Spider Solitaire Strategy Deep Dive: From Mixed Runs to Clean Wins

Hello again, Spider Solitaire warriors! 😊 Welcome back to Part 2 of our strategy deep dive. In Part 1, you cut your teeth on the fundamentals — revealing hidden cards, making your first empty column, maybe even assembling a full suit. Remember that little rush of triumph when a messy layout started to make sense? Hold onto that feeling! Now, with some confidence under your belt, it’s time to push further. I’m excited you’re here, because this is where Spider Solitaire gets really interesting.

In this segment, we’re diving into the heart of the challenge. We’ll explore real mid-game patterns you’ve likely encountered, call out common mistakes (so you can proudly avoid them), and practice clever maneuver sequences that turn chaos into order. By the end of this article, you’ll have pro-level tips on advanced column control, preserving suit integrity amid the madness, smart empty-slot usage, and some high-leverage moves that make you feel like a Solitaire superhero. 💪 We’ll even walk through two detailed examples from tough games to show how these tactics play out step by step. And to keep you honest with yourself, I’ve included a simple 3-step checklist to diagnose whether your strategy is truly working or secretly working against you. Ready to transform those mixed runs into clean wins? Let’s deal the cards and dive in!

Mastering Column Control

Efficient column control is the backbone of advanced Spider Solitaire strategy. It’s all about managing your tableau columns so that you create breathing room and never lose track of key cards. Here are some ways to elevate your column management:

• Target one column to clear early: An empty column is your best friend – it gives you a flexible space to maneuver cards. Scan the tableau for a column that’s within reach of being emptied (usually one with few face-down cards or a neat descending run you can finish off). Prioritize moves in that column to uncover every card. Clearing a column entirely not only feels amazing, it arms you with a precious empty slot for later use. But – and this is important – don’t clear columns at random. Emptying a column should serve a purpose, like freeing a buried King or untangling a knot of mixed suits. Avoid the trap of moving cards just to see an empty space; every move should inch you toward a win.
• Keep columns balanced (but not cluttered): Try not to let one column get too tall with face-down cards while others are short. A heavily stacked column can hide trouble deep down. If you notice one pile growing into a “monster” with many hidden cards, redirect your focus to it when possible — each card you expose there will give you new options. Conversely, if a column is already empty or very short, treat it as a strategic asset rather than a dumping ground. Use your shortest columns to park cards temporarily while you sort out longer ones.
• Manage those Kings: Kings are the highest rank and can’t be placed on any other card, so a King stuck low in a column is a roadblock. Column control means planning around your Kings. If a King is sitting atop a hidden card, you must free it by moving that King to an empty column eventually. On the flip side, when you do get an empty column, consider saving it for a King or a sequence starting with a King. Placing a King (or a King-high sequence) into an empty space creates a sturdy foundation for a new suit run. It’s usually a mistake to fill a precious empty column with a low card like a 4 or 5 – you’ll severely limit how much you can stack there later. Think big: reserve empties for Kings and high-ranking sequences, so that column can grow into a full clean run from King to Ace.

Remember, column control is about pace and foresight. Every time you clear or open up a column, ask yourself “How can this help me next?” Use your columns to set up future moves: for example, moving an especially troublesome card into a column where it can sit harmlessly, or clearing space right before you deal new cards from the stock. With practice, you’ll start seeing the tableau in terms of columns under control vs. columns at risk, and you’ll know exactly where to focus your efforts at any given moment.

Maintaining Suit Integrity in Mixed Runs

One of the biggest challenges in Spider Solitaire (especially in 4-suit games) is dealing with “mixed runs.” A mixed run is a descending sequence of cards that aren’t all in the same suit. They’re inevitable as you shuffle cards around, but they’re also temporary evils that you want to sort out. Suit integrity means keeping cards of the same suit together as much as possible, so you can eventually form those perfect King-to-Ace runs that get removed from play. Let’s talk about maintaining (and restoring) suit integrity when things get messy:

