Everything you need to know about Scorpion Solitaire. Rules, group moves, same-suit building, win rates, strategy tips and common questions answered.
Everything you need to know about Scorpion Solitaire. Rules, group moves, same-suit building, win rates, strategy tips and common questions answered.
Q: How do you set up Scorpion Solitaire?
Scorpion Solitaire uses a single standard 52-card deck. Forty-nine cards are dealt into seven columns of seven cards each. The first four columns receive three cards face-down at the bottom followed by four cards face-up on top. The last three columns receive all seven cards face-up. The remaining three cards form the reserve, sometimes called the tail, which is set aside and dealt later. No separate foundation area is set up at the start — completed sequences accumulate on the tableau itself before being removed. Play begins with the tableau as dealt; the reserve is not in play until the player chooses to deal it or no moves remain.
Q: What are the basic rules of Scorpion Solitaire?
The goal is to build four complete same-suit sequences from King down to Ace within the tableau columns. A face-up card can be moved to any other face-up card of the same suit that is exactly one rank higher — when it is moved, every card above it in its column travels with it as a group, regardless of whether those cards are in sequence or sorted by suit. When a column is completely emptied, any face-up card or group of cards may be moved there. When no useful move is available, the three reserve cards can be dealt — one to each of the first three column tops. A completed King-to-Ace same-suit sequence is removed from the tableau. The game is won when all four complete sequences have been built and removed.
Q: What makes the group-move rule different from other solitaire games?
The group-move rule is Scorpion's defining mechanic and distinguishes it most sharply from games like Spider and Klondike. In Scorpion, when you move a face-up card, every card resting on top of it in the column comes along — even cards that are not in sequence with it, not of the same suit, or not in any organised order. This means a single move can relocate an entire jumbled stack of cards from one column to another, as long as the bottom card of the stack is the same suit as the destination card and one rank lower. This creates a much richer tactical space than games that only allow properly-sequenced groups to move, because it enables burying, blocking, and deliberate restructuring in ways that are impossible in sequence-only movement games.
Q: Can you move a face-down card in Scorpion Solitaire?
No — face-down cards cannot be moved or used as destinations. Face-down cards in the first four columns are revealed one at a time as each face-up card above them is played away. A face-down card becomes face-up — and therefore available — only when all face-up cards that were resting on top of it in the same column have been moved elsewhere. Revealing face-down cards is a primary strategic goal in Scorpion because every hidden card represents a potential sequence piece or blocker that cannot be planned around until it is known.
Q: When and how are the three reserve cards dealt?
The three reserve cards can be dealt at any point during play — typically when no moves are available, but also as a deliberate strategic choice when the player wants to change the waste pile top or access a new rank. Dealing places one reserve card face-up onto each of the first three column tops, making them immediately available to move. Because the reserve cards are known (visible in most digital implementations) or can be noted when dealt, experienced players sometimes delay dealing until the tableau is in a specific state that makes one or more of the three reserve ranks immediately useful. The reserve can only be dealt once — there is no second reserve in standard Scorpion.
Q: What happens when a column becomes empty in Scorpion?
An empty column is a highly valuable resource in Scorpion. Any face-up card or group of cards can be moved into an empty column, making it functionally equivalent to a free temporary storage space. Empty columns are the primary mechanism for accessing buried face-down cards, reorganising mixed stacks, and creating room to manoeuvre same-suit building sequences. Because Scorpion has no separate free cells or waste pile, empty columns serve as the main flexibility resource. Filling an empty column permanently with a non-strategic card — particularly a card that does not advance sequence building or uncover a face-down card — is one of the most consequential mistakes in Scorpion strategy.
Q: How does a completed sequence get removed in Scorpion?
When a complete King-to-Ace sequence of the same suit is assembled anywhere in the tableau — at the top of a column, with the King at the bottom and the Ace at the top — it is removed from the tableau and placed in the foundation area. This frees the column space the sequence occupied, potentially creating a partial empty column if other cards were beneath the sequence in that column. Because sequences are built in the tableau itself rather than sent card-by-card to separate foundations, the removal of a completed sequence is a significant event that reshapes the tableau substantially. Building toward a complete sequence while keeping enough column mobility to continue building the other three sequences simultaneously is the central long-term challenge of Scorpion.
