Step-by-step guide to play Spider Solitaire 1 Suit online.
Spider Solitaire is one of the most popular free solitaire games in the world — a rich, satisfying patience game that rewards careful thinking and long-term planning. If you've ever searched for spider solitaire, spider patience, or spider soli online, you've likely encountered three difficulty levels: one suit, two suits, and four suits. This guide focuses on the one-suit version, which is universally regarded as the best starting point for new players and the most approachable entry into the Spider Solitaire family.
Spider Solitaire is one of the most popular free solitaire games in the world — a rich, satisfying patience game that rewards careful thinking and long-term planning. If you've ever searched for spider solitaire, spider patience, or spider soli online, you've likely encountered three difficulty levels: one suit, two suits, and four suits. This guide focuses on the one-suit version, which is universally regarded as the best starting point for new players and the most approachable entry into the Spider Solitaire family.
Spider Solitaire 1 Suit uses a single suit throughout — spades — across two full decks of cards. Because every card looks the same in terms of suit, you can focus entirely on building sequences by rank without worrying about colour matching. This makes one-suit Spider significantly more manageable than its two-suit or four-suit counterparts, while still offering the deep, rewarding gameplay that has made spider solitaire card games a staple of free solitaire online collections worldwide.
Whether you know it as spider solitaire, spider spider solitaire, solitaire and spider, or simply spider soli, the one-suit version is your ideal starting point. Let's get into how it works.
Spider Solitaire 1 Suit is played with two standard 52-card decks — 104 cards in total — but with all suits replaced by a single suit (spades). When you launch a new game of Spider Solitaire online, the setup happens automatically, but understanding the layout helps you make better decisions from your very first move.
The cards are dealt into ten tableau columns. The first four columns each receive six cards; the remaining six columns each receive five cards. Only the top card of each column is face-up at the start — all the cards beneath are face-down. This means a significant portion of the game involves uncovering hidden cards, which is a key part of the Spider Solitaire experience.
In addition to the ten tableau columns, there are eight foundation piles along the top of the screen. These are where you're ultimately trying to send completed sequences. A completed sequence in Spider Solitaire runs from King down to Ace — thirteen cards in descending order — and once a complete sequence is formed in the tableau, it is automatically moved to a foundation pile and removed from play.
Always look for moves that flip face-down cards. This is the single most important habit in Spider Solitaire. Every hidden card that gets revealed is a step closer to completing sequences and winning the game.
Don't rush to deal from the stock. New players often reach for the stock pile too quickly. Take your time with the current tableau — there's usually more to do than is immediately obvious. Every unnecessary stock deal adds complexity to an already busy board.
Move sequences, not individual cards. In Spider Solitaire 1 Suit, you can pick up whole runs of cards and move them together. Whenever possible, move sequences rather than single cards — this is faster, more efficient, and gives you access to more face-down cards with fewer clicks.
Try to complete at least one sequence before your first stock deal. This is a good rule of thumb for beginners. Completing a sequence removes thirteen cards from the tableau and frees up significant space. If you can manage at least one completion before dealing for the first time, you start the mid-game with a much stronger position.
Use the undo button freely. Spider Solitaire is a game of long chains of moves, and it's easy to go down a path that looks promising but leads to a dead end. Don't hesitate to undo several moves and try a different approach. This is how pattern recognition develops — and it's how you learn to read the board more quickly over time.
Practice on the daily challenge. Our Solitaire daily challenge offers a fresh curated game every day. Playing a new Spider Solitaire puzzle daily is one of the fastest ways to develop the pattern recognition and strategic instincts that make winning feel effortless.
Spider Solitaire 1 Suit is played with 104 cards (two decks) all in the same suit — spades. At the start of the game, cards are dealt face-down into ten tableau columns, with only the top card of each column face-up. Your goal is to build complete sequences from King down to Ace within the tableau. When a complete thirteen-card sequence forms, it is automatically cleared to a foundation pile. Complete all eight foundation piles to win the game.
The one-suit version of Spider Solitaire — the variant covered in this guide — is by far the easiest. Because all cards belong to the same suit, you only need to focus on building sequences in descending rank order without worrying about matching colours or suits. This removes a significant layer of complexity and makes the game substantially more winnable than the two-suit or four-suit versions.
Winning Spider Solitaire 1 Suit comes down to three core principles: uncovering face-down cards as fast as possible, building and completing full King-to-Ace sequences deliberately, and managing your empty columns and stock deals carefully.