How Spider works
Spider uses two decks and deals ten columns. You build downward in the tableau regardless of suit, but a run only clears when it reaches king to ace all in the same suit. Clear all eight runs and you win. When you are stuck, dealing a row adds one card to every column, which is why leaving an empty column before dealing is usually a mistake.
The suit count is the difficulty dial and it changes the game completely. One suit is a gentle puzzle most people win. Two suits is a real challenge. Four suits is genuinely hard, with win rates in the low single digits for casual players, because every mixed-suit stack you build has to be taken apart again before it can clear.
Suit counts
| Suits | Difficulty | Typical win rate | Typical time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 suit | Gentle | 50 – 80% | 10 – 15 minutes |
| 2 suits | Challenging | 20 – 35% | 20 – 30 minutes |
| 4 suits | Hard | 2 – 10% | 30 – 50 minutes |
| Situation | What happens |
|---|---|
| Dealing a row | One card to every column, face up |
| An empty column when dealing | Blocked; fill it first |
| Mixed-suit stack | Builds fine, will not clear |
| Completed run | Removed automatically |
How to clear more runs
- Empty a column and guard it. An empty column is the only place to park an out-of-order card. It is the most valuable thing on the board and the reason most four-suit games are lost.
- Build in suit whenever you have the choice. A descending run of mixed suits looks like progress but cannot clear. If you can place a card on its own suit instead, do it every time, even if it looks slower.
- Uncover face-down cards before making tidy stacks. Every hidden card is a constraint you cannot plan around. Turning one over is worth more than a neat sequence that reveals nothing.
- Never deal with an empty column you could still use. Dealing fills every column including the empty one, and you lose the parking space. Use it first, then deal.
- Start on one suit until you consistently win. Four suits with no foundation in the basics is mostly frustration. The habits that win a four-suit game are learned much faster on one.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between one, two and four suit Spider?
The number of distinct suits in the two decks. One suit means every card can stack on any other and runs clear easily. Four suits means a run must be entirely one suit to clear, which is far harder to assemble.
What is a good Spider win rate?
On one suit, most players win half their games or more. On two suits, 20 to 35% is respectable. On four suits, even strong players sit in the low tens of percent.
Why will the game not let me deal?
Every column must have at least one card before you can deal a row. If a column is empty, fill it first. This rule exists to stop you dealing away your most valuable resource.
Can I build a stack out of suit?
Yes, you can place any card on one of the next rank up. But only a same-suit run from king to ace clears, so mixed stacks eventually have to be unpicked.
Is every Spider deal winnable?
No. Unlike FreeCell, Spider deals can be genuinely unwinnable, particularly at four suits. Losing is part of the game rather than always a mistake.