How to Play This Challenging Patience

Quick Answer: Scorpion Solitaire uses seven tableau columns dealt with face-down cards in the first three columns and face-up elsewhere. Same-suit sequences build downward, and any face-up card (with all cards above it) can be moved together. Three reserve cards are dealt as a final stock. Win by assembling four complete King-to-Ace same-suit sequences. Win rate is approximately 20–25%.

Scorpion Solitaire is one of those patience games that feels deceptively familiar at first — seven columns, looks a bit like Klondike — but reveals its bite almost immediately. The combination of same-suit building, unrestricted group movement (any face-up card can lead a group move), and limited stock means every decision matters. Scorpion consistently ranks among the hardest single-deck patience games that remain winnable in a reasonable percentage of deals.

What Is Scorpion Solitaire?

Scorpion is a single-deck patience game with seven tableau columns and a three-card final stock. Like Spider Solitaire, Scorpion builds foundations with complete same-suit sequences from King to Ace, and like Yukon, Scorpion allows moving any face-up card along with all face-up cards above it regardless of whether they form a legal sequence.

Definition: In Scorpion Solitaire, a "group move" means any face-up card in the tableau, along with every card stacked on top of it (regardless of rank or suit), can be moved together to another column if the bottom card of the moving group legally places on the destination column's top card. This is the same rule as Yukon but applied with same-suit building constraints.

The game is catalogued on [Scorpion Solitaire Rules](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patience_(game) and referenced in several patience books. Its challenging win rate and interesting mechanics have earned it a dedicated following among serious solitaire players.

Scorpion Solitaire Setup

Cards needed: One standard 52-card deck, shuffled.

Tableau dealing:

• Column 1: 3 face-down + 4 face-up cards = 7 cards
• Column 2: 3 face-down + 4 face-up cards = 7 cards
• Column 3: 3 face-down + 4 face-up cards = 7 cards
• Column 4: 7 face-up cards
• Column 5: 7 face-up cards
• Column 6: 7 face-up cards
• Column 7: 7 face-up cards

Total: 7 columns × 7 cards = 49 cards.

Remaining 3 cards: Set aside face-down as the stock. These are dealt all at once in the final dealing round.

Result: Columns 1–3 have 3 hidden cards at the bottom, with 4 face-up on top. Columns 4–7 are entirely face-up. Three cards wait as a final reserve.

How to Play Scorpion Solitaire

Objective: Assemble four complete King-to-Ace same-suit sequences in the tableau. Move each completed sequence to a foundation (or simply having four columns each containing a full K-to-A same-suit run counts as winning in some implementations).

Tableau building:

• Build in descending rank order
• Same suit is required for legal placement
• Example: 8 of Spades may be placed on 9 of Spades. 8 of Hearts cannot go on 9 of Spades.

Group movement:

• Any face-up card can be moved, taking all face-up cards above it along as a group
• The bottom card of the moving group must satisfy the same-suit, one-rank-lower requirement on the destination
• The cards above the bottom card do not need to form any particular sequence — they come along for the ride

Turning over face-down cards:

• When a face-up group is moved away from a column, exposing a face-down card, that face-down card flips face-up
• Uncovering face-down cards is critical to opening up the game

Empty columns:

• When a column is completely cleared, it can be filled by any face-up card (or group)
• Only a King (or a group whose bottom card is a King) can start a new sequence meaningfully — any other card placed in an empty column limits future options

The final three cards:

• When no more productive moves are available, deal the three stock cards one to each of any three columns (face up)
• This is a one-time event — there is no stock to draw from repeatedly

Winning: Complete all four 13-card same-suit sequences from King to Ace in the tableau.

Scorpion Solitaire Strategy

Uncover face-down cards aggressively. The three columns with 3 face-down cards are your biggest limitation. Expose those hidden cards as quickly as possible — every face-down card is a frozen resource that could be critical.

Plan suit sequences around Kings. Kings must anchor the base of each completed sequence. Track where each King is — if a King is buried face-down in column 1, 2, or 3, uncovering it becomes a primary goal.

Use group movement to consolidate suits. Unlike games where only proper sequences move, Scorpion's free group movement lets you reorganize columns quickly. Lift mixed groups to expose buried cards or to place a key same-suit card in the right position.

