Chinese Spider

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Chinese Spider Solitaire is to build eight complete sequences of cards in descending order by suit, from King down to Ace, within the tableau piles. Once a sequence is completed, it is moved to a foundation area or automatically removed from play.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: Use two standard 52-card decks, totaling 104 cards.
• Tableau: Arrange twelve tableau piles, each with six cards splayed downward. Only the top card of each pile is dealt face-up; all others are face-down.
• Stock: The remaining cards (if any) are placed face-down as the stock pile, used to introduce new cards into play as the game progresses.
• Foundations: Eight foundation piles are created during play, each to hold a completed King-to-Ace sequence in suit.
• Face-Up/Face-Down: In the tableau, only the top card of each pile is face-up; all other cards in the tableau are face-down and revealed as play continues.

Chinese Spider Solitaire Rules:

• Card Movement: Only the top face-up cards in the tableau are playable. You may move a single card or a group of cards in descending order and in the same suit as a unit.
• Sequence Building: Build tableau piles in descending order by suit (King, Queen, Jack, …, Ace). Sequences must be in the same suit to be moved together; otherwise, only single cards may be moved.
• Moving Cards: Cards or sequences can be moved onto another tableau pile if the move maintains descending order and, for group moves, matching suit.
• Empty Tableau Piles: Any card or valid sequence may be placed into an empty tableau pile.
• Revealing Cards: When a face-up card is moved, the card beneath it (if any) is turned face-up and becomes playable.

Gameplay:

• Typical Actions:
• Move single cards or valid sequences between tableau piles to build descending suit sequences.
• Create empty tableau piles to facilitate movement and sequence building.
• Reveal face-down cards by moving face-up cards off their pile.
• Introducing New Cards:
• When no more legal moves are available, deal cards from the stock pile, typically one card to each tableau pile, face-up.
• No More Legal Moves:
• If the player cannot make any further moves and the stock pile is depleted, the game is lost or unwinnable.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Winning:
• The game is won when all eight sequences (King to Ace, in suit) are built and moved to the foundation area or automatically removed from the tableau.
• Losing/Unwinnable:
• The game is lost if no further legal moves can be made and the stock pile is exhausted, leaving incomplete sequences on the tableau.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Spaces: Any card or valid descending sequence may be placed into an empty tableau pile.
• Group Moves: Only sequences of cards in the same suit and in strict descending order may be moved together as a unit.
• Stock Dealing: Cards from the stock pile are dealt only when no other moves are possible, and typically one card is dealt to each tableau pile.
• Edge Cases:
• If a tableau pile is empty, it may be filled with any card or sequence, providing strategic flexibility.
• If a sequence is not in the same suit, only single cards may be moved.
• Once a complete King-to-Ace sequence in suit is formed, it is immediately removed from the tableau, freeing space for further play.

Definitions:

• Tableau: The main play area consisting of multiple piles where cards are arranged and manipulated.
• Foundation: The area where completed sequences are moved or removed from play.
• Stock: The pile of undealt cards used to introduce new cards into play.
• Sequence: A group of cards in descending order and matching suit, from King to Ace.

This guide synthesizes official and reputable sources to provide a definitive, semantically precise reference for playing Chinese Spider Solitaire.