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Overview of Scorpion Solitaire

Scorpion Solitaire is a challenging one-deck card game (also known as a patience game). It’s loosely related to Spider Solitaire and Yukon, but with its own unique layout and rules. The main objective is to build four columns (tableau piles) in descending order by suit, running from King down to Ace. In the standard setup, 49 cards are dealt into seven tableau piles – the first four piles get three cards face-down and four face-up, while the last three piles have all seven cards face-up. The remaining 3 cards are set aside as the stock (or “tail”), to be dealt later. Because nearly every card starts on the tableau, Scorpion Solitaire demands careful planning: uncover face-down cards quickly and leave empty columns open for kings to maximize your options.

How to Play

1. Initial Setup: Shuffle one 52-card deck and deal to the tableau. Create seven columns on the table. In the first four columns, deal 3 cards face-down and then 4 cards face-up on top. In the remaining three columns, deal 7 cards all face-up. Place the final three leftover cards face-down aside as the stock pile.

2. Making Moves: Build cards in the tableau down by rank and in the same suit. You can move any face-up card (along with any cards that lie on top of it) onto another tableau column if the destination top card is one rank higher and of the same suit. For example, you can move a 7♥ onto an 8♥. Any sequence of cards you move must stay together as a unit (you cannot move only part of a face-up stack). Empty tableau columns can only be filled with a King (or a sequence headed by a King). Whenever you expose a face-down card by moving the card on top of it, turn that newly exposed card face-up immediately. Continue to rearrange cards this way, building partial sequences to free up hidden cards and bring more cards into play.

3. Dealing the Stock: When no more useful moves remain (or if you choose to use it), deal the three reserved cards. Place one card from the stock onto each of the first three tableau columns. (In some implementations, you must use up available moves before dealing the stock.) After dealing, continue moving cards as before with the newly added face-up cards.

4. Winning the Game: Keep building suited sequences and moving cards until you complete a full King-down-to-Ace run in each suit. In many versions, each completed suit is automatically removed (to a foundation area) when finished. The game is won once all four suits have been completed and the tableau is cleared.

Game Rules

• Use a single 52-card deck. Deal 49 cards into the tableau and set 3 aside as the stock.
• Build cards in each tableau column downward by rank and in the same suit. You may move any face-up card, along with all cards on top of it, onto another column whose top card is the next higher rank in that same suit.
• Only a King (or a sequence starting with a King) can occupy an empty tableau column.
• When a face-down card is exposed (the card above it has been moved), it is turned face-up immediately.
• When no more moves are possible or advisable, deal the three stock cards by placing one face-up on each of the first three columns. Then continue making any new moves.
• The game is won when four complete suit sequences (King-to-Ace in each suit) have been built. In many implementations, each completed sequence is removed from the tableau, helping free space for the remaining cards.

Strategies and Tips

Winning at Scorpion Solitaire requires careful strategy and patience. Keep these tips in mind:

• Uncover face-down cards early. Every hidden card you flip adds potential moves. Prioritize moves that expose face-down cards to open up the tableau.
• Delay using the stock. Do not deal the 3 reserved cards until you have exhausted all your current moves. Early use of the stock can block options; wait until it’s your last resort.
• Use empty columns wisely. Only a King can fill a vacant column. Avoid moving a King (or a king-sequence) into an empty space unless it really helps. Keeping empty columns available can be crucial for reshuffling cards later.
• Be careful with Aces. Since no card can go on top of an Ace, exposing an Ace can limit your moves. Avoid uncovering Aces unless necessary, and try to build sequences so that an Ace ends up at the bottom of a column.
• Avoid “unsafe” piles. Do not bury higher cards under lower cards of the same suit. For example, do not place a 6♦ on top of a 7♦ if the 6♦ will be stuck above a hidden 5♦. Always check that each move can eventually be completed before blocking a card.
• Plan moves ahead. Before making a move, trace through the needed sequence. Ensure the card you want to build on is accessible (or that you have an empty column for a King). This “chain checking” helps avoid deadlocks where cards are in a circular wait.

Related Games

• Spider Solitaire – A classic two-deck solitaire game focused on building same-suit sequences.
• Spider Solitaire (2 Suits) – A medium-difficulty Spider variant using two suits (e.g. Spades and Hearts) with the goal of arranging cards into King-to-Ace runs.
• Spider Solitaire (4 Suits) – The most challenging Spider variant, using four suits (104 cards) to form and clear complete sequences.
• Simple Simon Solitaire – A one-deck, all-cards-dealt “Spider” variant. It’s easier than full Spider and also requires building King-to-Ace sequences in the tableau.
• Easthaven Solitaire – A Spider-like game (also called EastHaven) that mixes Spider and Klondike mechanics. The goal is to move all cards to four foundation piles (one per suit, Ace-to-King).

Each of these related games emphasizes sequence-building in the tableau, offering varied levels of difficulty for players looking to test their solitaire skills.

Sources: Official rules and gameplay guides for Scorpion and related solitaire games.

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