Hey everyone!

I've been playing a lot lately and I'm finding it both fun and frustrating. I'm mostly on the intermediate (two-suit) level, but I often get stuck mid-game with no good moves left. I try to keep columns open and build sequences, but spider solitaire still manages to block me at times.

Are there specific strategies or patterns you follow to improve your chances of winning? Also, how important is the initial layout when deciding your first moves?

Would love to hear tips or even mistakes to avoid.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

I real like "Spitfire Soloist"

 

Spoiler: Source: ChatGPT KI

Hey! Totally get the love-hate relationship with Spider Solitaire — especially on intermediate (two-suit) level. It’s challenging in a satisfying way, but can also feel like a brick wall when the moves dry up. You’re already doing a couple of key things right (keeping columns open and building sequences), but let’s go deeper into strategy and things to watch for.

Key Strategies to Improve Your Win Rate
1. Empty Columns Are Gold
You already mentioned this — great instinct. Here's why they’re so valuable:

• You can use empty columns to temporarily park sequences while rearranging others.
  
  
• They allow you to move entire mixed-suit stacks to organize them better.
  

Pro tip: Don’t fill an empty column unless it helps you create or extend a full descending sequence (preferably in the same suit). Otherwise, you're just limiting your own flexibility.

2. Don’t Deal New Cards Too Early
Before you click “Deal” to get new cards:

• Try to make at least one empty column first.
  
  
• Clean up and organize as many sequences as possible.
  

Dealing over disorganized columns with mismatched suits just creates more chaos. Timing the deal is crucial.

3. Work the Rightmost Columns First
Because you uncover cards from top to bottom, prioritize making moves in the rightmost columns first. This opens up more hidden cards earlier and gives you better chances of finding useful sequences.

4. Prioritize Same-Suit Sequences
Yes, you can technically stack descending cards in mixed suits, but that’s only a temporary move. Your end goal should always be to form sequences in the same suit, because only those can be cleared.

If you have a choice between building:

• A same-suit sequence (even if shorter),
  
  
• Or a longer mixed-suit stack,
  

Go for the same-suit one.

❌ Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Filling empty columns with random cards — unless you're immediately solving something, that space is better left open.
  
  
• Overusing mixed-suit stacking — it’s a trap! It looks good at first but becomes hard to dismantle.
  
  
• Dealing too early — can block access to key sequences.
  
  
• Focusing on short-term gains — e.g., stacking cards just because it’s possible, without thinking ahead.
  

The Importance of the Initial Layout
Yes, your starting board matters — a lot. Here’s what to look for:

• If there are multiple aces or low cards buried under high ones, it may take longer to start clearing stacks.
  
  
• Count how many cards of the same suit you can see — a more balanced spread means fewer frustrating bottlenecks.
  
  
• Look for early opportunities to move full same-suit sequences or create empty columns.
  

Advanced Tip: Use Card Tracking (Mentally)
Try to keep track of suits that are already in use or sequences that are building up in certain columns. That way, you don’t waste time trying to force a move with a suit that’s been mostly buried or used.

Let me know if you'd like a visual example of a board situation — or even want to share one you're stuck on. Happy to help analyze it!

 

which version are you playing? on Windows 11 the new version of Solitaire has some kind of auto-hint mode and rollback, so you can see where exactly you made the mistake

 

I used to kinda laugh at my wife for playing Microsoft Solitaire on her tablet.. then I got a tablet, and I eventually installed it, and I play through the daily challenges on there EVERY DAMN DAY lol. I used to be a big gamer, and now this is practically all I play. I don't tend to get stuck on anything for very long, no matter which type of solitair, although some stuff definitely is harder. My two favorite game types are Spider and Freecell, as I find them the most challenging and least boring of the game types.

First thing I will say is that more often than not, before flipping down any row of cards, you want to do as best as you can with what's there The first row tends to be quite important in a lot of games. If you're playing harder levels, then you're going to have to accept that you're going to have some cards that are mismatched suits initially. I do a lot of undoing in this type of solitaire, which might not be possible for you in whatever version you play. It's allowed in MS' Spider Solitaire.

Anyways, sometimes if there's a same-suit move (like say a 6 of spades that can go under a 7 of spades) and also an off-suit move (ex. a 6 of hearts also), I'll go with the offsuit move first to see what card will be pulled next, and then potentially undo depending on what came up. Also, when there's multiple same cards showing and you have a move with that particular card, I'll play one of them, and if the card below it is something that I dont think I'll need right away or is showing lots of already, then I'll undo and try a different one of that same card. So, with that in mind, sometimes the off-suit move makes sense to do, if it starts giving you a lot more sequences of cards to play from what is under it.

Having a hard time words'ing here. LOL hope you understand my explanation and that it helps.