• “Like with like” – whenever you can: In Part 1 we stressed not to move cards purely by rank without regard for suit. Now at an intermediate level, this becomes even more crucial. Whenever you have a choice, build sequences in the same suit. For example, if you can place a 9♣ on a 10♣ instead of on a 10♥, do it. Same-suit sequences are gold because you can move them as a block and eventually clear them completely. Every off-suit move you make is a debt you’ll have to repay later by extra maneuvers, so think twice before mixing suits just because “the number fits.” It might seem fine to put that 5 of hearts on the 6 of spades now, but remember it creates a mixed run that you’ll need to untangle down the road.
• Break up the rainbow stacks: Inevitably, you’ll get positions where a column looks like a rainbow of suits (e.g. ♠♥♦♣ in one pile). These mixed runs lock up your mobility since you can’t move them as a whole. The key is to surgically break and reassemble them. Identify if there are any same-suit subsequences hiding in the mix. For instance, you might notice that within a mixed column, the 8-7-6 of spades are contiguous – they’re just interrupted by a 9♦ above them. If so, plan a way to pull that off-suit 9♦ out of there (maybe move it to an empty slot or onto another 10♦ elsewhere) to free your spade sequence. Once the off-suit card is out, voilà! – your spades will link up into a clean run that you can shift around freely or build upon further. It’s like untangling knotted threads: remove the odd colors so the remaining suit can straighten out.
• Use empty columns to regroup suits: An empty column is extremely handy for restoring suit integrity. Think of it as a neutral zone where you can temporarily park cards while you rearrange. Suppose you have a column that goes 10♠, 9♣, 8♠... Here, the 9♣ is breaking up a lovely spade sequence. To fix this, you could move that 9♣ into an empty column for a moment. Now 10♠ sits directly on 8♠ – a bit out of order since 9♠ is missing, but at least they’re both spades. Later, maybe you uncover the 9♠ from somewhere and can slide it right in. By removing the off-suit card, you’ve preserved the integrity of the spade run. In general, whenever one stray suit is wedged in the middle of an otherwise uniform stack, consider using an empty space or another column to relocate that stray card. It might take a couple of moves, but it’s worth it. You’re effectively sorting the tableau by suit, which is exactly how you win the game.
• Complete one suit at a time: This isn’t a hard rule, but it’s a useful mindset. If you see that you’re close to completing a full descending suit (say you have King through 5 of hearts neatly arranged and just need 4-3-2-A), focus on that. Finishing a suit sequence not only scores a win, it removes those cards from the board entirely – simplifying everything. It’s often better to concentrate on one nearly-finished suit than to make haphazard moves on three different suits. Chasing too many suits at once can leave you with a tableau full of half-done runs that interfere with each other (a recipe for frustration). Instead, capitalize when a suit is going well. Keep those cards together and feed them the lower ranks they need. The moment when you drop that Ace onto a deuce and the whole beautiful ♥ King-to-Ace♥ sequence vanishes off the screen is just chef’s kiss! 😃 Plus, removing a completed suit will likely leave behind an empty column – giving you yet another advantage.

In short, suit integrity is about being deliberate with suit mixing. You won’t avoid mixing suits entirely (you often have to mix to reveal cards), but the trick is to mix with a plan to sort things back out. Treat every off-suit placement as a temporary state. The better you get, the more you’ll see the tableau in layers of suits, and you’ll maneuver pieces around like solving a color-sorting puzzle. When you manage to turn a hopeless tangle of mixed runs into a set of clean, solid suit sequences, you’ll know you’ve become a Spider Solitaire strategist. 🕸️🏅

Savvy Empty-Slot Strategies

By now you’ve heard us sing the praises of empty columns, but using them effectively is an art in itself. An empty slot (empty tableau column) is the most powerful tool you have – it’s your wildcard, your extra hand, your secret weapon. But it can also backfire if used poorly. Let’s look at some advanced strategies for empty columns:

• Open spaces at the right time: In Spider Solitaire, you can’t deal new cards from the stock if you have any empty columns. This rule forces a delicate timing act. Ideally, you want to create an empty slot early (for flexibility), but you might hold off on using it until you really need it. Think of an empty column as a tempo move – you gain a lot of power, but it costs a bit of momentum if you have to pause dealing. A good strategy is to clear a column and leave it empty only when you have a plan to exploit it immediately. For example, don’t empty a column and then do nothing with it; that’s a wasted opportunity. Instead, empty a column when you’ve identified a key card or sequence that you can move right away into that space. This way, you’re not leaving the slot idle, and the benefit of the empty column outweighs the cost of delaying a stock deal.
• Be picky about filling empties: Just because you can move any card or pile into an empty column doesn’t mean you should. Pause and assess what the best filler is. In general, don’t rush to fill an empty space unless you’re making a strategic maneuver. Many intermediate players make the mistake of reflexively tossing the first available card into an empty spot, as if the emptiness itself is a problem. But an empty column is not a problem – it’s a powerful solution waiting for the right moment. Sometimes leaving it empty for a few moves is perfectly fine (and necessary if you want to deal from the stock). When you do fill it, try to use it for a long sequence or a high card. The classic wisdom: place a King or a high descending run into an empty column. Why? A King is the highest start, so you can build the maximum number of cards beneath it (Queen through Ace). A sequence starting with, say, Queen or Jack is also decent if no King-sequence is available. But imagine you drop a 5♦ as the first card in an empty column – at best you can stack 4-3-2-A under it, which isn’t many cards. You’d clog up that column quickly and reduce its usefulness. So think big and long-term when using empties.
• Use empties as a transit hub: One advanced technique is using an empty column as a transit or swap space to rearrange cards between two other columns. For example, you might have two sequences that could combine into one better sequence, but they’re sitting on different columns with no direct way to merge. Here’s where your empty slot shines. You can move one sequence into the empty, freeing up its original column, then move the other sequence over, and finally stack the first sequence on top of the second where it fits. It’s a bit like the classic “Towers of Hanoi” puzzle – using one peg to shift pieces around. This multi-step maneuver is incredibly powerful. It’s how you solve those seemingly impossible layouts where every card is in the wrong place. Always be on the lookout: could an empty column help me rotate two sequences into more logical order? If yes, go for it.
• Filling empties before dealing (the smart way): As mentioned, you cannot deal a new row from the stock while a tableau column is empty. Eventually, you’ll likely reach a point where you’ve done all possible moves and need to deal, but you have one or more empties. At that moment, you’re forced to fill those empties with something (since the game won’t let you deal otherwise). The key is to choose the least disruptive fillers. If you must plop a card or stack into an empty just to continue, pick something that won’t tangle up your progress. A lone King is a good candidate (since it can’t go anywhere else anyway and won’t land on other cards). Or place a card that you know you can easily move out again after the deal. The idea is to minimize the damage of filling empties when it’s compulsory. What you want to avoid is hurriedly shoving a random low card into an empty spot, then dealing and finding that card now stuck where it is, blocking moves. Take a moment to survey: which card, if any, can sit in the empty column temporarily without messing up your suits or blocking an important move? Use that one. This way, once you deal the fresh row, you can hopefully move that “filler” card right back out and regain your empty slot advantage.

To sum up, empty-slot strategies boil down to patience and purpose. An empty column gives you flexibility, but you need the patience to wait for the right use, and the purpose to use it for a strong strategic reason. When you master this, you’ll find yourself almost dancing around the tableau – one moment leaving spaces open, the next moment filling them with exactly the sequence you need, and suddenly everything clicks into place. It’s one of the most satisfying aspects of high-level Spider play.

High-Leverage Maneuvers for Big Rewards

Now let’s talk about the flashy stuff: those high-leverage maneuvers that dramatically turn the tide of a game. A high-leverage move is one that yields a significant payoff – it could be uncovering a cascade of new moves, freeing multiple cards at once, or completing a full suit. Think of these as the power plays in Spider Solitaire. By recognizing and aiming for these, you’ll increase your win rate and have more “wow” moments where a seemingly stuck game suddenly opens up. Here are some of the top high-impact maneuvers to strive for:

• Uncovering a facedown card (especially early) – Never underestimate the power of flipping a card. Each face-down card in the tableau is an unknown that could be your missing puzzle piece. A single move that reveals a hidden card often triggers a domino effect: maybe that card fits into another column immediately, which then reveals another card, and so on. These chain reactions feel fantastic and are often how tough games are won. So if you spot a move that will expose a new card (for example, moving an entire sequence off a pile to expose its last face-down), that move is usually high-leverage. You’re trading one move for potentially several follow-ups. Pro tip: In the mid-game, prioritize moves that flip cards over moves that merely shuffle cards around without new info. The more cards you can see, the better your decision-making and the closer you get to victory.
• Completing a full suit sequence – This is the ultimate goal, but it’s worth highlighting as a strategy: sometimes you might be only a couple moves away from completing a sequence from King down to Ace in one suit. Finishing it should be top of mind because the moment you place that Ace and the entire run vanishes off the board, two great things happen: (1) you score a “clean win” for that suit (hurray!), and (2) you clear up an entire column (which likely becomes empty after the sequence is removed). That empty can then be reused for other tricky moves. Completing a suit is the single biggest swing in Spider Solitaire. It’s like removing a whole obstacle course and getting a free pass to move things around. If you see a chance to complete a run, even if it requires a few preparatory moves (like moving one pesky card out of the way), go for it. High-level players often focus intensely on finishing one suit at a time because each completion makes the rest of the game much easier.
• Multi-card sequence juggling – We touched on this in empty slot strategies, but let’s emphasize the maneuver aspect. High-leverage maneuvers often involve a carefully orchestrated series of moves rather than a single card move. For instance, consider a scenario: you have a mixed column that’s blocking progress and an empty column at your disposal. A powerful maneuver might be: move a part of that mixed run to the empty column, then shift another stack onto the freed space, then move the first part back on top where it now fits perfectly. In three moves, you’ve completely rearranged two columns, maybe freeing a face-down and aligning suits in the process. This kind of sequence juggling is advanced play at its best. It requires visualization and sometimes a bit of courage (you have to trust that you can put it all back together!), but the reward is huge. Often you’ll go from “stuck” to “rolling” after a well-planned shuffle like this. When you feel like a game is hopelessly tangled, pause and ask: “If I had a free hand, what two or three moves could reorder this into something better?” Use undos if your platform allows, experiment, and find that golden sequence of maneuvers that cracks the puzzle open.
• Holding off the stock deal until everything’s optimized – This is a subtler high-leverage decision. Sometimes the most powerful move is actually not dealing new cards yet, even though you’re out of obvious moves. If you suspect you can squeeze in one more beneficial move by a clever rearrangement (like creating one more empty column or cleaning up one more mixed run), do it before you hit “Deal”. Adding a new row of cards too soon can scatter your progress and bury good sequences. The leverage here is timing: by delaying the deal until your tableau is in the best possible shape (minimal mixed suits, maximum empties filled with high cards, etc.), you set yourself up to handle the influx of new cards smoothly. Conversely, dealing when your tableau is messy often makes things much worse. So treat the stock like a last resort – a powerful but double-edged tool. Use the lull before a deal as an opportunity for any final fixes or high-impact moves. It can make the difference between sailing through the new cards or getting completely stuck by them.

In summary, high-leverage maneuvers are the ones that give you a big bang for your buck. They advance the game significantly in exchange for one or a few moves. Beginners often spend moves on low-impact shuffles (moving a card here or there that doesn’t really change the state of play). As an advanced player, you’ll start hunting for the game-changers: moves that either massively simplify the tableau or unleash a flurry of subsequent moves. Keep an eye out for these opportunities each turn. When you execute one, you’ll feel the game swing in your favor – and that’s a satisfying feeling that keeps us all hooked on Spider Solitaire. 🕷️🎉

Worked Example 1: Untangling a Mixed Column

Let’s put these ideas into practice with a concrete example. Scenario: You’re mid-game in a 4-suit Spider Solitaire deal. You have managed to clear one column already (so you have an empty slot available), but the game is far from won. In fact, one of your tableau columns is a real nightmare: it’s a mixed run from 7 down to Ace with no single suit running through it. Specifically, imagine Column 6 has the following face-up cards from top to bottom:

• 7♥
• 6♣
• 5♣
• 4♦
• 3♠
• 2♥
• A♦ (bottom of this column, on top of a face-down card)

Yikes! 😵 This column is a rainbow of suits. You can’t move it as a whole anywhere, and worse, that Ace of diamonds (A♦) at the bottom is sitting on a face-down card, meaning we haven’t even uncovered everything in this column. We need to rescue whatever card is hiding beneath the Ace, because who knows – it could be a key card that unlocks the rest of the game. Let’s walk through a maneuver sequence to untangle this column using our empty slot and suit integrity know-how:

Step 1: Free a troublemaker to the empty column. Looking at Column 6, an obvious trouble spot is the 3♠ sitting on top of the 2♥ and A♦. Why? Because 2♥ can only go on a 3♥ (to keep suit) or a 3 of any suit, but the only 3 above it is the 3♠, which is a different suit. So 3♠ is effectively pinning down the 2♥ and Ace below. Let’s move 3♠ out of the way. We have an empty column (let’s call it Column 10 since it was cleared earlier). We grab 3♠ from Column 6 and move it into Column 10 (empty slot). Now Column 10 has 3♠, and Column 6’s new top sequence is 7♥, 6♣, 5♣, 4♦ (with 2♥, A♦ still below but now directly under 4♦). We chose 3♠ to move first because it’s a single card that instantly frees something underneath – a small move with a nice leverage.

Step 2: Extract the heart of the problem (literally). With 3♠ out of the way, the 2♥ is now exposed in Column 6 (under the 4♦). That 2♥ is our golden ticket to uncover the face-down card, but first we need to move 4♦ that’s still above it. Can we move 4♦ somewhere? Scanning the tableau, we spot that Column 3 ends in a 5♦ on top. Perfect: we can move 4♦ from Column 6 onto the 5♦ in Column 3 (descending order and same suit ♦ – maintaining suit integrity nicely). We do that. Now Column 6 has become shorter: its top is 7♥, 6♣, 5♣, and beneath those sits 2♥ and A♦. The pesky 4♦ is gone to a happier home, and we haven’t disturbed any suits because it went onto a matching 5♦.

Now 2♥ is directly under 5♣ in Column 6. But 5♣ is also an issue – above it is 6♣, forming a partial same-suit sequence (6♣-5♣). Actually, 6♣-5♣ together is a nice club sequence; we might move them together soon. For now, note that 2♥ (hearts) is still blocked by 5♣. We need to get 5♣ (and 6♣) out of the way to free 2♥. Is there a place to put the 6♣-5♣ sequence? We look around and see Column 1 has a 7♣ on top. Great – a 6♣-5♣ sequence can move as a unit onto 7♣ (same suit ♣ and correct order). So we take 6♣ with 5♣ beneath it and move that whole mini-stack over to Column 1. Now the clubs are happily together over there (forming 7♣-6♣-5♣ in Column 1). This move maintained suit integrity perfectly and cleared them out of Column 6 in one go.

Suddenly, Column 6 is much simpler: it now has just one card left face-up – 7♥ – and below that the 2♥ and A♦. The 7♥ is on top of 2♥ (same suit hearts but out of order since 7 is much higher than 2; however, as far as the game is concerned it’s fine because any descending order works even if not consecutive). We need to get 7♥ out to free the 2♥. Where can 7♥ go? How about that empty Column 10 we used earlier? Currently, Column 10 has 3♠ sitting alone (from step 1). We could move 3♠ out of there first if needed (maybe back onto something like 4♠ if available), but an easier idea: place 7♥ onto 8♥ if one is available. We check and find Column 4 ends in an 8♥. Perfect. Move 7♥ from Column 6 onto 8♥ in Column 4 (now that column has a nice 8♥-7♥ heart sequence forming).

Step 3: The big reveal. At long last, Column 6 has no more face-up cards above our target. We have 2♥ sitting on A♦, and both are now free for the taking. We can move 2♥ easily onto a 3♥ somewhere (maybe Column 4, which we know has that 8♥-7♥; does it also have 6♥-5♥-4♥-3♥? If yes, great! If not, perhaps Column 2 had a 3♥). Let’s assume we find a home for 2♥ on a 3♥ in another column. We do that, and now A♦ is fully exposed at the top of Column 6. This Ace can’t go on anything (nothing is lower than an Ace), but remember why we did all this — A♦ was covering a face-down card. With A♦ now the only card in Column 6, we can flip the hidden card beneath it. Flip! It’s a Queen♠ (Q♠). A high card, great. That Q♠ might immediately play onto a King♠ if one is open, or we hold it for a bit. Importantly, Column 6 now has one face-up card (A♦). We could even move that Ace to an empty column if needed, or better, maybe there is a 2♦ somewhere for it. But the main victory: the face-down is gone – we now have full information.