Manage empty columns carefully. An empty column is your most powerful resource. Avoid filling it with a card that does not serve a specific strategic purpose. Ideally, use empty columns to temporarily store groups while performing complex column reorganizations.

Beware of suit lock-up. Same-suit building means that a sequence of Spades 10, 9, 8, 7 sitting on top of a Hearts sequence can only move as a group to a Spades J. If no Spades J is available, that group is stuck. Plan suit continuations before building long sequences.

Deal the three stock cards strategically. Before dealing the final three cards, assess what cards are most needed. The three stock cards go to any three columns you choose (one per column). Place them where they are most likely to unlock moves — typically on columns where a continuation is imminent.

Think like Spider. Scorpion's endgame goal (four K-to-A suit sequences) is identical to Spider Solitaire four-suit. Many Spider strategies apply: focus on one suit at a time, maintain clear columns, and anticipate where suit cards will flow. Our Spider Solitaire rules and strategy guide provides detailed Spider strategy that transfers well to Scorpion.

For more advanced strategic frameworks, see our advanced solitaire strategies guide.

Win Rate and Difficulty

Scorpion Solitaire has an estimated win rate of approximately 20–25% for skilled players. The combination of same-suit building, face-down card hiding, and limited stock creates genuinely difficult positions. Unlike Spider where multiple stock deals progressively fill the tableau, Scorpion's single three-card final stock means you must work primarily with what you have.

This places Scorpion significantly harder than Klondike (which players win ~15–25% of the time but with less demanding strategy) and harder than Yukon (which has ~70% win rate with more flexible building rules), but not as brutally difficult as four-suit Spider (~5% win rate).

Players in competitive solitaire communities — particularly those who have "graduated" from Klondike to more challenging games — often identify Scorpion as one of the most satisfying in the hard-but-winnable tier. Players in cities like Portland and Minneapolis known for tabletop game culture frequently include Scorpion in their regular patience rotation.

Scorpion Variations

Wasp: A closely related game with slightly different initial dealing rules. Wasp deals columns with 3 face-down cards at bottom for the first four columns rather than three, creating a longer hidden-card phase.

Turtle: Another Scorpion-family variant with modified dealing and stock rules.

Double Scorpion: Uses two decks for an extended, more complex game.

For comparison with other challenging patience games, see our hardest solitaire games ranked article.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you win Scorpion solitaire?

Win Scorpion Solitaire by assembling four complete 13-card sequences, each containing one suit from King (bottom) through Ace (top). These completed sequences are moved to foundation piles to remove them from play. You need one complete sequence per suit: all 13 Hearts in order, all 13 Spades in order, etc.

Can you move any group of cards in Scorpion solitaire?

Yes. Any face-up card in the tableau can be moved, and all face-up cards stacked on top of it come along as a group, regardless of whether they form a legal sequence. The only requirement is that the bottom card of the moving group must be placed on a same-suit card of exactly one rank higher at the destination column.

How many reserve cards does Scorpion solitaire have?

Scorpion Solitaire has exactly three reserve cards, set aside face-down at the start. These are dealt all at once when no more moves are possible — one card placed face-up on each of any three columns of your choice. This one-time deal is the only stock available in the entire game.

What is the win rate for Scorpion solitaire?

Scorpion Solitaire has an estimated win rate of approximately 20–25% for skilled players. It is one of the harder single-deck solitaire games. The combination of same-suit building, face-down card hiding, and very limited stock (only three reserve cards) creates frequent unwinnable or very difficult positions.

Is Scorpion solitaire similar to Spider solitaire?

Yes — both games require assembling complete King-to-Ace same-suit sequences to win and use same-suit tableau building. The key differences are: Scorpion has seven columns (vs. Spider's ten), Scorpion's stock is just three final cards dealt once (vs. Spider's multiple stock deals across the game), and Scorpion allows Yukon-style free group movement (vs. Spider's rule that only proper sequences move). Spider four-suit is harder than Scorpion.

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💡 Variant Strategy Note (2026)

Each solitaire variation demands unique table space management. In column-heavy formats like Spider or Yukon, prioritize unlocking hidden columns early to act as temporary staging areas.