Scorpion Solitaire - Play Online Free
Scorpion is a challenging single-deck solitaire that blends the feel of Spider with the freedom of Yukon. You build same-suit descending sequences across seven columns, but unlike Spider you can move any face-up card along with everything on top of it, regardless of order. The same-suit goal combined with the tight seven-column layout makes Scorpion a sharp, strategic puzzle. This free online Scorpion Solitaire plays instantly in your browser — no download and no sign-up.
What Is Scorpion Solitaire?
Scorpion is a single-player card game played with one standard 52-card deck. Forty-nine cards are dealt into seven columns of seven, and three reserve cards are held back to be dealt later. The objective is to build four complete same-suit sequences, each running from King down to Ace, right within the tableau; completed runs are then cleared. Unlike most games, there are no separate foundation piles to build up rank by rank — you assemble the King-to-Ace runs directly in the columns.
The defining feature of the scorpion game is its movement freedom. As in Yukon, you can pick up any face-up card together with the disordered pile resting on it and move the whole group, provided the card you land on is the same suit and one rank higher. This lets you dig out buried cards and reorganize aggressively, but the strict same-suit building and limited seven columns keep things tense. With a win rate around 20–30%, Scorpion is a genuine challenge that rewards bold reorganization and careful planning.
How to Play Scorpion
Setup and Deal
Deal 49 cards into seven columns of seven cards each. In the first three columns, the bottom four cards are face-down and the top three face-up; the remaining four columns are dealt entirely face-up. The three leftover cards form a small reserve, dealt one to each of the first three columns when you choose. Four same-suit King-to-Ace runs assembled in the tableau are your goal.
Objective
Build four complete same-suit sequences from King down to Ace within the tableau. When a full King-to-Ace run of one suit forms, it is cleared. The game is won when all four suits have been assembled and the tableau is empty.
Rules
- Build tableau columns in descending rank with same-suit cards only.
- Move any face-up card — and all cards on top of it — to a valid target, regardless of whether they form a sequence.
- Only Kings (or groups headed by a King) can fill empty columns.
- Complete same-suit sequences from King to Ace are removed once assembled.
- The 3 reserve cards can be dealt one to each of the first 3 columns when needed.
Scorpion Strategy Tips
- Uncovering the face-down cards in the first three columns is your top priority.
- Use the free-movement rule to reorganize cards aggressively, even when the moved group is not in sequence.
- Same-suit building is restrictive, so scan all seven columns before committing to a move.
- Save the three reserve cards for when you are genuinely stuck, since they can unlock new moves.
- Decide early which column will host each suit's King-to-Ace run and build toward it.
- Avoid burying a card you will need to complete a run — think before relocating a large pile.
Scorpion vs. Spider Solitaire
Scorpion is often compared to Spider because both build same-suit descending runs, but they play very differently. Spider uses two decks and ten columns and only lets you move properly sequenced groups; Scorpion uses a single deck and seven columns and lets you move any face-up card with everything on top of it, Yukon-style. That freedom makes Scorpion feel more open, but the single deck and tight layout, plus the same-suit requirement, make it generally harder to win. Fans of Spider looking for a different rhythm often find the scorpion game a refreshing, tougher cousin.
Tips for Beginners
New to Scorpion? Your first job is to free the face-down cards hiding in the first three columns, so make moves that expose them. Embrace the move-any-card rule to relocate messy piles and dig toward the cards you need. Build same-suit runs deliberately and commit each suit to a column. Hold your three reserve cards in reserve until you are truly stuck. Unlimited undo lets you experiment, which is the best way to learn Scorpion's aggressive reorganization style.
Advanced Scorpion Strategy
Master the Move-Any-Card Rule
The single rule that defines high-level Scorpion play is that you can lift any face-up card together with every card piled on top of it, no matter how disordered, as long as you drop it onto a same-suit card one rank higher. This is enormously powerful: it lets you excavate a card buried under a messy stack in one move rather than unpicking the pile card by card. Expert players treat the whole tableau as fluid, constantly relocating large groups to expose the exact card they need. The cost is that the cards you move come along for the ride, so before any big relocation, check where the dragged pile will sit and whether it blocks a run you are building.
