why same-suit building is so important.

When can I deal cards from the stock?

You deal one card face-up to each of the ten columns at once, using ten cards per deal. The stock holds 50 cards, giving five deals total. You can only deal when no column is empty, so you must fill every empty column before drawing from the stock.

How do you complete a run in Spider Solitaire?

A run is complete when a column shows a full same-suit sequence from King down to Ace in order. Those thirteen cards are then removed to a foundation. Completing all eight runs clears the tableau and wins the game.

Why are empty columns so valuable?

An empty column can hold any single card or any valid run, so it acts as a workspace to reorganise sequences into the correct suit and order. The catch is you cannot deal from the stock while a column is empty, so you must time when to use and when to fill them.

Is Spider Solitaire always winnable?

Not every deal is solvable, especially in 4-suit mode, but most can be won with careful play and good use of undo. The 1-suit version is winnable the vast majority of the time, which makes it ideal for beginners learning the strategy.

How to Play Spider Solitaire

Spider Solitaire is the patience game where you tame two full decks across ten columns, weaving cards into long descending runs until you peel off all eight complete sequences. It is famous for its 1-suit, 2-suit, and 4-suit difficulty modes, so the same layout can be a relaxing warm-up or a brutal brain-bender. This guide covers the full rules: the deal, how cards stack, why same-suit runs matter, dealing from the stock, and how to complete and clear a run.

Spider Solitaire is a solo card game played with two standard 52-card decks shuffled together, for 104 cards in total. Your goal is to build eight complete sequences that run in descending order from King down to Ace, all in a single suit. Each time you finish one, it is removed from the table. Clear all eight and you win.

The setup and objective

At the start, 54 cards are dealt face-down into ten tableau columns. The first four columns receive six cards each, and the remaining six columns receive five cards each. The top card of every column is then turned face-up. The 50 cards left over form the stock, which you draw from later.

The objective is to assemble all 104 cards into eight ordered, same-suit runs of King-Queen-Jack-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-Ace. When a full run forms in a column, it is lifted off to a foundation. Eight runs cleared means the game is solved.

How cards move

You build down by rank. A card can be placed on any face-up card that is exactly one rank higher. A 7 goes on an 8, a Jack goes on a Queen, and so on, regardless of suit when you are moving a single card. Aces are the lowest card and nothing stacks on them; Kings are the highest and can only move to an empty column.

When you uncover a face-down card by moving the card above it, that hidden card flips face-up and becomes playable. Emptying a column entirely is valuable: any card or any valid run can be dropped into an empty column to start it fresh, giving you crucial breathing room.

Why same-suit runs matter

Here is the rule that defines Spider. You may move a single card onto a card one rank higher of any suit, but you can only move a group of cards together if they form a descending run of the same suit. For example, the 9-8-7 of spades can be lifted and moved as one unit onto a 10; a mixed-suit 9-8-7 cannot be moved together, only the bottom card on its own.

This is also why ordering matters for the foundation. A run is only "complete" and removable when all thirteen cards from King to Ace share the same suit. You can stack mixed-suit sequences temporarily to free up cards, but to finish a run you must eventually line up thirteen cards of one suit in perfect order.

The three suit modes: 1, 2, and 4

1-suit (beginner): all 104 cards are spades. Because every card matches in suit, almost any descending sequence can be moved as a block, so you rarely get truly stuck. This is the best mode for learning the flow.

2-suit (intermediate): the deck uses two suits, typically spades and hearts. Now you must keep track of which color and suit a run belongs to before moving it as a group. You will finish four spade runs and four heart runs.

4-suit (expert): all four suits are in play, two full sequences of each. Moving multi-card runs becomes far harder because suits split sequences constantly, and you lean heavily on empty columns and careful planning. This is the classic, demanding version.

Dealing from the stock

When you run out of useful moves, you deal a fresh row from the stock. Each deal places one card face-up onto every one of the ten columns at once, so each deal uses ten cards. With 50 cards in the stock, you get exactly five deals over the course of a game.

There is one strict condition: you cannot deal from the stock while any column is empty. Every column must hold at least one card first. This forces you to fill gaps before drawing, which can be a tough trade-off since empty columns are otherwise so useful. Plan your final moves before each deal, because a deal can bury a nicely built run under new cards.

Completing and clearing a run

A run completes the moment a column shows King-through-Ace of one suit in unbroken order. At that point the thirteen cards are removed to the foundation, often automatically, and whatever was beneath them is revealed. Clearing runs is the engine of the game: it shortens columns, exposes hidden cards, and frees space. Aim to expose face-down cards and open columns rather than chasing a foundation run too early, since a half-built same-suit sequence can be your most flexible tool.

Quick strategy tips

Build same-suit sequences whenever you can, even if a mixed-suit move is available, so runs stay movable as blocks.
Prioritise turning over face-down cards and emptying columns over everything else.
Before dealing from the stock, make every other move first, because the deal can wall off your progress.
Keep one column empty as a workspace when possible; it lets you reshuffle sequences into the right suit order.
Use the undo button freely while learning, then challenge yourself to win with fewer moves.

If you enjoy the patience and planning of Spider, you may also like FreeCell, another open-information solitaire, or the original Klondike Solitaire. For trick-taking and shedding variety, try Spades, Hearts, Tien Len, or Briscola; rummy fans can explore Indian Rummy and the tile classic Mahjong.

Play now

Ready to spin a web of cards? Play Spider Solitaire free on lovecardgames.com in your browser, with 1, 2, and 4-suit modes, no download and no signup required.