Spider vs. Scorpion Solitaire: Rules, Difficulty, and Key Differences

Quick Answer: Spider and Scorpion are both sequence-building tableau games using a 52-card deck (one deck each), but Scorpion has a much more permissive movement rule: any face-up card can move to any tableau column where it fits, not just the top card. Scorpion is harder than 1-suit Spider but easier than 4-suit Spider. Both build complete suit sequences from King to Ace.

Spider Solitaire is one of the most recognized solitaire variants worldwide. Scorpion is a lesser-known cousin with a fascinating movement rule that changes the entire strategic landscape. This comparison explains exactly how they differ and who should play each.

Core Mechanics Comparison

| Feature | Spider (Standard/4-suit) | Scorpion | |---------|--------------------------|---------| | Decks | 2 decks (104 cards) | 1 deck (52 cards) | | Tableau columns | 10 | 7 | | Goal | 8 complete K-A suit sequences | 4 complete K-A suit sequences | | Movement rule | Top card or same-suit sequence | Any face-up card (not just top) | | Stock deal | 10 cards at once (1 per column) | 3 cards to leftmost columns | | Face-down cards | Yes, in initial deal | Yes, in initial deal | | Win rate | ~30–50% (4-suit) | ~50–60% |

The Key Difference: Movement Rules

This is where the games diverge most significantly.

Spider movement rule:

• You can move a single card or a sequence of same-suit cards from the top of any column
• To move a sequence, all cards in the sequence must be the same suit AND in descending rank order
• Mixed-suit sequences can be physically moved but only as individual cards, not as a group

Scorpion movement rule:

• Any face-up card in any column can be moved — including cards buried within a column, not just the top card
• The card being moved takes all cards above it in its column with it (they stack on top)
• The destination must have a card of the same suit and one rank higher (strictly same suit, unlike Spider's any-card-on-top option)

Why this is revolutionary: In Spider, you can only act on top cards (or fully connected same-suit sequences). In Scorpion, you can reach into the middle of a column and extract a card with all its "passengers." This creates completely different tactical opportunities.

Example: In Spider, if you need a 7 of Hearts and it's buried under a 9 of Clubs, you must first remove the 9 of Clubs. In Scorpion, you can move the 7 of Hearts (and the 9 of Clubs on top of it) directly to a red 8 — the 9 of Clubs comes along for the ride to wherever the 7 lands.

Setup Comparison

Spider setup: 10 columns. Columns 1–4 have 6 cards each (5 face-down + 1 face-up). Columns 5–10 have 5 cards each (4 face-down + 1 face-up). Remaining 50 cards form the stock.

Scorpion setup: 7 columns. Columns 1–4 have 7 cards each (4 face-down + 3 face-up). Columns 5–7 have 7 cards each (all face-up). Wait: that's standard Scorpion — 7 columns with 7 cards each = 49 cards in tableau, 3 remaining in stock. The 3 stock cards are dealt to the 3 leftmost columns when you need more cards.

Difficulty

Spider 1-suit: Easiest Spider — all cards same suit. Win rate ~98%. Scorpion: Mid-range. Harder than Spider 1-suit, slightly harder than Spider 2-suit. Win rate ~50–60%. Spider 2-suit: Similar difficulty to Scorpion. Win rate ~50–70%. Spider 4-suit: Hardest. Win rate ~30–50% for skilled players.

Scorpion's movement flexibility (moving buried cards) compensates for its same-suit-only movement requirement. Players often find Scorpion more intellectually interesting than Spider 2-suit because the mid-column access creates more varied decision situations.

Strategy Differences

Spider strategy: Focus on building pure same-suit sequences. Manage mixed sequences carefully — they block movement. Empty columns are critical for maneuvering.

Scorpion strategy:

• The mid-column access changes everything — you can reach buried cards without first clearing the top
• This means face-down card revelation is still important, but less critical than in Spider
• Building suit sequences is still the goal, but the path to building them is more flexible
• Stock timing matters: the 3-card stock should be held until you've maximized tableau mobility

Key Scorpion tactic: "Passenger management" — when you move a card mid-column, the cards above it become "passengers" that move with it. Choosing when and where to attach passengers to useful cards is the core Scorpion skill.

Which Should You Play?

Play Spider if:

• You want the most popular variant with well-documented strategies
• You enjoy the 10-column scale and multiple deck complexity
• You want adjustable difficulty (1-suit through 4-suit)

Play Scorpion if:

• You want something different from Spider but with similar aesthetics
• You prefer a single-deck game (52 cards, faster games)
• You enjoy the deeper tactical flexibility of mid-column card access
• You're looking for a moderately difficult challenge without the full 4-suit Spider commitment

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Scorpion solitaire harder than Spider solitaire?

It depends on the Spider variant. Scorpion is harder than Spider 1-suit but roughly comparable to Spider 2-suit. It's significantly easier than Spider 4-suit. Scorpion's mid-column movement rule creates more flexibility than Spider 2-suit's top-only rule, partially offsetting the same-suit movement requirement.

Can you move any card in Scorpion solitaire?

Any face-up card can be moved, including cards buried in the middle of columns. When you move a mid-column card, all face-up cards above it in the column move with it as a "stack." Face-down cards cannot be moved — only face-up cards (and their face-up "passengers" above them).

What is the goal of Scorpion solitaire?

To build four complete King-to-Ace sequences of each suit in the tableau. Like Spider, when a complete 13-card same-suit sequence (K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, A) is formed anywhere in the tableau, it's removed. The game is won when all four sequences are completed and removed.

Does Scorpion solitaire use two decks like Spider?

No. Scorpion uses a single 52-card deck, while standard Spider uses two decks (104 cards). This makes Scorpion games faster (7 columns, fewer total cards) compared to Spider (10 columns, 104 cards).

For more comparisons, see Klondike vs. Spider solitaire and our Spider Solitaire rules and strategy guide.