After these maneuvers, we successfully untangled the mixed run in Column 6. What’s left of Column 6 is actually quite manageable: an Ace of diamonds (plus the Queen♠ above it we flipped, if we haven’t moved Q♠ yet). We also created a much healthier tableau: We moved a lot of cards to where they belong (clubs with clubs, hearts with hearts, etc.), we didn’t create any new mess in the process, and we utilized an empty column (Column 10) as a temporary holding area when needed. Notice how we always tried to move in suit when possible (4♦ to 5♦, 6♣-5♣ to 7♣, 7♥ to 8♥). This preserved suit integrity and prevented further chaos. The payoff of this sequence is huge: one of the ugliest columns is now cleaned up, and a crucial hidden card is revealed. You’ve likely opened up several new moves as a result (maybe that Q♠ can jump onto a K♠ elsewhere, freeing another card, and so on). The game suddenly feels winnable again! 🎉

This example shows the power of combining strategies: we used empty slot tactics (moving 3♠ out), suit integrity focus (reuniting clubs and hearts), and high-leverage thinking (flipping a key card) all in one coordinated sequence. When you pull off something like this in Spider Solitaire, take a moment to appreciate it – it’s a sign of true skill. And if it didn’t work out perfectly the first time, don’t fret. These multi-step maneuvers can take a few attempts (and some undo’s) to get right. Practice and persistence will make it second nature.

Worked Example 2: Converting Chaos into a Clean Win

For our second example, let’s tackle a different kind of challenge. Scenario: You’re in the late middle stage of a difficult game. You’ve removed a couple of suit sequences already (so there are some empty columns to leverage), but the remaining cards are a jumble of partial sequences. At this point, the win is within sight if you play smart. Let’s say on the tableau you have the following situation:

• Column 2 is empty (recently cleared by completing a suit).
• Column 5 has a sequence of cards: King♥, Queen♥, Jack♥ sitting atop a few random lower cards.
• Column 8 has another sequence: 10♥, 9♥, 8♥ buried in the middle of the column, with some higher cards on top of that sequence.

Looking at this, you realize something exciting: if you could connect those heart sequences (K-Q-J with 10-9-8), you’d have King♥ through 8♥ in order – a nearly complete run of hearts! That would only need 7♥ through Ace♥ to finish the suit. But right now, these heart sequences are separated: one is in Column 5, another in Column 8, and there are obstacles in between.

Let’s break down the maneuver sequence to merge these into a single clean heart run, using our empty column as the catalyst:

Step 1: Clear the path for hearts. First, identify what’s blocking the heart cards from coming together. In Column 5, below Jack♥, suppose there are a couple of face-down cards and maybe a 4♣ that’s currently on top of the 10♥ in Column 8. And in Column 8, the heart sequence (10♥-9♥-8♥) might have, say, a Jack♣ sitting directly on 10♥, splitting it from the King♥-Queen♥-Jack♥ stack in Col 5. The immediate plan: get rid of the off-suit cards above the heart sequences.

Column 8 has Jack♣ on 10♥ – that Jack♣ has to move. Where can it go? Check if any column has a Queen♣ on top. If, for example, Column 3 ends with Queen♣, we can happily move Jack♣ there (Queen♣->Jack♣, same suit sequence). If no matching Queen of clubs is available, use the empty column (Col 2) as a temporary holding spot. Let’s assume we do find a spot and move J♣ off of the heart sequence onto Q♣ in Column 3. Now Column 8’s top exposed card is 10♥ (the start of our heart sequence) – good.

Meanwhile, Column 5 might have some irrelevant cards beneath the heart trio K-Q-J♥ that we don’t care about now, because we can lift that whole heart trio out as a unit if needed. But double-check: if there’s any card sitting on top of King♥ (in Col 5) that isn’t a heart or isn’t part of that sequence, move it too. Let’s say Column 5 actually had an 8♠ above the King♥ (possible if someone placed it earlier). Clear that 8♠ out – maybe move it to an empty slot or onto a 9♠ if found. After this cleanup, both heart sequences are now free of clutter: Column 5’s top is King♥, and Column 8’s top is 10♥.

