Scorpion Solitaire

Scorpion Solitaire is an engaging single-deck card game that belongs to the broader Spider Solitaire family. However, its gameplay borrows heavily from Yukon Solitaire, making it a distinct tactical challenge. Designed for players who enjoy deep layout planning over quick, casual moves, Scorpion requires patience and foresight to successfully solve.

The Objective: Building Same-Suit Sequences

The ultimate goal of Scorpion Solitaire is to organize a standard 52-card deck into four complete, descending sequences from King to Ace. Unlike classic Klondike, there are no separate foundation piles in this game. Instead, all sequences must be built and completed directly within the active tableau columns. Once an entire in-suit sequence from King down to Ace is assembled in a column, it is considered complete and is left alone for the remainder of the game.

Understanding the Tableau Setup and Reserve Stock

Before the game begins, 49 cards are dealt across seven tableau columns, leaving exactly three cards set aside:

• The Tableau Columns: Each of the seven columns receives seven cards. In the first four columns, the bottom three cards are dealt face-down, with the remaining four cards dealt face-up on top of them. In the last three columns, all seven cards are dealt face-up.

• The Reserve Stock: The final three cards of the deck are held back face-down as a reserve (sometimes called the "tail"). These cards can be dealt at any point during the game, placing one face-up card at the bottom of the first three tableau columns.

How to Move Cards: The Yukon Mechanic

What sets Scorpion Solitaire apart from other variations is how cards are moved across the board:

• Disorganized Moves: You can move any face-up card to another column, regardless of its position in the pile. When you move a card, all cards resting on top of it must be moved with it as a single, collective unit.

• The Build Rule: To make a legal move, the card you are moving must be placed on a card that is of the exact same suit and is one rank higher. For example, you can move a Jack of Clubs (and whatever cards are sitting on top of it) only onto a Queen of Clubs.

• Exposing Hidden Cards: When a face-down card is uncovered and becomes the top card of a column, it is flipped face-up.

• Filling Empty Columns: If a tableau column is cleared out completely, only a King—or a group of cards led by a King—can be placed into the empty space.

• The Ace Block: Because nothing can be placed on an Ace, any card trapped underneath an Ace is blocked until you move the Ace to another column.

Strategic Tips for a Hard-to-Win Layout

Scorpion Solitaire is a high-difficulty card game, with an average win rate of roughly 5% to 8%. To increase your chances of winning, keep these strategy tips in mind:

• Prioritize Face-Down Cards: Your primary focus should always be revealing the 12 hidden cards in the first four columns. Flipping these open gives you more legal moves and prevents deadlocks.

• Save the Reserve Stock: Avoid dealing the three reserve cards too early. If you deal them before resolving blockages in the first three columns, you may permanently trap crucial cards.

• Create and Protect Gaps: Empty spaces are incredibly valuable. However, try not to completely empty a column unless you already have a King available to fill it. An empty space is useless if you cannot move a King into it to start a new sequence.