Q: What percentage of Scorpion Solitaire games are winnable?
Approximately 55–70% of Scorpion Solitaire deals are theoretically winnable with optimal play. In practice, strategic players typically clear the tableau in 40–60% of hands, since the deep face-down cards in the first four columns and the constraints of same-suit-only building create deal configurations that are easy to play into an unwinnable state even from a theoretically solvable position. Scorpion is harder than TriPeaks and Golf, comparable in difficulty to Klondike, and significantly easier than Forty Thieves. See our solitaire win rates guide for a full comparison.
Q: Is Scorpion Solitaire always solvable?
No — approximately 30–45% of deals are genuinely unwinnable regardless of play quality, typically because the face-down card distribution in the first four columns creates suit clusters that cannot be untangled with the available moves and reserve. The most common unwinnable pattern is when two or more suits become mutually blocked — each suit needing access to a card that is buried beneath cards of the other suit, creating a circular dependency that no number of empty columns can resolve. Before concluding a deal is unwinnable, verify that all face-down cards have been revealed and that all possible empty column manoeuvres have been considered.
Q: What is a good Scorpion Solitaire win rate?
Below 30% suggests fundamental strategy can be improved; 40–50% is competent play; above 55% is strong strategic play for standard Scorpion deals. The most useful metric beyond raw win rate is the proportion of losses that occur with face-down cards still unrevealed — a high proportion indicates that empty column management is the primary area for improvement, since unrevealed face-down cards are almost always the result of insufficient column mobility rather than a genuinely unwinnable layout.
Q: What causes most Scorpion Solitaire losses?
Three patterns account for the majority of avoidable losses. First, empty columns filled prematurely — moving a card into an empty column before exhausting same-suit moves that could have advanced sequence building, leaving the empty slot permanently occupied by a card of limited value. Second, face-down cards buried under same-suit stacks — using the group-move mechanic to place a large mixed stack onto a same-suit target without checking whether the cards being placed will block access to face-down cards in the destination column. Third, reserve dealt too early — dealing the three reserve cards before the tableau is in a state that can productively use the new column tops, wasting the only reserve deal on ranks that immediately block rather than open new moves.
Q: What is the most important Scorpion Solitaire strategy tip?
Prioritise revealing face-down cards above every other consideration. Every face-down card in the first four columns is a hidden constraint — it could be the King needed to anchor a new sequence or the card needed to unblock a suit cluster. Moves that reveal a face-down card are almost always preferable to moves that do not, even if the same-suit sequence progress from the revealing move is modest. The three face-down cards in each of the first four columns represent the tableau's primary source of uncertainty, and reducing that uncertainty as quickly as possible gives the most complete picture of which sequences can be completed and which suit clusters may be problematic. For a full beginner framework see our challenging solitaire games guide.
Q: How should I use empty columns in Scorpion Solitaire?
Treat each empty column as a finite resource that should only be spent on moves that either reveal a face-down card or directly advance same-suit sequence building. The optimal use of an empty column is as temporary storage for a group of cards that is blocking access to a face-down card or a same-suit continuation — move the blocking group to the empty column, execute the revealing or building move, then plan the next step before refilling the empty column. Avoid filling empty columns with Kings unless the King anchors a sequence that has a clear path to completion — a King in an empty column that cannot be built upon will never produce a completed sequence and permanently occupies that space. Track how many empty columns are currently available before every move: zero empty columns means the next move must either create an empty column or advance sequence building within existing columns.
Q: When should I deal the reserve cards in Scorpion?
The reserve should be dealt when the tableau has been fully developed — all achievable face-down reveals completed, all moveable same-suit progressions advanced — and the game is genuinely stuck rather than merely requiring careful sequencing. Dealing the reserve before this point wastes the only deal on column tops that may immediately be covered by the incoming cards, reducing rather than expanding options. The ideal dealing moment is when the three reserve card ranks are known (or can be seen in the implementation) and the first three column tops are in a state where each reserve card's rank is either immediately useful or neutral. Never deal the reserve simply because a move is not immediately obvious — exhaust all possible group moves, empty column manoeuvres, and same-suit progressions first.