Create and Guard Empty Columns
An empty column is the most valuable resource in Scorpion because only a King (or a King-led group) can fill it, and it acts as a staging area for untangling the board. Work to clear a short column early, then use that space to park a King along with the cards you want to reorganize beneath it. Do not fill an empty column carelessly — an empty space spent on the wrong King can stall the entire game. The best use is almost always to relocate a King that is burying important face-down cards, freeing a whole stack in a single move.
Assign Each Suit a Home Column
Because you must build complete King-to-Ace runs in a single suit, it pays to decide early which column will host each suit. Mentally label a column as your "spade column" and protect it from stray hearts, diamonds, or clubs. The deal will not always cooperate, but having a loose plan for where each suit will assemble prevents the aimless mixing that leaves you with four half-built runs and nowhere to finish them. Commit to your strongest suit first and build outward from there.
Unbury Face-Down Cards First
The face-down cards in the first three columns are the hidden variables that decide most Scorpion games. Until they are revealed, you are playing with incomplete information, so prioritize any move that flips one face-up — even a move that looks unproductive on the surface. Each reveal adds an option and may unlock a chain of plays you could not see before. A board still full of face-down cards is a puzzle you have barely begun to solve.
Scorpion Win Rate and Difficulty
Scorpion is one of the harder single-deck solitaire games. The same-suit building requirement, the tight seven-column layout, and the face-down cards combine to make many deals genuinely difficult, and some are not winnable at all. Here is how it compares with its relatives:
| Game | Decks | Columns | Approx. Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scorpion | 1 | 7 | 20–30% |
| Spider (1 Suit) | 2 | 10 | ~90%+ |
| Spider (4 Suit) | 2 | 10 | ~25–30% |
| Yukon | 1 | 7 | ~80%+ |
The takeaway is that Scorpion sits near the difficult end of the spectrum — closer to four-suit Spider than to the forgiving Yukon it resembles. A 20–30% win rate means losses are normal even with good play, so measure yourself by how well you read the board, not by winning every deal.
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Scorpion
- Spending the three reserve cards too early, before you have exhausted every other move — they are best saved as a last resort to break a deadlock.
- Filling an empty column with a stray King when a more useful King (one burying important cards) could claim it instead.
- Mixing suits in a column you meant to reserve for one suit, leaving you unable to complete the run.
- Relocating a large pile without checking that it buries a card you will need later.
- Ignoring the face-down cards and building tidy surface runs while the hidden cards stay locked away.
- Giving up on a deal too quickly — Scorpion's move-any-card freedom means many seemingly stuck positions can still be untangled.
Scorpion vs. Yukon Solitaire
Scorpion borrows its movement freedom from Yukon, but the two diverge on the building rule and that changes everything. Yukon lets you build down in alternating colors, which is forgiving and gives Yukon a high win rate; Scorpion demands same-suit building, which is far stricter and drags its win rate down to 20–30%. Both deal a similar seven-column, mostly face-up board and both let you move any face-up card with its pile, so they feel related — but Scorpion is the tougher, more Spider-like member of the family. If you enjoy Yukon's open, aggressive style but want a sterner test, Scorpion is the natural step up.
When to Use the Three Reserve Cards
The three reserve cards are Scorpion's emergency valve. Dealt one each to the first three columns, they can add exactly the card needed to bridge a gap — but they also cover whatever sits at the bottom of those columns, so they can just as easily bury something useful. The discipline is to hold them until you have genuinely run out of productive moves. Deal them too soon and you waste their potential; hold them until you are truly stuck and they often provide the single card that reopens the board. Think of them as a one-time lifeline rather than a routine part of play.
