How to Play Scorpion Solitaire: Rules, Setup, and Strategy

Scorpion Solitaire is a variant that sits between Klondike and Spider in complexity. Like Spider, it builds same-suit sequences on the tableau and auto-removes completed runs. Unlike Spider, it uses only one deck, deals seven columns, and gives you free movement of any face-up group in a valid same-suit sequence. The result is a game that rewards careful planning over fast card-moving.

What makes Scorpion different

Most solitaire variants ask you to build foundations separately from the tableau. In Klondike, you move cards from the tableau columns to four foundation piles in the top right. In Scorpion, the foundations are completed directly on the tableau by forming full same-suit sequences from King down to Ace. When a complete run appears in a column, it is automatically removed.

The movement rule is also more powerful than in Klondike. You can move any face-up card and all the face-up cards on top of it that are in descending same-suit sequence to any legal destination. This means you often move large groups at once, which opens up buried cards faster but also requires more careful planning about where groups land.

Setup

Scorpion uses a standard 52-card deck. The layout at the start of a game is:

• Seven columns of seven cards each (49 cards total in the tableau)
• Columns 1 through 4 have the top three cards face-down and the bottom four face-up
• Columns 5 through 7 have all seven cards face-up
• Three cards set aside face-down as a reserve (the remaining 3 cards from the 52-card deck)

The face-down cards at the top of the first four columns are what you are working to uncover. When a face-down card is exposed (all cards on top of it have been moved), it is turned face-up and becomes playable.

Rules: how moves work

The core movement rule in Scorpion: you may move any face-up card, along with all face-up cards stacked on top of it in a valid same-suit descending sequence, onto a card that is one rank higher and the same suit.

For example, a 7 of Hearts can be placed on an 8 of Hearts. The 5, 4, and 3 of Hearts sitting on that 7 come along for the move. The destination card must be the same suit.

A group does not need to be in a clean sequence to be moved from its source. If a 9 of Spades has a 7 of Hearts sitting on top of it, you can still move the 9 of Spades along with the 7 of Hearts to any 10 of Spades. The 7 of Hearts is just cargo that comes along because it happens to be on top.

Empty columns can accept any card or group. Kings can only be placed in empty columns or at the start of a new sequence in an empty column.

When a King-to-Ace sequence in the same suit is formed anywhere in a column, it is removed from the board and counted as a completed foundation. Win all four foundations to win the game.

The reserve deal

The three reserve cards are your one and only resupply. When you deal them, one card goes face-up onto each of the first three columns. You have no choice about which column receives which card. The deal is irreversible.

This mechanic has two consequences. First, the reserve can cover up useful face-up cards in the first three columns, making previously available moves temporarily unavailable. Second, if you have an empty column among the first three when you deal, the reserve card fills it. This is sometimes useful and sometimes disastrous depending on what card appears.

5 strategy tips

1. 1

   Uncover face-down cards first

   Every face-down card is a hidden variable. The faster you flip them, the sooner you can plan properly. When choosing between a move that advances a sequence and a move that exposes a face-down card, usually prefer the exposure unless the sequence is critical.
2. 2

   Keep empty columns available

   An empty column is a temporary parking spot for any group you need to move out of the way. In the late game, you will often need to shuffle groups between columns to sort them by suit. Without empty columns, this becomes impossible. Resist the temptation to fill empty columns with Kings unless you have a clear plan for that King.
3. 3

   Build same-suit sequences intentionally

   Mixed-suit piles are dead weight. A 9 of Hearts on top of an 8 of Clubs cannot be moved as a useful group to complete either suit. When you see a choice between a same-suit placement and a cross-suit one, always prefer same-suit even if cross-suit looks cleaner at the moment.
4. 4

   Save the reserve for when you are truly stuck

   The reserve deal is one-time and irreversible. Many players deal it too early, covering face-up cards they still needed and wasting the extra cards on a board that was not yet in the right shape. Wait until you have exhausted all tableau moves before dealing the reserve.
5. 5

   Track all four suits simultaneously

   Scorpion requires you to complete all four suits. A common mistake is to focus entirely on one suit while neglecting the others until it is too late. Scan the board for all four suits at once and make sure each has a viable path to completion before committing to a single-suit push.

Common mistakes

The most frequent error in Scorpion is moving a group just because the top card has a legal destination, without checking whether the bottom card of the group will land somewhere useful. You might move a 9 of Spades (with three other cards on top) onto a 10 of Spades, only to realize the three cards on top are now blocking the very sequence you needed in the source column.

A second common mistake is filling every empty column with a King immediately. Kings are not valuable in empty columns unless they have a clear path to gathering the Queen through Ace of their suit beneath them. An empty column is often worth more than a King planted in it.

Finally, new players often deal the reserve too early. If you deal when the board still has useful moves, you will cover face-up cards that were about to be moved, disrupting your plan. Always exhaust the tableau before reaching for the reserve.

Frequently asked questions