Q: What is the key difference between a useful group move and a harmful one in Scorpion?
A useful group move achieves at least one of three outcomes: it reveals a face-down card, it advances a same-suit building sequence by placing a card directly on the next card in its sequence, or it frees a column space that enables a subsequent useful move. A harmful group move buries a useful card under a mixed stack at the destination column, fills an empty column with a low-value group, or breaks access to a face-down card by placing cards on top of the column above it. Before executing any group move, check three things: what does the reveal at the source column show (if it reveals a face-down card); what is directly beneath the destination card in the destination column (to confirm the group being placed does not block anything critical); and whether the group being moved contains any card that is the next continuation card for an active same-suit sequence.
Q: How should I plan same-suit sequence building in Scorpion?
Begin tracking all four suits from the first move. For each suit, identify the highest known rank that is currently accessible and the rank immediately below it that is needed to continue the sequence. Treat the gap between the highest accessible rank and the current sequence depth as the primary planning metric — a suit with a gap of one is almost buildable; a suit with a gap of four or five means the needed cards are buried or in awkward positions. Prioritise suits where the continuation card is accessible or one move away from accessible. When two suits compete for the same empty column resource, prefer the suit whose next card is face-down and will remain inaccessible without the empty column move over the suit whose next card is already face-up and could be accessed later. Our free Scorpion Solitaire game is a useful environment to practise suit tracking from the opening position.
Q: Does the order in which I build the four sequences matter in Scorpion?
Yes — sequence build order matters significantly. Completing one sequence early frees an entire column section and removes thirteen cards from the tableau, dramatically increasing mobility. The optimal first sequence to target is the suit with the most face-up accessible cards already in order, the fewest face-down cards blocking its critical ranks, and a King already visible to anchor it. Avoid committing all empty column resources to a single suit's completion while the other three suits remain disorganised — the mobility cost of single-suit focus often outweighs the mobility gain from the completion, leaving three suits in a worse state than before. The most reliable order is to advance all four suits simultaneously to approximately the same depth, then push the most accessible suit to completion first.
Q: What are the main Scorpion Solitaire variants?
The primary variant is Wasp Solitaire, which uses identical rules to Scorpion but changes the initial layout so that all 49 tableau cards are dealt face-up — there are no face-down cards in the opening position. This makes Wasp significantly more transparent than Scorpion since the entire tableau is visible from move one, shifting the challenge from information management to pure combinatorial planning. A second variant uses two decks (104 cards) for a longer and harder game analogous to the relationship between Spider One-Suit and Spider Four-Suit. Standard single-deck Scorpion is the most widely played version.
Q: How is Scorpion Solitaire different from Spider Solitaire?
Scorpion and Spider are structurally related — both build same-suit K-to-A sequences in the tableau — but differ in three important ways. First, movement: Spider only allows properly sequenced groups (same-suit, consecutive ranks) to move as a unit, while Scorpion allows any face-up card and all cards above it to move as a group regardless of suit or sequence order. Second, tableau size: Spider uses ten columns and deals additional rows from the stock; Scorpion uses seven columns with a small three-card reserve instead of a stock. Third, information: Spider's stock deals are hidden until played, while Scorpion's reserve is a fixed three cards. Scorpion's group-move freedom creates a different tactical space — less about maintaining clean sequences and more about managing mixed stacks and revealing hidden cards. Play Spider in our free Spider Solitaire game.
Q: How is Scorpion different from Klondike?
Scorpion and Klondike share the goal of clearing the tableau and both have face-down cards that must be revealed, but differ substantially in mechanics. Klondike builds alternating-colour descending sequences and sends cards to separate foundations suit-by-suit; Scorpion builds same-suit sequences within the tableau columns themselves. Klondike's stock provides a continuous source of new cards throughout the game; Scorpion's reserve is a fixed three cards dealt once. Klondike only moves properly ordered sequences; Scorpion moves entire column sections regardless of order. Scorpion requires deeper simultaneous tracking of four suit build paths and careful empty column management, making it tactically more demanding than standard Klondike. Play Klondike in our free Klondike Solitaire game.
