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Learn Spider Solitaire: Tutorial

1 player · 10–30 min · Moderate to learn

Pass & play Quick match

Show all steps on one page

Step 1 of 7/spider-solitaire/tutorial#step-1

The Deal

Welcome to Spider Solitaire! Two packs, 104 cards, are dealt into ten columns: the first four get 6 cards and the other six get 5, with only the last card of each column face up. The other 50 cards wait in the stock, enough for five deals of ten.

Your goal is to build eight runs from King down to Ace, each in one suit. This tutorial deals two suits, spades and hearts; the standard game here uses one suit, so every run is in suit.

To start, the 8 of Hearts in column 2 can go on the 9 of Spades in column 1.

Step 2 of 7/spider-solitaire/tutorial#step-2

Build Down in Any Suit

In the columns you build down by one rank, whatever the suit: a card goes on any card one rank higher.

The 8 of Hearts has just moved onto the 9 of Spades, and the card under it in column 2 turned face up: the 7 of Hearts, which can follow onto the 8.

To move a card, drag it, or tap it and then tap the column where it should go.

Step 3 of 7/spider-solitaire/tutorial#step-3

Runs of One Suit

Column 1 now ends 9 of Spades, 8 of Hearts, 7 of Hearts. Only cards in order and of one suit move together, so the 8 and 7 of Hearts can travel as a pair, but the 9 of Spades can't come with them.

Move the two hearts onto the 9 of Hearts in column 5, where they join a run of one suit, the kind you are building.

The 6 of Spades turned up in column 2 could go on the 7 of Hearts as well, but a spade on a heart would split the run again. Build in suit whenever you can.

Step 4 of 7/spider-solitaire/tutorial#step-4

Empty Columns

The hearts from column 4 have moved one by one onto the King of Hearts in column 3, which now holds a run from the King down to the 7. Column 4 is empty.

An empty column takes any card or run of one suit, not only a King. Park a run there while you dig out the cards you need: it is the most useful space on the table.

The run in column 3 still needs the 6 down to the Ace of Hearts. The 6 of Hearts waits in column 7 and the 5 of Hearts in column 6.

Step 5 of 7/spider-solitaire/tutorial#step-5

Finishing a Run

The 6 of Hearts, then the 5, 4, 3, 2 and Ace of Hearts from column 6 have joined the run. A full run from King to Ace in one suit leaves the table by itself, and the card it covered turns face up: here the Queen of Spades in column 3.

One run is done and seven are to go. Columns 4 and 6 are now both empty.

A King-to-Ace run of mixed suits stays on the table: only a run of one suit is finished.

Step 6 of 7/spider-solitaire/tutorial#step-6

Dealing from the Stock

When your moves run out, deal from the stock: tap it, and one card goes face up on each of the ten columns.

You may only deal when every column holds a card, so columns 4 and 6 were filled first: the 9 of Spades from column 1 and the hearts from column 5 moved in, turning up two more cards. Then came the deal, and 40 cards are left in the stock.

A deal can cover runs you were building, like the 10 of Hearts now on the hearts in column 6, so make your useful moves before you deal.

Step 7 of 7/spider-solitaire/tutorial#step-7

Winning the Game

You win when all eight runs have left the table: in this game, four of spades and four of hearts.

If fewer than ten cards are left on the table, you may deal even with an empty column. When the stock is empty and nothing you can do will ever turn up a card or finish a run, no moves are left and the game is over. A game also stops after 3,000 moves.

Stuck? Undo takes a move back and Hint suggests one. In the setup you can play with one suit, the easiest and the standard game here, two suits like this tutorial, or four suits, the hardest.