Spider solitaire is a popular solitaire card game that is fun and addicting to play. If you want to play spider solitaire on your computer, it’s easy to set up. In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know to start playing spider solitaire, from understanding the rules and objective of the game to setting it up on various devices.
Table of Contents
Overview of Spider Solitaire
Spider solitaire is played with either one or two decks of cards, with 54 cards used when playing with one deck and 104 cards used when playing with two decks. The game is played solo by the user.
The goal of spider solitaire is to eliminate all cards from the table by creating stacks of cards in descending sequential order from King to Ace. Stacks can only be built with cards of the same suit.
Gameplay
To set up a game of spider solitaire, the cards are dealt out into 10 columns, with most of the cards facing down. The top cards in each column are facing up. The remaining cards are placed into a draw pile.
On each turn, the player checks the exposed cards for any moves. Valid moves include:
- Placing a King card in an empty space – This creates a new stack.
- Moving a card onto another card – Cards must be in descending sequential order and of the same suit. For example, a 10 of Hearts can be placed onto a Jack of Hearts.
- Moving a stack of cards onto another card – The bottom-most card of the stack must meet the requirements of being in descending sequential order and of the same suit.
After all valid moves have been made, the player flips over cards from the draw pile to expose new cards. The objective is to create stacks of cards all the way down to Aces, removing cards from the table. Once all cards have been eliminated, the player wins the game.
Scoring
Points are earned in spider solitaire based on how few draws were taken from the draw pile to complete the game. The lower your draws, the higher your score!
- Draws 0-24: 800 points
- Draws 25-49: 600 points
- Draws 50-74: 400 points
- Draws 75-99: 200 points
- Draws 100+: 100 points
The fastest way to improve your spider solitaire skills is to memorize card locations and think several moves ahead to plan out the most efficient card movements.
Playing Spider Solitaire on Your Computer
Now that you understand the basics of how to play spider solitaire, let’s go over how to actually set up the game on your computer. Spider solitaire comes pre-installed on most computers or can easily be downloaded.
Windows
If you have a Windows PC, here is how to access spider solitaire:
On Windows 10:
- Click the Start menu and select Games.
- Select “Microsoft Spider Solitaire” from the list of apps.
On Windows 8/8.1:
- Access the Start screen.
- Scroll down to the Microsoft Spider Solitaire app tile and click to open it.
On Windows 7:
- Click the Start menu and select Games.
- Choose “Spider Solitaire” from the menu.
Once launched, you can immediately start playing spider solitaire on one or two suit decks. The game controls and settings are very straightforward to use.
Mac
Spider solitaire also comes pre-installed on Mac computers and can be accessed as follows:
- Open Finder and go to the Applications folder.
- Double click on the “Microsoft Spider Solitaire” app.
###Playing Spider Solitaire on Mobile Devices
You can enjoy spider solitaire on the go by downloading it on your iPhone, iPad, or Android device. Here are some top-rated mobile versions:
| App | Platform | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Solitaire City | iOS and Android | Beautiful designs, daily challenges, multiplayer duels |
| Spider Solitaire | iOS and Android | Classic solo play, statistics tracking |
| Solitaire by MobilityWare | iOS and Android | Customizable card backs, daily challenges |
The mobile apps provide solo spider solitaire gameplay optimized for touchscreens. Many also include special challenges, custom themes and card designs, and gameplay stats tracking.
Customizing Your Spider Solitaire Settings
Once you have spider solitaire set up on your preferred platform, you can customize the game settings to match your preferences. Here are the settings you can typically adjust:
Number of Suits
The standard option is one-suit, but you can increase the challenge by choosing two-suit. This doubles the number of cards in play.
Difficulty Level
Some games let you select an easy, medium or hard difficulty level which changes the layout of the cards at the start of new games. Easy has more cards exposed while hard has more cards dealt face-down.
Card Design or Background
Many spider solitaire apps and sites give you a selection of card faces and table backgrounds to choose from. Pick a design you find aesthetically pleasing.
Music/Sound Effects
Standard spider solitaire has minimal sound effects, but you can turn these off or select a background soundtrack if you prefer.
Undo Button
Having an undo button enables you to reverse moves. Disable the undo option to make mistakes more costly.
Time Limit
A time limit introduces a sense of urgency. Enable this to challenge yourself to complete games rapidly.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with the configurations to find your personal preferences. Over time, you can increase the difficulty level as your skills improve.
Tips and Strategies for Spider Solitaire Success
As you play more spider solitaire, keep these tips in mind to master the game:
Memorize card locations – Knowing where specific cards are placed can help you plan out future moves even before a card is exposed.
Prioritize King placements – Get Kings in the tableau as early as possible to open up more slots for stacks.
Build on existing cascades – Adding correctly sequenced cards to existing cascades should take priority over creating new cascades.
Turn over cards efficiently – Flip over cards in movable stacks first so you can access cascades underneath.
Save draw pile cards – Try to use all tableau cards first before pulling new cards from the draw pile.
Think ahead – Visualize cascades as far down as possible and work backward to identify your next few steps.
Patience pays off – Don’t rush moves that may waste cards. Take time to analyze the optimal card build sequences.
Mastering these tips and keeping your mind engaged takes spider solitaire from a simple game to an entertaining brain exercise!
Troubleshooting Spider Solitaire Issues
Spider solitaire is generally very stable and bug-free. But if any problems pop up, here are some troubleshooting steps:
Game lags or runs slowly – Close background programs to free up RAM and CPU usage for the game. Reduce graphics quality if possible.
Game frequently crashes – Update your operating system, graphics drivers, and the game app itself. Rebooting your computer can also help.
Controls not responding – For touchscreen versions, wipe the screen clear of any debris that may be interfering with taps.
Scoring issues – Restore default settings or reinstall the app to clear any corrupted local data.
Can’t undo moves – Make sure undo is enabled in the settings. Some challenge modes restrict undo usage.
Cards appear misplaced – Reset and restart a new game. A previous improperly closed game can sometimes corrupt the card positions.
If problems persist, search for more help on the app developer’s website or check for updated versions of the game.
Final Thoughts on Enjoying Spider Solitaire
And that covers everything you need to know to start playing spider solitaire like a pro! Here are some final tips for getting the most enjoyment out of this classic game:
- Vary your settings like difficulty and card designs to keep games fresh.
- Set personal point targets to motivate yourself to improve.
- Savor your hard-fought wins when you manage to systematically eliminate all cards.
- Consider competing against friends and family to make solo play more exciting.
- Let the game relax your mind, reduce stress and give your brain some productive exercise.
The simple, solitary nature of spider solitaire makes it an ideal way to productively fill small pockets of free time in your day. I hope these instructions have equipped you to embark on countless hours of spider solitaire fun. Now deal yourself a new game and begin stacking and sequencing your way to solitaire success!