Spider solitaire is one of the versions of solitaire games that are commonly played in the world. Solitaire, on the other hand, known as Patience in Europe, comprises many versions of card games that a single player can play alone.
Both games can be played with a deck of cards, or using the multitude of free online platforms. In fact, there exist over 500 versions of solitaire for download, including spider solitaire as well.
What are some of the contrasts between spider solitaire and solitaire itself? Solitaire is considered a composition of many single-player card games with different rules that vary from one game to another. On the other hand, Spider solitaire is one of these games that belong in the solitaire family, but holds specific rules and regulations to clear the cards from the table.
In Spider Solitaire, a player is expected to make four foundations of cards using an ascending sequence from the Ace to the King. The sequence of the card in terms of color matters and once the four foundations piles are complete, the player wins the game.
In the end, Solitaire encompasses a variety of games, and Spider Solitaire is one of those specific types of games to play alone using regular playing cards. Answered below are frequently asked questions about the difference between Solitaire and Spider Solitaire.
Why is it called Spider Solitaire?
Spider solitaire name originated in 1949 because the games setup uses eight legs in its layout, just like the eight legs of a spider. In addition, all the eight-foundation piles have to be filled for the player to win the game.
Solitaire began back in the 18th century where it was only known in a few countries like the UK. It was known as Patience in Great Britain, Success in France, and Kabai in Portugal and Norway. The game was unpopular for some years, but in the 19th century it became popular once again in France and UK, which gave rise to new versions including spider solitaire.
Which version of solitaire is the best?
Most people connect the word solitaire with a specific type of single-player card game known as Klondike, despite there being multiple versions of solitaire.
Klondike solitaire is the most popular version played across the world, especially on computer apps. However, nowadays, other versions such as spider solitaire are competing for the top spot as the best solitaire game.
Klondike solitaire is played with a single deck of 52 cards. The game’s main objective is to arrange a stack of cards that suit an ascending order from Ace to the King into foundations pile.
The game has seven Tableau that are dealt with cards facing down apart from the top card, face-up. After the cards have been dealt into the Tableau piles, the remaining cards form a stockpile that help the player sequence cards in order.
Klondike solitaire may be the best version of solitaire games, but another version is doing well on solitaire websites. These single player card games include:
- Spider
- FreeCell
- Tripeaks
- Pyramid
- Forty thieves
- Yukon
What is the hardest type of solitaire?
There are four difficult solitaire games: Canfield, Spider Four Suits, Scorpion, and Forty Thieves.
- Forty Thieves: It’s a version of solitaire played with two decks of 52 cards. It has 10 piles dealt with four cards in each of the piles and eight foundations on the game Tableau, which must be filled with a stack of cards in ascending order.
- Spider Four-Suit: The game is played like spider solitaire using two decks with 52 cards. What makes it challenging is that a player has to stack the foundation piles using individual suits for them to win the game.
- Scorpion Solitaire: The game setup takes the combination of both Yukon solitaire and spider game, making it the toughest game ever in terms of gameplay and layout. A player has to form four piles of suited cards. requiring the player to move cards in order to form the sequence.
- Canfield Solitaire: The version is difficult because all the reserve cards are hidden from the player. The game allows three cards to be dealt from the stockpile, which implies the cards played earlier can have a significant impact on the stock cards available for the gameplay later on.
What is the difference between spider solitaire and solitaire?
Despite the main goal of both games being to turn all the cards face-up, the difference arises in how the stack of cards is arranged on the Tableau and when forming the foundation piles.
In regular solitaire, the cards from the Tableau piles are arranged to form a suit of cards with an ascending order from the Ace to the King. Cards are placed in alternate colors, therefore a card of the same color cannot place on top of each other.
In spider solitaire, a player has to rearrange the cards from the Tableau piles in descending order from the King to the Ace card. The sequence doesn’t follow the color suit, and cards of any color can be placed on top of another card, provided its one digit numerically less compared to that of the covered card on the tableau pile.
Spider Solitaire and Solitaire: Conclusion
There exist different versions of solitaire games around the world, and Microsoft Windows software has definitely contributed to the popularity of solitaire worldwide. However, the original game was played by a single person with a deck of playing cards on a table.
Klondike card game still reigns over other solitaire card games, though recently, solitaire games like the Spider, FreeCell, and Pyramid have gained popularity to compete at the top spot as the most popular versions of Solitaire.
Spider solitaire is a historical name that emerged due to how the game layout looked after the eight foundations pile are filled with cards. Once all the eight foundation piles are completed, they have to be discarded and resemble the eight legs of a spider.
The only difference between a spider solitaire and a regular solitaire is how the cards are arranged on the foundation piles. For regular solitaire, the cards are arranged in ascending order from the Ace to the King with an alternating color suit, while in spider solitaire, the cards are arranged in descending order from the King to Ace, and the color suit does not matter.
As more and more people play solitaire, the popularity shifts, but these centuries old card games have no intention of leaving the playing field at anytime soon.