| Spider solitaire is a very well-known solitaire game, | | | | The first objective for the second phase of |
| which has gained a lot in popularity since Microsoft | | | | spider solitaire is "cleanup". This is my term for |
| have started shipping it free with windows. It is | | | | re-arranging columns so that they become |
| very hard though, and many people want to | | | | same-suit sequences. |
| know how they can increase their chances of | | | | For example, suppose you had 2 columns. The |
| winning. | | | | first one has: |
| The aim of spider solitaire is to build an ascending | | | | -7 Diamonds |
| suit sequence in the foundation zone. But this is | | | | -6 Heartsand the second one has: |
| easier said than done! Particularly when playing 4 | | | | -7 Clubs |
| suit spider, it can sometimes seem nearly | | | | -6 Diamonds |
| impossible to finish the game. | | | | We can temporarily use the empty column, to |
| But there are strategies you can use to | | | | rearrange the columns so that these columns |
| dramatically increase your chances of winning | | | | become: |
| spider solitaire. But before I go into that, a quick | | | | -7 Diamonds |
| note. In this article, I assume you have a solitaire | | | | -6 Diamondsand: |
| game that allows multi-undo, and that you don't | | | | -7 Clubs |
| mind using it. Some people don't have a solitaire | | | | -6 Hearts |
| program that supports multi-level undo, or feel | | | | We do this by moving: |
| that using undo is somehow "cheating". These | | | | -6 of Diamonds into the empty column |
| people can still get something out of this article, | | | | -6 of Hearts onto the 7 of Clubs |
| but not everything they read may apply. | | | | -6 Of Diamonds onto the 7 of Diamonds. |
| So what is the golden secret to winning Spider | | | | The main thing to note here, is that after we |
| Solitaire? | | | | have finished cleaning up this sequence, the |
| It's simple! Empty-Columns are the key! | | | | empty column is still vacant. This is critical, |
| The first objective of spider solitaire is to get a | | | | because we always need to keep our columns |
| vacant column. The objective after that is to try | | | | empty when possible. |
| and get another vacant column. Once you have 2 | | | | RE-ARRANGING |
| vacant columns, the game starts to become | | | | After we have cleaned up any sequences we can |
| winnable, but if you can, try and form yet | | | | find, the next objective is to re-arrange any |
| another empty column. Once you get to 3 or 4 | | | | columns. This is simply moving any sequences we |
| empty columns, you have a very good chance of | | | | can, to form longer sequences. If moving the |
| winning, unless you get an extremely unlucky run | | | | sequence will expose a new card (or a card that |
| of cards. | | | | is not part of the sequence), then we always |
| Getting The First Empty Column... | | | | move it. The rest of the time it's a judgement |
| The first move you should make in the game is | | | | call, based on whether the new sequence will be |
| whatever the highest rank card that can play is. If | | | | the same suit, as well as what other cards are |
| given a choice, play from the stacks on the right | | | | holding up the game at the moment. |
| hand side, as the 6 right hand stacks start with | | | | EXPOSING |
| one less card. | | | | Lastly, we try and expose new cards, whilst |
| From then on, play cards in this order or priority: | | | | trying to maintain our empty column. We do this |
| 1) If a stack is closer to other stacks to being | | | | by using multi-level undo: |
| complete, play that card (if you can) | | | | -Move a card/sequence into the empty column, |
| 2) If you can't play from the stack which is | | | | which exposes a new card. |
| closest to being emptied, than play the card with | | | | -If the new card allows us to move the original |
| the highest rank. | | | | sequence back do so. |
| 3) If 2 or more cards have the same high rank, | | | | If the new exposed card does not allow us to |
| and one of them can be played into a same suit | | | | move it back, try moving a different card |
| sequence, then play that one. | | | | sequence instead. If you can't expose any new |
| Keep playing like this, until a column is emptied, or | | | | cards whilst keeping the vacant column, then try |
| you run out of moves | | | | dealing some cards from the talon. |
| Once a column has been emptied, the focus of | | | | The most important thing is to create empty |
| the game changes a little. There are now 3 main | | | | columns, and try and keep them empty! Now, will |
| objectives, "cleanup", "re-arrange", and "expose". | | | | these strategies help you to win every game of |
| An overriding principal at this time is to try and | | | | spider solitaire? No, they won't. Are there better |
| keep the empty columns. Vacant columns give | | | | strategies? Yes, and you'll probably come up with |
| you a lot more choices in the game, and | | | | some of your own as you play the game some |
| whenever possible, you only want to fill your | | | | more. But the strategies above should prove a |
| empty columns temporarily. | | | | good foundation to help you start winning more |
| CLEANING UP | | | | games. |