A Brief History of Scorpion Solitaire
Scorpion belongs to the broad family of "building" patience games that took shape as solitaire spread through Europe and later became a fixture of computer card-game collections. It is closely related to a slightly easier game called Wasp, which uses the same layout but relaxes some of the restrictions. Scorpion gained a wide audience when it was bundled into popular solitaire collections for home computers, where players discovered that its Spider-like goal and Yukon-like freedom produced a puzzle unlike either parent. Today it remains a favorite among solitaire enthusiasts looking for a single-deck game with real bite.
Reading the Scorpion Opening
The opening moves in Scorpion set the tone for the whole deal, so it is worth pausing before you touch a card. Scan all seven columns and locate the face-down cards in the first three, the natural same-suit pairs already sitting near each other, and any Kings that are buried deep. Your first goal is to find the move that exposes the most information or frees the most useful card, not simply the first legal move you see. Because the move-any-card rule lets you shift large groups, a single well-chosen opening relocation can unlock several follow-up plays.
A good habit is to identify which suit has the most cards already exposed and begin assembling that run first, in a column you can protect. Keep an eye on where the Aces and low cards sit, since a run cannot be completed until its Ace is reachable. Patience in the opening — taking a few extra seconds to plan two or three moves ahead — is what separates players who clear Scorpion regularly from those who stall halfway. With undo available, you can also test an opening line, see where it leads, and back up if it dead-ends, which is the fastest way to learn the game's rhythm.
Play Scorpion Solitaire Free Online — No Download
You can play Scorpion Solitaire free online right here, with no download and no sign-up. The game runs in your browser on desktop, tablet, and phone, so this Spider-meets-Yukon challenge is always within reach. With its same-suit building, free card movement, and small reserve, Scorpion is a tight, strategic puzzle for players who want more bite than standard Spider. Every deal is a fresh test of bold, well-planned reorganization.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Scorpion different from Spider?
Scorpion uses a single deck with 7 columns (vs. Spider's 2 decks with 10 columns). Scorpion allows moving any face-up card freely (like Yukon), while Spider requires properly sequenced groups. Scorpion is generally considered harder.
How do you play Scorpion Solitaire?
Deal 49 cards into seven columns and build same-suit sequences down from King to Ace directly in the tableau. You can move any face-up card with everything on top of it onto a same-suit card one rank higher. Complete all four King-to-Ace runs to win, using the three reserve cards when stuck.
Is Scorpion Solitaire harder than Klondike?
Yes, considerably. Klondike builds in alternating colors with a stock to draw from, while Scorpion requires strict same-suit runs and has no stock beyond three reserve cards. Scorpion's 20–30% win rate is well below Klondike's, making it a sterner challenge.
Why can I not fill an empty column in Scorpion?
Only a King, or a group of cards headed by a King, can be moved into an empty column. If you cannot fill a space, you do not have a King available to lead the move — free one up first, ideally a King that is burying cards you want to reach.
What is the win rate for Scorpion?
Scorpion has a relatively low win rate of about 20-30% with optimal play. The same-suit building requirement and limited column count make many deals very challenging.
When should I deal the reserve cards?
Save the 3 reserve cards for when you are completely stuck. They add one card each to the first 3 columns and can unlock new moves. Using them too early wastes their potential.
Do you win Scorpion by building foundations?
Not in the usual way. Instead of building up separate foundation piles rank by rank, you assemble four complete same-suit King-to-Ace runs directly in the tableau. Each completed run is cleared, and finishing all four wins the game.
Is Scorpion in the Spider or Yukon family?
It borrows from both. Its same-suit, in-tableau sequence building comes from Spider, while its freedom to move any face-up card with everything on top of it comes from Yukon. This hybrid is what gives Scorpion its distinctive feel.
Is Scorpion Solitaire free to play?
Yes. This Scorpion Solitaire is completely free — no download, no sign-up, and no fees. Just open the page and play in your browser on any device.