How to play Scorpion Solitaire
Scorpion crosses Yukon's wild group moves with Spider's same-suit discipline — and adds a sting: every wrong move buries something you'll need. Assemble four complete King-to-Ace runs, one per suit, entirely on the tableau.
- Moving — any face-up card moves with everything on top of it (any order), but only onto its same-suit neighbor one rank higher.
- Hidden cards — the first four columns hide three cards each; uncover them by moving everything above.
- Empty columns — Kings only. Aces — nothing ever lands on one.
- The reserve — three face-down cards, dealt once onto the first three columns whenever you choose.
Strategy tips that avoid the sting
- Free the hidden twelve first. The twelve face-down cards decide the game — every early move should work toward flipping one.
- Watch for cycles. Because groups carry their riders, it's easy to swap two blockers back and forth forever. If a move doesn't flip, free or extend, skip it.
- Mind the Aces. An Ace dropped on the wrong pile seals everything under it. Park Aces where nothing important sleeps below.
- Hold the reserve for a real lock. Those three cards are one-shot dynamite; spending them while moves remain wastes them.
- Use undo to scout. Scorpion punishes blind moves more than any solitaire here — peek, plan, and back out freely.
Frequently asked questions
What are the rules of Scorpion Solitaire?
All 52 cards are dealt into seven columns (three cards hidden in the first four), with three held back as a reserve. Move any face-up card — together with everything stacked on top of it — onto the card of the SAME suit one rank higher. Empty columns take only Kings, nothing plays on an Ace, and the goal is four complete King-to-Ace suit runs.
How is Scorpion different from Spider Solitaire?
Spider deals from a two-deck stock and lets you stack any suit (though only same-suit runs move). Scorpion uses one deck, everything is on the table from the start, moves are same-suit only, and — like Yukon — the cards riding on top of a move can be in any order.
What is the reserve in Scorpion Solitaire?
Three face-down cards are set aside at the deal. Once per game, you may deal them face up onto the first three columns. Save the reserve for when the board locks up — it is your only lifeline.
Why can nothing be placed on an Ace?
Runs in Scorpion are built downward from King to Ace, so the Ace is always the end of the line. An Ace sitting on top of a pile blocks it until the Ace can move onto its suit's 2.
Are Scorpion Solitaire games winnable?
Fewer than in most solitaires — estimates put careful play around one win in five to ten deals. Look several moves ahead before touching anything: one wrong burial can sting the whole game.
More free card games
Like the family? Try Spider Solitaire and Yukon — Scorpion's two parents — or the classic Klondike.