Scorpion Solitaire is a wild ride. It starts chaotic, stays tense, and demands creative thinking. It looks like a total mess—but underneath that heap of face-up cards is a highly strategic game where every move matters. If you love tough solitaire games where you dig yourself out of a jam (or into one), welcome to Scorpion.
One standard 52-card deck (no Jokers).
A good memory, sharp eyes, and patience.
Deal 7 columns (tableau):
First 4 columns: 3 face-down cards + 4 face-up on top (so 7 cards total each).
Last 3 columns: 7 face-up cards only.
Total: 49 cards in the tableau.
Place the last 3 cards face-down in the corner as your reserve or stock pile. You’ll get to use these later—think of them as your emergency parachute.
All cards are stacked vertically with slight overlap, like Spider or Klondike.
Build 4 complete in-suit sequences from King down to Ace in the tableau.
Once you complete a sequence (e.g., K♠ Q♠ J♠ … A♠), it’s removed from the board.
Clear all cards by forming those 4 sequences to win.
You can move any face-up card, along with all the cards stacked below it, to another column if the move creates a descending in-suit sequence.
Example: Move a 7♦ (and anything stacked below it) onto an 8♦.
Empty columns can only be filled with a King (or a stack that starts with a King).
Face-down cards become face-up as soon as they are uncovered.
When you run out of useful moves, deal the 3 reserved cards—one to each of the first three columns.
That's all there is rule-wise—but executing that cleanly? That’s the hard part.
Scan for obvious moves. Can you move a smaller card stack onto a matching suit card of one rank higher?
Work from the bottom up. The deeper you dig, the more face-down cards you expose.
Avoid breaking good sequences. You may be able to move that 5♣... but if it breaks your 6♣–5♣–4♣ run, think twice.
When stuck, deal the 3 reserve cards. These are your last hope—use them wisely.
Each hidden card is a blocker. Prioritize moves that help uncover them—especially in the first 4 columns.
You can technically build any descending stack, but only in-suit sequences count toward winning. Favor suit-legal moves to avoid a mess later.
An empty column is powerful—it lets you move entire stacks around. Don’t waste it on a 4♦ just because you can.
Ask yourself: Is this move helping me get closer to a complete K–A run or just making a prettier stack?
Don't rush them. Use them only once you’ve hit a wall—and ideally when the first three columns are in decent shape.
Using the reserve cards too early.
It’s tempting, but it’s better to use them when the board is truly stuck.
Focusing only on suitless sequences.
Yes, a run like 9♥–8♣–7♠ is fun to move, but it won’t help you win unless it’s all the same suit.
Leaving Kings trapped.
If a King is buried under 5 other cards, your chance at making a new column later drops fast.
Game length: 5–15 minutes
Difficulty: High (but fair)
Win rate: 15–25% for casual players, 40%+ with solid strategy
Easy Scorpion: Start all 49 cards face-up = fewer surprises, more planning.
Scorpion Spider: Play with two decks, like Spider. For chaos addicts only.
Wasp: Like Scorpion, but any card (not just Kings) can be moved into empty columns.
✅ Players who love solving a visible mess
✅ People who enjoy backtracking and "rescuing" their game
✅ Those who get bored with predictable solitaire
🚫 Players who dislike unwinnable games
🚫 Anyone who hates making a great move, only to reveal a useless card
🚫 Players who need to win more than lose
Open up Scorpion Solitaire and dive into the mess. Move smart, dig deep, and build those K-to-A towers one claw swipe at a time.
Want something a little gentler between battles? Head over to Solitaire Home Story for cozy Klondike play, relaxing puzzles, and a narrative that rewards every small victory.
Scorpion may be messy—but so is greatness.