Q: Is Scorpion Solitaire a good game for players who enjoy Spider?
Yes — Scorpion is an excellent next step for Spider players because the two games share the same-suit sequence building goal and similar face-down card reveal dynamics. Spider players will find Scorpion's group-move freedom both liberating and dangerous: moves that would be illegal in Spider (moving a mixed-suit group) are central to Scorpion strategy, but the same freedom makes it easier to create chaotic column states that are difficult to untangle. The reduced tableau width (seven columns versus Spider's ten) and smaller reserve (three cards versus Spider's five stock deals of ten) make each individual decision higher-stakes. Players who enjoy the same-suit sequence planning of Spider but want a tighter, higher-stakes version of that challenge will find Scorpion rewarding. Play our free Scorpion Solitaire game to compare directly.
Q: Can Scorpion Solitaire be played with physical cards?
Yes — Scorpion is well suited to physical play due to its manageable layout and clear movement rules. Deal 49 cards into seven columns of seven as described, set aside the remaining three as the reserve face-down (or face-up if you want full information), and play according to the standard rules. The group-move mechanic is simple to execute physically — pick up the target card and everything above it in its column as a single stack and place the bottom card of the stack onto the destination. The main practical advantage of digital play is automatic face-down card management and the ability to undo moves, which is useful for learning the game's strategic depth.
Q: How does Scorpion Solitaire differ from Scorpion with two decks?
Two-deck Scorpion uses 104 cards, typically ten columns of ten or more cards, and requires building eight complete K-to-A same-suit sequences rather than four. The strategic principles are identical — same-suit building, group moves, empty column management, face-down reveal priority — but the scale is much larger, the game takes substantially longer, and the probability of a genuinely unwinnable layout increases significantly due to the greater density of face-down cards and the harder combinatorial demands of building eight sequences simultaneously. Two-deck Scorpion is comparable in difficulty to Spider Four-Suit and is primarily played by experienced single-deck Scorpion players seeking a longer challenge.
Q: What does it mean when no moves are available in Scorpion?
A no-moves state in Scorpion means no face-up card in any column can be legally moved to any same-suit card one rank higher in another column, and no group move can be made. If the reserve has not yet been dealt, this is the natural point to deal it — the three new column tops may immediately create legal moves. If the reserve has already been dealt, a no-moves state with any tableau cards remaining means the game cannot be completed. Note that a genuinely stuck state should only be concluded after checking all seven column tops against all other column tops for same-suit adjacency in both directions, since the variety of suit and rank combinations across seven columns makes it easy to miss a valid move on a quick scan.
Scorpion Solitaire uses a single standard 52-card deck. Forty-nine cards are dealt into seven columns of seven cards each. The first four columns receive three cards face-down at the bottom followed by four cards face-up on top. The last three columns receive all seven cards face-up. The remaining three cards form the reserve, sometimes called the tail, which is set aside and dealt later. No separate foundation area is set up at the start — completed sequences accumulate on the tableau itself before being removed. Play begins with the tableau as dealt; the reserve is not in play until the player chooses to deal it or no moves remain.
The goal is to build four complete same-suit sequences from King down to Ace within the tableau columns. A face-up card can be moved to any other face-up card of the same suit that is exactly one rank higher — when it is moved, every card above it in its column travels with it as a group, regardless of whether those cards are in sequence or sorted by suit. When a column is completely emptied, any face-up card or group of cards may be moved there. When no useful move is available, the three reserve cards can be dealt — one to each of the first three column tops. A completed King-to-Ace same-suit sequence is removed from the tableau. The game is won when all four complete sequences have been built and removed.
