How to Play Spider Solitaire
Shuffle 2 decks of playing cards together., Deal 10 piles of cards out in a horizontal line., Deal another card, face up, on each of the 10 piles., Set the rest of the combined decks aside, face down., Build sequences of cards in descending order by...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Shuffle 2 decks of playing cards together.
For this, don't take any cards out (apart from the jokers)
-- just look past the suits and pretend they're all the same.
Otherwise you'd need way more decks! -
Step 2: Deal 10 piles of cards out in a horizontal line.
Each card should be face down and vertically oriented.
Each of the first 4 piles should contain 5 cards, and the last 6 piles should each contain 4 cards. , The first 4 piles should now contain a total of 6 cards (with the uppermost card face up) and the last 6 piles should now contain a total of 5 cards (uppermost card face up). , This pile is known as the "stock." You'll be drawing from it when you run out of moves on your tableau. , For example, a Queen of any suit can go on top of a King of any suit; a 7 of any suit can go on top of an 8 of any suit.
Place each new card slightly lower than the card you're playing it on, so you can still see the value and suit of each previously played card.
You can move the card closest to you in each face up stack to another stack at your convenience.
You can only move several face-up cards together if they're all in descending order.
For example, the K-Q-J-10-9 or 5-4-3 (of any suit) can be moved together as a single unit. , You cannot leave any piles unturned (why would you want to?).
Once you deplete all the cards from a particular pile, you can fill the empty space with any face-up card or descending sequence of suited cards.
You cannot use the stockpile if you have any empty columns to fill.
Simply take a card (or a bunch) from a stack and place it in the empty column. , If you're looking at your tableau and you don't see anything you can possibly do, turn to your stock.
Deal one card face-up from the stock onto each of the 10 card stacks, then continue play.
When you run out of stock cards to add and can't do anything, wah wah.
Game over.
Playing with one suit is fairly doable, but when you hit two and four it becomes rather difficult. , Set them aside face-up.
When you have 8, you're finished! Take care to keep the completed sequences separate from the stockpile you set aside after the initial deal.
Play ends when you've succeeded in creating all 8 "builds," or suited King-through-Ace sequences, or when no more moves are possible. -
Step 3: Deal another card
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Step 4: face up
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Step 5: on each of the 10 piles.
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Step 6: Set the rest of the combined decks aside
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Step 7: face down.
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Step 8: Build sequences of cards in descending order by doing the following: Move any face-up card onto a card with the next-highest value in the deck
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Step 9: regardless of suit.
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Step 10: Turn face-down cards face-up as they become uncovered.
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Step 11: Use the stock when you run out of moves.
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Step 12: Remove King-through-Ace sequences from play as you succeed in creating them.
Detailed Guide
For this, don't take any cards out (apart from the jokers)
-- just look past the suits and pretend they're all the same.
Otherwise you'd need way more decks!
Each card should be face down and vertically oriented.
Each of the first 4 piles should contain 5 cards, and the last 6 piles should each contain 4 cards. , The first 4 piles should now contain a total of 6 cards (with the uppermost card face up) and the last 6 piles should now contain a total of 5 cards (uppermost card face up). , This pile is known as the "stock." You'll be drawing from it when you run out of moves on your tableau. , For example, a Queen of any suit can go on top of a King of any suit; a 7 of any suit can go on top of an 8 of any suit.
Place each new card slightly lower than the card you're playing it on, so you can still see the value and suit of each previously played card.
You can move the card closest to you in each face up stack to another stack at your convenience.
You can only move several face-up cards together if they're all in descending order.
For example, the K-Q-J-10-9 or 5-4-3 (of any suit) can be moved together as a single unit. , You cannot leave any piles unturned (why would you want to?).
Once you deplete all the cards from a particular pile, you can fill the empty space with any face-up card or descending sequence of suited cards.
You cannot use the stockpile if you have any empty columns to fill.
Simply take a card (or a bunch) from a stack and place it in the empty column. , If you're looking at your tableau and you don't see anything you can possibly do, turn to your stock.
Deal one card face-up from the stock onto each of the 10 card stacks, then continue play.
When you run out of stock cards to add and can't do anything, wah wah.
Game over.
Playing with one suit is fairly doable, but when you hit two and four it becomes rather difficult. , Set them aside face-up.
When you have 8, you're finished! Take care to keep the completed sequences separate from the stockpile you set aside after the initial deal.
Play ends when you've succeeded in creating all 8 "builds," or suited King-through-Ace sequences, or when no more moves are possible.
About the Author
Martha Reyes
Experienced content creator specializing in DIY projects guides and tutorials.
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