Spider Solitaire (4 Suits)
Spider Solitaire (4 Suits) mixes flexible card placement with strict same-suit runs. Uncover the tableau and complete eight full sequences.
Master The Art Of Stack Management
With Spider Solitaire (4 Suits), simply putting cards in descending order is not enough. Mixed suits can help you organize the tableau, but only matching-suit runs can travel as a group. Played with 104 cards, the game asks you to build eight complete suit sequences from King to Ace while keeping the tableau under control.
The Movement Rules You Need To Know
The unusual part of four-suit Spider is that cards can be stacked together without sharing a suit, but those mixed runs have limited mobility. A clean same-suit sequence is much more useful because it can be picked up and moved as one unit.
- Build by Rank: Place a card on another card that is exactly one rank higher. Suit and color do not matter when making the initial placement.
- Move Clean Runs: A descending group can be moved together when all cards belong to the same suit.
- Break Up Mixed Runs: A sequence containing different suits cannot be lifted as a complete stack.
- Complete Eight Sequences: Finish eight King-to-Ace runs in the same suit to clear the tableau.
How To Play
There are ten tableau columns at the start. The first four contain six cards, while the other six contain five. Only the top card of each column is visible, so opening new cards is an important part of every turn.
- Put a card onto the next higher rank.
- Use mixed-suit placements when they help uncover useful cards.
- Look for chances to form longer same-suit runs.
- Move cards away from the top to expose hidden cards.
- Use empty columns as temporary working space.
- Deal from the reserve only when the tableau has no useful moves left.
- Keep at least one card in every column before dealing from the stock.
The reserve contains 50 cards and adds one card to each column per deal. Once a full same-suit run reaches K through A, it is collected automatically into a Foundation slot.
Tips For Managing The Tableau
Think beyond the next move. A mixed stack may solve a problem temporarily, but it can also make several cards harder to move later. When possible, work toward clean same-suit runs and keep an empty column available for rearranging complicated stacks.
Stock deals should also be timed carefully. Adding ten cards at once can cover cards you were planning to use, so clear as much of the existing tableau as possible before taking another deal. Unlimited Undo lets you retrace a sequence and try a different arrangement when a promising stack becomes blocked.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can cards of different suits be stacked together?
Yes. You can place a card on the next higher rank regardless of its suit.
Can I move a mixed-suit stack?
No. Only a descending run made entirely from one suit can be moved as a group.
How many cards are used in four-suit Spider?
The game uses two standard decks, giving you 104 cards in total.
What can go into an empty column?
An empty column can hold a single card or a movable same-suit sequence.
How does the reserve stock work?
There are 50 cards in the reserve. Each deal places one card onto every tableau column, and all ten columns must contain a card before dealing.