The group-move rule is Scorpion's defining mechanic and distinguishes it most sharply from games like Spider and Klondike. In Scorpion, when you move a face-up card, every card resting on top of it in the column comes along — even cards that are not in sequence with it, not of the same suit, or not in any organised order. This means a single move can relocate an entire jumbled stack of cards from one column to another, as long as the bottom card of the stack is the same suit as the destination card and one rank lower. This creates a much richer tactical space than games that only allow properly-sequenced groups to move, because it enables burying, blocking, and deliberate restructuring in ways that are impossible in sequence-only movement games.
No — face-down cards cannot be moved or used as destinations. Face-down cards in the first four columns are revealed one at a time as each face-up card above them is played away. A face-down card becomes face-up — and therefore available — only when all face-up cards that were resting on top of it in the same column have been moved elsewhere. Revealing face-down cards is a primary strategic goal in Scorpion because every hidden card represents a potential sequence piece or blocker that cannot be planned around until it is known.
The three reserve cards can be dealt at any point during play — typically when no moves are available, but also as a deliberate strategic choice when the player wants to change the waste pile top or access a new rank. Dealing places one reserve card face-up onto each of the first three column tops, making them immediately available to move. Because the reserve cards are known (visible in most digital implementations) or can be noted when dealt, experienced players sometimes delay dealing until the tableau is in a specific state that makes one or more of the three reserve ranks immediately useful. The reserve can only be dealt once — there is no second reserve in standard Scorpion.
An empty column is a highly valuable resource in Scorpion. Any face-up card or group of cards can be moved into an empty column, making it functionally equivalent to a free temporary storage space. Empty columns are the primary mechanism for accessing buried face-down cards, reorganising mixed stacks, and creating room to manoeuvre same-suit building sequences. Because Scorpion has no separate free cells or waste pile, empty columns serve as the main flexibility resource. Filling an empty column permanently with a non-strategic card — particularly a card that does not advance sequence building or uncover a face-down card — is one of the most consequential mistakes in Scorpion strategy.
When a complete King-to-Ace sequence of the same suit is assembled anywhere in the tableau — at the top of a column, with the King at the bottom and the Ace at the top — it is removed from the tableau and placed in the foundation area. This frees the column space the sequence occupied, potentially creating a partial empty column if other cards were beneath the sequence in that column. Because sequences are built in the tableau itself rather than sent card-by-card to separate foundations, the removal of a completed sequence is a significant event that reshapes the tableau substantially. Building toward a complete sequence while keeping enough column mobility to continue building the other three sequences simultaneously is the central long-term challenge of Scorpion.
Approximately 55–70% of Scorpion Solitaire deals are theoretically winnable with optimal play. In practice, strategic players typically clear the tableau in 40–60% of hands, since the deep face-down cards in the first four columns and the constraints of same-suit-only building create deal configurations that are easy to play into an unwinnable state even from a theoretically solvable position. Scorpion is harder than TriPeaks and Golf, comparable in difficulty to Klondike, and significantly easier than Forty Thieves. See our solitaire win rates guide for a full comparison.
No — approximately 30–45% of deals are genuinely unwinnable regardless of play quality, typically because the face-down card distribution in the first four columns creates suit clusters that cannot be untangled with the available moves and reserve. The most common unwinnable pattern is when two or more suits become mutually blocked — each suit needing access to a card that is buried beneath cards of the other suit, creating a circular dependency that no number of empty columns can resolve. Before concluding a deal is unwinnable, verify that all face-down cards have been revealed and that all possible empty column manoeuvres have been considered.
Below 30% suggests fundamental strategy can be improved; 40–50% is competent play; above 55% is strong strategic play for standard Scorpion deals. The most useful metric beyond raw win rate is the proportion of losses that occur with face-down cards still unrevealed — a high proportion indicates that empty column management is the primary area for improvement, since unrevealed face-down cards are almost always the result of insufficient column mobility rather than a genuinely unwinnable layout.
