Solitaire vs Spider Solitaire: What's the Difference?

The Two Most Popular Solitaire Games

Klondike Solitaire and Spider Solitaire are the two most widely played solitaire card games in the world. Both were bundled with Microsoft Windows — Klondike since 1990, Spider since 1998 — introducing hundreds of millions of people to digital card games. But despite sharing the "Solitaire" name, they play quite differently. Here's how they compare.

At a Glance

| Feature | Klondike Solitaire | Spider Solitaire | |---|---|---| | Decks | 1 (52 cards) | 2 (104 cards) | | Columns | 7 | 10 | | Hidden cards | Yes | Yes | | Foundation building | Manual (A-to-K by suit) | Automatic (K-to-A same-suit) | | Empty column rule | Kings only | Any card | | Stock mechanic | Draw 1 or 3 cards | Deal 10 at once | | Win rate | ~25-30% | ~60% (1-suit) | | Game length | 5-15 minutes | 10-30 minutes | | Difficulty levels | One | Three (1/2/4 suits) |

How the Rules Differ

Klondike Solitaire

• 7 columns with increasing numbers of cards (1 to 7)
• Build tableau in descending order, alternating colors (red on black, black on red)
• Move cards to four foundations manually, building each suit from Ace up to King
• Only Kings can be placed in empty columns
• Draw from stock one card at a time to a waste pile
• Win by completing all four foundations

Spider Solitaire

• 10 columns with 5-6 cards each across two decks
• Build tableau in descending rank (suit matching matters only for moving groups)
• Complete K-to-A same-suit sequences are automatically removed
• Any card can go in an empty column
• Stock deals 10 cards at once (one per column), and all columns must be non-empty to deal
• Win by completing all 8 sequences (two decks = 8 suits)

The Foundation Difference

This is the biggest gameplay difference:

In Klondike, you actively build foundations by moving individual cards from the tableau or waste. The foundations are the goal, and you interact with them constantly.

In Spider, you never touch the foundations directly. Instead, you focus on building complete 13-card sequences within the tableau, which are removed automatically. The game feels more like constructing and less like sorting.

Scale and Length

Klondike is compact: 52 cards, 7 columns, and games that typically resolve in 5-15 minutes. It's perfect for a quick break.

Spider is larger: 104 cards, 10 columns, and games that take 10-30 minutes. The larger scale creates a more immersive experience but requires a bigger time commitment.

Difficulty and Win Rate

Klondike has a win rate of roughly 25-30% with good play. The hidden cards and limited stock create situations where the game simply can't be won regardless of your decisions. The single difficulty level means every game is the same moderate challenge.

Spider in 1-suit mode has a higher win rate (~60%), but in 4-suit mode, the win rate drops to 1-3%. The three difficulty levels let you choose your challenge:

• 1-suit: Easier than Klondike (suit matching is irrelevant)
• 2-suit: Comparable difficulty, different strategy
• 4-suit: Much harder than Klondike

Hidden Information

Both games feature face-down cards, adding uncertainty. In Klondike, the stock pile is also hidden. In Spider, the stock is hidden too, but deals come in 10-card blocks rather than one at a time, creating more dramatic swings.

The experience of revealing hidden cards is satisfying in both games, but Spider typically has more face-down cards at the start (44 out of 54 dealt cards are face-down vs. 21 out of 28 in Klondike).

Which Is More Strategic?

Both games reward strategic thinking, but in different ways:

Klondike strategy focuses on:

• When to draw from stock vs. move tableau cards
• Foundation timing (when to move cards up vs. keep them for building)
• Uncovering face-down cards efficiently
• King placement in empty columns

Spider strategy focuses on:

• Building long same-suit sequences
• Managing empty columns as temporary storage
• Timing deals from the stock
• Prioritizing which face-down cards to uncover

Who Should Play Which?

Choose Klondike Solitaire if you:

• Want a quick 5-10 minute game
• Prefer a compact, focused experience
• Enjoy the classic foundation-building mechanic
• Are new to solitaire games
• Want the iconic, universally recognized version

Choose Spider Solitaire if you:

• Enjoy longer, more involved games
• Want adjustable difficulty
• Prefer building sequences over sorting foundations
• Like the flexibility of placing any card in empty columns
• Want a bigger challenge (in 2-suit or 4-suit modes)

Try Both

The best way to understand the difference is to play both side by side:

• Play Solitaire — the timeless classic
• Play Spider Solitaire — the two-deck sequence builder

Both are free to play in your browser, with no download required.

Further Reading

• Solitaire Rules — complete Klondike rules
• Spider Solitaire Rules — complete Spider rules
• Solitaire Strategy — tips for winning more Klondike games
• Spider Solitaire Strategy — strategies for Spider
• Solitaire vs FreeCell — how Klondike compares to FreeCell