Play Relaxed Spider Solitaire

What is Relaxed Spider Solitaire?

Relaxed Spider Solitaire is a player-friendly modification of traditional Spider Solitaire that removes the empty-column dealing restriction. In standard Spider, you cannot deal new cards from the stock if any tableau column is empty - you must fill all empty spaces first. The relaxed variant eliminates that block entirely, letting you bank empty columns as permanent workspaces throughout the game. This single rule change transforms Spider from a precision puzzle into a flowing, satisfying experience with a win rate near 95%.

Relaxed Spider Solitaire history

Spider Solitaire itself dates to the mid-20th century and gained mass popularity as a built-in Windows game starting in 1998. The "Relaxed" variant emerged as digital game developers responded to player frustration with unsolvable dead-end states. Casual browser and mobile game platforms adopted the relaxed dealing rule to serve players looking for a meditative, stress-free puzzle rather than a precision challenge. The variant has no single credited inventor - it evolved across multiple independent implementations in the early 2000s.

Relaxed Spider deal layout

Two decks, all one suit, deal across ten columns. Columns 1-4 receive six cards each; columns 5-10 receive five each. Only the top card of every column starts face-up. Stock holds 50 cards, dealt as five rounds of 10 (one per column).

Column	Total cards	Face-down	Face-up	Notes
1-4	6 each	5	1	Deeper stacks - more hidden cards to uncover
5-10	5 each	4	1	Shallower stacks - faster to clear
Stock pile	50	50	0	5 deals of 10 cards (one per column each deal)

Key difference from standard Spider: In relaxed mode you may trigger any stock deal regardless of whether columns are empty. This lets you keep one or more columns fully cleared as permanent staging lanes.

How to play Relaxed Spider Solitaire - step by step

Scan the opening deal for any immediately playable same-rank runs and move them to consolidate the board before touching the stock.
Prioritize revealing face-down cards - always look for a move that flips a new card over sequence-building moves that add no new information.
When a column empties, do NOT rush to fill it. In relaxed mode, empty columns are your most powerful tool. Hold them for repositioning entire stacks.
Build pure descending sequences (K down to A, same suit) wherever possible. Mixed-suit stacks can be placed but cannot be moved as a unit.
Deal from the stock only after exhausting all useful tableau moves. Each deal adds 10 cards - fewer tableau moves before dealing means a messier board.
Use empty columns to break apart messy mixed-suit stacks and rebuild them in suit order to enable long-range sequence completions.
Complete a full King-to-Ace same-suit run to send it to foundations. Eight completions wins the game.

Strategies to win Relaxed Spider Solitaire

Bank empty columns: Because you can deal with empty columns, resist filling them with cards unless you have a specific plan for what goes there.
Delay stock deals: Exhaust all tableau moves before each deal to prevent unnecessary board congestion.
Sequence purity over speed: Mixed stacks are legal but immovable as units - prioritize building clean same-suit sequences that can be relocated later.
Work the deep columns first: Columns 1-4 start with 5 face-down cards each. Opening them early gives the most new information.
Keep Kings loose: A King that can be placed in an empty column is your single most flexible piece for reorganizing the whole board.

Relaxed mode strategy tip: The single biggest mistake in Relaxed Spider is treating it like standard Spider and rushing to fill every empty column. Empty columns in relaxed mode are free workspaces you can keep indefinitely. A game with two or three preserved empty columns is almost always winnable. A game where every column stays full from deal two onward is an uphill battle even in relaxed mode.

Spider Solitaire family comparison

Relaxed Spider sits at the easiest end of the Spider family. Here is how the major variants compare by difficulty and win rate.

Game	Suits in play	Empty-col rule	Est. win rate	Difficulty
Relaxed Spider	1 (one suit)	None - deal any time	~95%	Beginner
Spider One Suit	1 (one suit)	Must fill all cols first	~65%	Easy
Spiderette	4 suits	Must fill all cols first	~10%	Medium
Spider Two Suits	2 suits	Must fill all cols first	~25%	Hard
Spider Four Suits	4 suits	Must fill all cols first	~8%	Expert
Simple Simon	4 suits	No stock - full info	~2-5%	Expert

How difficult is Relaxed Spider Solitaire?

Relaxed Spider is the easiest entry point in the Spider family. The one-suit setup means every card can be placed on any card one rank higher - no suit-matching required for placement. And removing the empty-column dealing block eliminates the main way standard Spider produces unsolvable states. Most deals are winnable in under 30 minutes with basic strategic awareness.

What is Relaxed Spider Solitaire win percentage?

The practical win rate for Relaxed Spider is approximately 95%. The relaxed dealing rule prevents most dead-end states, and the single-suit requirement means sequence building is nearly always possible. The small percentage of losses come from extremely poor stock deals that bury necessary cards under irrecoverable stacks before empty columns can be established.

What is the difference between Relaxed Spider and standard Spider Solitaire?

The only rule difference is the empty-column dealing restriction. In standard Spider (One, Two, and Four Suits), you cannot click the stock pile if any tableau column is empty - the game forces you to fill all empty spaces first. In Relaxed Spider, this restriction is completely removed. You can maintain a column as permanently empty and deal from the stock any time cards remain. That single change raises the win rate from about 65% (one suit) to about 95%, and transforms the strategic character of the game from constraint management to proactive workspace planning.

Relaxed Spider Solitaire FAQ

Can I win every game of Relaxed Spider Solitaire?

Nearly every deal is winnable. With the undo button and careful play, a skilled player can approach 100% completion. Without undo, the ~5% of genuinely difficult deals involve early stock burying that leaves key cards inaccessible even with multiple empty columns. Focus on not spending empty columns on trivial moves early in the game and you will win most deals comfortably.

Is Relaxed Spider better for mobile play?

Yes. The relaxed dealing rule removes the constraint that creates most "stuck" states in mobile Spider play - the moment where you accidentally empty a column before it's useful and must immediately fill it from your remaining cards. Mobile sessions are typically shorter and the forgiving relaxed rules turn Spider into a comfortable 15-20 minute win rather than a precision challenge requiring sustained focus.

Why can't I deal cards even in Relaxed Spider?

In relaxed mode, the only reason dealing is blocked is that you have exhausted all 50 stock cards across the five deals. If the deal button appears inactive and you believe stock remains, check whether the game UI shows your deal count - five full deals of 10 cards each account for all 50 stock cards. After the fifth deal, no more stock dealing is possible and you must complete the game with the cards currently on the board.

What is the best opening move in Relaxed Spider?

Always prioritize moves that flip a face-down card over moves that simply rearrange two already-visible cards. The four deeper columns (1-4) start with 5 face-down cards each versus 4 in the shallower columns. Opening a card in one of the deeper columns produces the most new strategic information per move and is almost always the best first choice when multiple options exist.

Are empty columns more important in Relaxed Spider?

Yes, significantly more so than in standard Spider. In standard Spider, an empty column is a temporary liability you must quickly fill. In relaxed Spider, an empty column is a permanent strategic asset you should actively protect. Use them as staging lanes to disassemble mixed stacks, relocate King-led stacks, and create the clean suit runs that earn foundation placements. The more empty columns you maintain, the more complex reorganization maneuvers become available.

Relaxed Spider Solitaire