Step 2: Use the empty column to relocate and merge. Now we have an empty Column 2 just waiting to help. We want to get the 10♥-9♥-8♥ sequence out of Column 8 and eventually under the K-Q-J♥ from Column 5. But currently, K-Q-J♥ are in Col 5 and 10-9-8♥ are in Col 8; we can’t directly stack because K♥ (13) doesn’t directly go onto anything except an empty, and 10♥ sequence can’t directly attach to J♥ because J♥ is not currently free (it’s in the trio). Here’s a plan:

• Move the 10♥-9♥-8♥ sequence from Column 8 into the empty Column 2. (We can do that because it’s a contiguous descending sequence in the same suit ♥, so it moves as a block). Now Column 2 has 10♥-9♥-8♥ in order, and Column 8 becomes empty after removing them. Great, we actually just freed Column 8 completely, giving us another empty slot. Look at that, moves that create empties are often high-leverage indeed!
• Now, move the King♥-Queen♥-Jack♥ sequence from Column 5 onto the empty Column 8 (which we just cleared). Why not move it directly onto Column 2 where the 10-8 hearts are? Because in Spider Solitaire, we can only move a sequence onto another if the top card fits onto the bottom card of the destination. Here, we have King♥ as the top of one sequence and 10♥ as the bottom of the other – King can’t go on 10 (King is higher rank, it needs an empty or a sequence ending in something like Ace above it which is impossible). So instead, we temporarily move K-Q-J♥ to empty Column 8. Now Column 8 holds K♥ Q♥ J♥ (and nothing else under them, since it was empty).
• Finally, merge them: Take the 10♥-9♥-8♥ from Column 2 and move that sequence onto Jack♥ in Column 8. Because Jack♥ is one rank above 10♥ and they’re the same suit, this move is legal and keeps the suit run intact. And boom! – now Column 8 has King♥, Queen♥, Jack♥, 10♥, 9♥, 8♥ all in one glorious descending stack of hearts. It’s a thing of beauty, a nearly clean run from King to 8.

Look what we accomplished with those moves: we consolidated two separate heart sequences into one long heart sequence. We also ended up with Column 2 empty again (after moving the hearts out of it), and Column 5 is now empty as well (since we moved K-Q-J♥ out). So we went from one empty column to now two empties (Cols 2 and 5), and one column (Col 8) is holding a monster heart sequence.

This merged heart run is poised for success. Once we locate the 7♥ (and 6♥, 5♥, etc., if they aren’t already in place somewhere), we can continue building on that Column 8 heart stack. In fact, because we cleared so much space, chances are we have easy access to those lower hearts or will get them on the next deal. The moment we do, we can complete the entire ♥ suit and lift it off the board. That will leave yet another empty column and remove a huge chunk of cards from play.

High-leverage notes: The sequence we just did is classic expert play. We used an empty column in a two-step dance to relocate sequences (think of it like a shuttle bus ferrying cards around). We prioritized keeping hearts on hearts. At no point did we place a heart on a non-heart just to get by – we kept suit integrity, which will pay off when finishing the suit. And each move was aimed at a big goal: merging sequences and freeing columns. None of it was arbitrary shuffling. The net result was a massive simplification of the tableau: empty columns galore and one nearly-finished suit stack. A few moves later, you indeed finish the hearts, remove them, and suddenly the board is half the size it was. Clean win in progress!

If you follow along with such examples (and perhaps recreate them or similar scenarios while you practice), you’ll start to recognize these patterns in your own games. Any time you see two or more partial runs of the same suit separated by other cards, think “how can I get these together?” Usually it involves an empty space and a temporary shuffle like we did. Master that, and you’ll turn many seemingly unwinnable games into victories.

3-Step Spider Strategy Self-Diagnostic 🕵️‍♂️

After diving into all these advanced tactics, it’s helpful to have a quick self-diagnostic checklist. These are three simple questions you can ask yourself during a game to know if your strategy is on track or going off the rails. Whenever you feel stuck or unsure if a move was wise, pause and run through this checklist:

