Big Spider

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Big Spider Solitaire is to assemble eight complete sequences of cards in descending order from King down to Ace, all within the tableau, with each sequence consisting of cards of the same suit. Once a full sequence is completed, it is removed from the tableau. The game is won when all eight sequences have been completed and removed.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: Big Spider Solitaire uses two standard 52-card decks, totaling 104 cards. Jokers are not used.
• Tableau: The tableau consists of 10 columns.
  • Deal 54 cards to the tableau columns:
    • The first 4 columns each receive 6 cards (the bottom card face-up, the rest face-down).
    • The remaining 6 columns each receive 5 cards (the bottom card face-up, the rest face-down).
  • Only the top card of each column is dealt face-up; all others are face-down.
• Stock: The remaining 50 cards form the stock (sometimes called the talon), placed face-down in a separate pile.
• Foundations: There are eight foundation spaces (not physically dealt at the start), each to receive a completed King-to-Ace sequence of the same suit.
• Key Play Areas:
  • Tableau: The main area where cards are played, built, and moved.
  • Stock: The pile from which new cards are dealt onto the tableau.
  • Foundations: The destination for completed sequences.

Big Spider Solitaire Rules:

• Card Movement:
  • Cards in the tableau are built in descending rank (King down to Ace), regardless of suit for single-card moves.
  • Sequences of cards can only be moved together if they are in descending order and of the same suit.
• Building Sequences:
  • You may place any card of one rank lower onto another card (e.g., 7 on 8), regardless of suit for single cards.
  • Only sequences of the same suit can be moved as a group.
  • When a complete sequence from King to Ace of the same suit is formed in a tableau column, it is automatically removed to a foundation space.
• Moving Cards:
  • Only the top face-up card of each tableau column is available for play or movement.
  • When a face-up card is moved, the card beneath (if any) is turned face-up.
  • Any card or valid sequence may be moved to an empty tableau column.
• Stock Dealing:
  • When no further moves are possible or desired, deal one card from the stock onto each tableau column (10 cards total per deal).
  • New cards may only be dealt if there are no empty tableau columns.

Gameplay:

• On each turn, you may:
  • Move a face-up card to another tableau column, building down by rank.
  • Move a sequence of cards (descending order, same suit) as a unit to another tableau column.
  • Fill empty tableau columns with any card or valid sequence.
  • Turn face-up the next card in a column after moving a face-up card.
• When no more moves are possible or you wish to introduce new cards, deal 10 new cards from the stock (one per tableau column). This can only be done if all tableau columns are occupied.
• Play continues with moving, building, and dealing until all cards are assembled into eight King-to-Ace sequences of the same suit and removed from the tableau, or no further moves are possible.
• If you cannot make any legal moves and the stock is depleted, the game is lost.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Win: The game is won when all eight complete King-to-Ace sequences of the same suit have been assembled and removed from the tableau to the foundations.
• Lose: The game is lost or unwinnable if:
  • No further legal moves are possible, and
  • The stock is depleted (no cards left to deal).

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Tableau Columns: Any card or valid sequence may be placed in an empty tableau column.
• Stock Dealing Restriction: You cannot deal cards from the stock if there are any empty tableau columns; all columns must contain at least one card before dealing.
• Sequence Movement: Only sequences of the same suit in perfect descending order can be moved as a unit. Mixed-suit sequences must be separated before moving as a group.
• Undo: Many digital versions allow undoing previous moves, but this is not a standard rule in physical play.
• Unwinnable States: If the tableau becomes blocked (e.g., all moves require breaking up same-suit sequences or no cards can be moved), and the stock is exhausted, the game is unwinnable.

Definitions of Key Terms:

• Tableau: The primary area of play, consisting of 10 columns where cards are built and moved.
• Stock (Talon): The pile of undealt cards, used to introduce new cards into the tableau.
• Foundation: The area where completed King-to-Ace sequences of the same suit are placed (not physically dealt at the start).

This guide reflects the standard rules for the four-suit version of Big Spider Solitaire, which is the most challenging and widely recognized variant.