Three patterns account for the majority of avoidable losses. First, empty columns filled prematurely — moving a card into an empty column before exhausting same-suit moves that could have advanced sequence building, leaving the empty slot permanently occupied by a card of limited value. Second, face-down cards buried under same-suit stacks — using the group-move mechanic to place a large mixed stack onto a same-suit target without checking whether the cards being placed will block access to face-down cards in the destination column. Third, reserve dealt too early — dealing the three reserve cards before the tableau is in a state that can productively use the new column tops, wasting the only reserve deal on ranks that immediately block rather than open new moves.
Prioritise revealing face-down cards above every other consideration. Every face-down card in the first four columns is a hidden constraint — it could be the King needed to anchor a new sequence or the card needed to unblock a suit cluster. Moves that reveal a face-down card are almost always preferable to moves that do not, even if the same-suit sequence progress from the revealing move is modest. The three face-down cards in each of the first four columns represent the tableau's primary source of uncertainty, and reducing that uncertainty as quickly as possible gives the most complete picture of which sequences can be completed and which suit clusters may be problematic. For a full beginner framework see our challenging solitaire games guide.
Treat each empty column as a finite resource that should only be spent on moves that either reveal a face-down card or directly advance same-suit sequence building. The optimal use of an empty column is as temporary storage for a group of cards that is blocking access to a face-down card or a same-suit continuation — move the blocking group to the empty column, execute the revealing or building move, then plan the next step before refilling the empty column. Avoid filling empty columns with Kings unless the King anchors a sequence that has a clear path to completion — a King in an empty column that cannot be built upon will never produce a completed sequence and permanently occupies that space. Track how many empty columns are currently available before every move: zero empty columns means the next move must either create an empty column or advance sequence building within existing columns.
The reserve should be dealt when the tableau has been fully developed — all achievable face-down reveals completed, all moveable same-suit progressions advanced — and the game is genuinely stuck rather than merely requiring careful sequencing. Dealing the reserve before this point wastes the only deal on column tops that may immediately be covered by the incoming cards, reducing rather than expanding options. The ideal dealing moment is when the three reserve card ranks are known (or can be seen in the implementation) and the first three column tops are in a state where each reserve card's rank is either immediately useful or neutral. Never deal the reserve simply because a move is not immediately obvious — exhaust all possible group moves, empty column manoeuvres, and same-suit progressions first.
A useful group move achieves at least one of three outcomes: it reveals a face-down card, it advances a same-suit building sequence by placing a card directly on the next card in its sequence, or it frees a column space that enables a subsequent useful move. A harmful group move buries a useful card under a mixed stack at the destination column, fills an empty column with a low-value group, or breaks access to a face-down card by placing cards on top of the column above it. Before executing any group move, check three things: what does the reveal at the source column show (if it reveals a face-down card); what is directly beneath the destination card in the destination column (to confirm the group being placed does not block anything critical); and whether the group being moved contains any card that is the next continuation card for an active same-suit sequence.
Begin tracking all four suits from the first move. For each suit, identify the highest known rank that is currently accessible and the rank immediately below it that is needed to continue the sequence. Treat the gap between the highest accessible rank and the current sequence depth as the primary planning metric — a suit with a gap of one is almost buildable; a suit with a gap of four or five means the needed cards are buried or in awkward positions. Prioritise suits where the continuation card is accessible or one move away from accessible. When two suits compete for the same empty column resource, prefer the suit whose next card is face-down and will remain inaccessible without the empty column move over the suit whose next card is already face-up and could be accessed later. Our free Scorpion Solitaire game is a useful environment to practise suit tracking from the opening position.
Yes — sequence build order matters significantly. Completing one sequence early frees an entire column section and removes thirteen cards from the tableau, dramatically increasing mobility. The optimal first sequence to target is the suit with the most face-up accessible cards already in order, the fewest face-down cards blocking its critical ranks, and a King already visible to anchor it. Avoid committing all empty column resources to a single suit's completion while the other three suits remain disorganised — the mobility cost of single-suit focus often outweighs the mobility gain from the completion, leaving three suits in a worse state than before. The most reliable order is to advance all four suits simultaneously to approximately the same depth, then push the most accessible suit to completion first.
