Basically, Spider Solitaire is a fun and strategic card game that aims to sort all the cards into complete sequences. However, at Spider Palace, you can play against other people worldwide and customize the game as you improve. Here’s a beginner-friendly guide to get you started!
Overview
In Spider Solitaire, you need to arrange cards from King to Ace in descending order. The game also uses 104 cards from two decks of standard French cards. Moreover, the playing area has three parts:
1. The Tableau: Ten piles of cards.
2. The Stock: A draw pile of face-down cards.
3. The Foundation: Eight empty slots for sorted sequences.
The goal is to create eight sorted sequences in the foundation, which also means all cards in each sequence must be in the same suit and in the correct order from King to Ace.
Setting Up
The procedure to set up the cards and play solitaire is given below;
- Cards: Spider Solitaire uses 104 cards, with each of the four suits (Spades, Clubs, Hearts, and Diamonds) included twice.
- Tableau: Initially, 54 cards are dealt into ten piles: the first four piles each have six cards, and the remaining six piles have five cards each. The top card of each pile is face-up.
- Stock: The remaining 50 cards are placed face-down in the stock. You can also deal ten cards at a time from the stock to the tableau.
Playing the Game
The rules and procedure to play the free online solitaire game are given below;
1. Moving Cards:
- Within the Tableau: You can also move cards between tableau piles if they follow a descending order (King to Ace) and are of the same suit. For example, you can place a Queen on a King, and a Jack on a Queen, if they’re all of the same suit. You can also move groups of cards if they are in the correct order and suit.
- Empty Tableau Piles: You can also place a card in an empty pile to start a new pile.
2. Creating Sequences:
- A sequence consists of a King, Queen, Jack, 10, and so on, down to Ace, all of the same suit. When you complete a sequence, it moves automatically to the foundation.
3. Dealing from the Stock:
- You can deal ten new cards from the stock to the tableau piles. You can also deal cards if there are no empty tableau piles.
4. Using the Stock:
- Cards from the stock can help uncover new cards and create more moves. Be strategic about when to use them to avoid blocking tableau piles.
5. Undo Moves:
- You can use the Undo feature to reverse moves if you want to adjust your strategy. For an extra challenge, you can also play with the “Undo Off” rule, which disables this feature.
6. Giving Up:
- If you’re stuck or the game seems unsolvable, you can give up by clicking the white flag, especially in multiplayer mode.
Scoring
The score points that you will earn in solitaire online and offline games are also explained below;
- Points: You earn points for various actions:
- Complete Sequence: +50 points (1 Suit), +100 points (2 Suit), +150 points (4 Suit)
- Reveal a Card: +2 points (1 Suit), +3 points (2 Suit), +4 points (4 Suit)
- Combine Cards: +1 point (1 Suit), +2 points (2 Suit), +3 points (4 Suit)
- Unused Joker: +3 points
- Undo Move: -1 point
- Solve the Game: +300 points (1 Suit), +400 points (2 Suit), +500 points (4 Suit), minus points for moves made.
- End of Round: The game ends when all sequences are in the foundation, time runs out, or no more moves are possible. The player with the highest score wins.
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Custom Rules
You can adjust the game to suit your preference with these options:
1. 2 Suit: Adds a second suit, making the game more challenging.
2. 4 Suit: Uses all four suits, adding complexity.
3. Joker: Allows using Jokers to match cards in the tableau which can also help you earning bonus points for unused Jokers.
4. Undo Off: Disables the Undo feature for a tougher game.
5. Fast: Shortens the game time, adding urgency.
6. Relaxed: Starts with a fully revealed tableau for easier strategizing.
7. Easy: Allows dealing from the stock even if tableau piles are empty.
8. Scorpion: Switches to Scorpion Solitaire, which has different rules from Spider Solitaire.
9. Training: Non-league game where results don’t affect your rank but help you gain experience.
Scorpion Solitaire
Scorpion Solitaire is a variant with a few differences:
- Setup: Uses 52 cards, four foundations, and three cards in stock.
- Moving Cards: Cards can only be moved if they are of the same suit.
- Empty Tableau Pile: You can also place only a King or a sequence starting with a King card in an empty pile.
- Stock Distribution: Cards can be dealt from the stock at any time, not just when all tableau piles have cards.
Other Card Games
Beyond Spider Solitaire, the Palace of Cards offers various games, including Klondike and Easthaven, as well as trick-taking games like Pinochle, Skat, Sheepshead, and Doppelkopf. Classic games like Rummy, Canasta, and Mau-Mau are also available.
Now that you understand how to play the Spider Solitaire game and the different options available, you’re ready to dive in and enjoy the game!
