Scorpion Solitaire Rules

Scorpion is a challenging solitaire game played with a single deck of 52 cards. The name comes from the layout: the seven columns form the scorpion's body, while three extra cards set aside form its tail. The game was first described in the 1949 book The Complete Book of Solitaire and Patience Games by Morehead and Mott-Smith.

The goal is to build four complete same-suit sequences from King down to Ace directly in the tableau columns. Scorpion is related to Spider Solitaire, but plays more like Yukon.

Deal 49 cards into seven columns of seven cards each:

• In the first four columns, the bottom three cards are face down and the top four are face up
• In the last three columns, all seven cards are face up
• The three remaining cards are set aside face down as the reserve (the scorpion's tail)

In total, 12 cards will be hidden across the first four columns.

You build downward by suit on the tableau columns. For example, you can place the 6♠️ on the 7♠️, or the Q♥️ on the K♥️.

What makes Scorpion special is that you can move any face-up card regardless of what sits on top of it. All cards above the chosen card come along as a unit, even if they are not in sequence.

Example: If the 9♣️ is in the middle of a column with three other cards above it, you can move all four cards to a column where the top card is the 10♣️.

• A face-up card can be moved onto another card of the same suit that is one rank higher. All cards sitting above the moved card follow along.
• When a face-down card becomes the topmost card in a column, it is flipped face up.
• Empty columns can only be filled with a King (or a group of cards with a King at the bottom).
• When no more moves are available, you may deal the reserve: the three tail cards are dealt face up, one each to the first three columns.

The reserve can only be used once.

You win when you have built four complete sequences in the columns, each consisting of 13 cards of the same suit from King down to Ace:

• ♠️ Spades: K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, A
• ♥️ Hearts: K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, A
• ♦️ Diamonds: K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, A
• ♣️ Clubs: K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, A

In some versions, a completed sequence is automatically moved to a foundation pile. In others, it stays in the column until the game is finished.