The primary variant is Wasp Solitaire, which uses identical rules to Scorpion but changes the initial layout so that all 49 tableau cards are dealt face-up — there are no face-down cards in the opening position. This makes Wasp significantly more transparent than Scorpion since the entire tableau is visible from move one, shifting the challenge from information management to pure combinatorial planning. A second variant uses two decks (104 cards) for a longer and harder game analogous to the relationship between Spider One-Suit and Spider Four-Suit. Standard single-deck Scorpion is the most widely played version.
Scorpion and Spider are structurally related — both build same-suit K-to-A sequences in the tableau — but differ in three important ways. First, movement: Spider only allows properly sequenced groups (same-suit, consecutive ranks) to move as a unit, while Scorpion allows any face-up card and all cards above it to move as a group regardless of suit or sequence order. Second, tableau size: Spider uses ten columns and deals additional rows from the stock; Scorpion uses seven columns with a small three-card reserve instead of a stock. Third, information: Spider's stock deals are hidden until played, while Scorpion's reserve is a fixed three cards. Scorpion's group-move freedom creates a different tactical space — less about maintaining clean sequences and more about managing mixed stacks and revealing hidden cards. Play Spider in our free Spider Solitaire game.
Scorpion and Klondike share the goal of clearing the tableau and both have face-down cards that must be revealed, but differ substantially in mechanics. Klondike builds alternating-colour descending sequences and sends cards to separate foundations suit-by-suit; Scorpion builds same-suit sequences within the tableau columns themselves. Klondike's stock provides a continuous source of new cards throughout the game; Scorpion's reserve is a fixed three cards dealt once. Klondike only moves properly ordered sequences; Scorpion moves entire column sections regardless of order. Scorpion requires deeper simultaneous tracking of four suit build paths and careful empty column management, making it tactically more demanding than standard Klondike. Play Klondike in our free Klondike Solitaire game.
Yes — Scorpion is an excellent next step for Spider players because the two games share the same-suit sequence building goal and similar face-down card reveal dynamics. Spider players will find Scorpion's group-move freedom both liberating and dangerous: moves that would be illegal in Spider (moving a mixed-suit group) are central to Scorpion strategy, but the same freedom makes it easier to create chaotic column states that are difficult to untangle. The reduced tableau width (seven columns versus Spider's ten) and smaller reserve (three cards versus Spider's five stock deals of ten) make each individual decision higher-stakes. Players who enjoy the same-suit sequence planning of Spider but want a tighter, higher-stakes version of that challenge will find Scorpion rewarding. Play our free Scorpion Solitaire game to compare directly.
Yes — Scorpion is well suited to physical play due to its manageable layout and clear movement rules. Deal 49 cards into seven columns of seven as described, set aside the remaining three as the reserve face-down (or face-up if you want full information), and play according to the standard rules. The group-move mechanic is simple to execute physically — pick up the target card and everything above it in its column as a single stack and place the bottom card of the stack onto the destination. The main practical advantage of digital play is automatic face-down card management and the ability to undo moves, which is useful for learning the game's strategic depth.
Two-deck Scorpion uses 104 cards, typically ten columns of ten or more cards, and requires building eight complete K-to-A same-suit sequences rather than four. The strategic principles are identical — same-suit building, group moves, empty column management, face-down reveal priority — but the scale is much larger, the game takes substantially longer, and the probability of a genuinely unwinnable layout increases significantly due to the greater density of face-down cards and the harder combinatorial demands of building eight sequences simultaneously. Two-deck Scorpion is comparable in difficulty to Spider Four-Suit and is primarily played by experienced single-deck Scorpion players seeking a longer challenge.
A no-moves state in Scorpion means no face-up card in any column can be legally moved to any same-suit card one rank higher in another column, and no group move can be made. If the reserve has not yet been dealt, this is the natural point to deal it — the three new column tops may immediately create legal moves. If the reserve has already been dealt, a no-moves state with any tableau cards remaining means the game cannot be completed. Note that a genuinely stuck state should only be concluded after checking all seven column tops against all other column tops for same-suit adjacency in both directions, since the variety of suit and rank combinations across seven columns makes it easy to miss a valid move on a quick scan.