1. Am I making real progress (or just moving cards around)? – Take a step back and examine the last dozen moves you made. Did they lead to uncovering new cards or completing a sequence? Are more cards face-up now than before? Did a suit stack grow longer? If yes, great — you’re driving the game forward. If not, and you’ve just been shuffling cards from one pile to another without new reveals or removals, it’s a warning sign. An effective strategy will usually show tangible progress every few moves: a flipped card here, a cleared column there. If that’s not happening, reconsider your approach. Sometimes it’s better to stop, undo a few moves, and try a different line of play than to keep circling around.
2. Is my tableau getting cleaner or messier? – Look at the suits and sequences on the board. Do you see long, healthy runs of same-suit cards forming? Or do you see a patchwork of mixed suits piling up? Count how many columns are “mixed runs” vs. how many have nicely ordered sequences. If over time you notice more mixing and scattering (for example, now there are three different suits in that one column that used to be two suits), your strategy might be harming your long-term chances. Aim for a tableau that gets more organized as you play: suits consolidating, not fragmenting. Of course, a little chaos can be temporary, but you want to see things resolving after the chaos. A good sign is when you can point to a couple of columns and say, “I’m actively working on clearing this one” or “This column is all spades now except that one heart I’ll soon move.” If instead you’re thinking “Everything is all over the place!”, take a breather. Re-focus on one area (maybe try to clear one column fully, or gather one suit together). Organization is the end goal, so make sure your moves are gradually creating it, not destroying it.
3. Am I using empty columns to my advantage? – Review how you’ve handled empty slots so far. An empty column is an advantage you earn – so it should be working for you, not sitting ignored or, worse, filled with the wrong card. Ask yourself:
4. Do I currently have an empty column available? If yes, do I have a specific plan for it? (e.g. “I’m keeping that empty until I can free a King from column 7” or “I’ll soon use it to shuffle that long sequence around”). An empty for the sake of empty isn’t enough; it needs a purpose.
5. If you have no empty columns, are you actively trying to create one? If not, you might be missing opportunities – remember even a temporarily empty column can be gold for maneuvering.
6. If you filled an empty, was it with a high-value card/sequence? Did that fill immediately help uncover a card or assemble a suit? Ideally, yes. But if you realize you filled your only empty with, say, a 3 or 4 that’s now just stuck there, that could be a strategic misstep. It might be worth undoing a few moves to reclaim that empty space or replace the filler with a better choice (like a King or a longer run).

In essence, gauge your empty-slot usage. If empties are frequently open and then promptly used in clever ways, you’re doing great. If they’re always filled with low cards or you rarely have one open at all, step back and rethink – perhaps prioritize freeing a column even if it means undoing a less important move.

Use this checklist anytime you feel uncertain. It’s like asking an expert sitting on your shoulder, “Are we doing this right?” The goal is to catch bad habits early (like mindlessly stacking mixed suits, or neglecting the power of an empty slot) and reinforce good habits (like focusing on reveals and clears). With these self-check questions, you’ll develop an intuitive sense of when a strategy is truly effective. And trust me, as you refine your approach, not only will your win rate climb, but the game also becomes a lot more fun – because you’ll start to feel in control even in seemingly chaotic deals.

Conclusion: Practice, Play, and Explore

Congratulations on powering through this deep dive! By now, you’ve expanded your Spider Solitaire arsenal with advanced techniques and a sharper strategic mindset. We covered a lot – from managing your columns like a pro, to keeping those suits in line, to pulling off clever sequences of moves that turn the game in your favor. It’s normal if your head is buzzing with ideas; the best way to settle them is to put them into practice. Why not replay a Spider Solitaire game and put these tips to the test? Start a fresh deal (or load up a tricky one you saved) and consciously apply what we’ve discussed: be deliberate with suits, make space when you can, and always look for that high-leverage breakthrough. You might be surprised at how differently you approach the game now – and how much more often you find a path to victory.

Above all, remember that Spider Solitaire, like any great challenge, is as much about the journey as the destination. Every move is a little experiment, every deal a new puzzle. Part 3 of this series is coming soon, where we’ll wrap up our deep dive with even more insights (and perhaps a look into the mindset that makes champions). Stay tuned! In the meantime, if you’re itching for variety or want to take a breather with a new twist, why not explore the other card game challenges we offer on SolitaireX? From classic Klondike to other tricky variants, there’s a whole world of solitaire to discover. Feel free to check out all our games and see what calls to you. Who knows – sharpening your skills across different games might even loop back and improve your Spider play.

Thank you for reading and for being a part of this journey. 😊 I hope you found this guide both informative and encouraging. Spider Solitaire can be a tough nut to crack, but with strategies like these, you’re well on your way to turning those mixed runs into clean, satisfying wins. Now go flip those cards, enjoy the process, and savor that sweet feeling when everything comes together. Happy card slinging!