Scorpion Solitaire

The Layout Scorpion Solitaire uses one deck (52 cards) arranged in three areas: 🦂 The Tail (Stock) 3 face-down cards set aside at the deal. Click the stock to deal them — one to each of the first three tableau columns. This can only be done once. 🦂 The Body (Tableau) Seven columns of cards in the main playing area: • Columns 1–4: Each has 3 face-down cards at the bottom, then 4 face-up cards on top (7 total) • Columns 5–7: Each has 7 face-up cards only (no hidden cards) That puts 49 cards on the tableau and 3 cards in the stock. 🦂 The Foundations Four empty foundation slots sit above the tableau. The moment a column ends with a complete same-suit K→A run (all face-up), those 13 cards are collected into a foundation automatically. The Goal Collect 4 complete descending runs of the same suit, each running from King down to Ace (K→Q→J→...→2→A), into the four foundations. Allowed Moves ✅ Moving Cards 1. Move any face-up sequence from one column to another, where: • The destination's top card is the same suit AND exactly one rank higher • Example: You can move ♥4 onto ♥5, or ♦Q onto ♦K • You can move multi-card sequences if they form a valid same-suit run • Example: ♠J-♠10-♠3-♥K can all be moved together onto ♠Q 2. Empty columns: Only a King (or a valid sequence starting with a King) can be placed on an empty slot. ✅ Dealing from Stock Click the stock once to deal one card to each of the first 3 columns. The stock holds exactly 3 cards, so there is a single deal per game. ✅ Flipping Face-Down Cards When you remove cards from a column and expose a face-down card, it is automatically flipped face-up. ✅ Undo & Redo Unlimited undo/redo available. Use the ↩️ ↪️ buttons freely to explore different paths! Winning Completed K→A same-suit runs are collected into the foundations automatically — the count is shown on screen. Fill all four foundations to win! ⚠️ Tips • Always prioritize exposing face-down cards — they unlock new moves • Be careful about which King you place in empty columns — it blocks that slot until a full sequence is built above it • Try to build pure same-suit runs whenever possible — mixed-suit sequences cannot be moved as a group

Core Principles 🔑 Priority 1: Expose Hidden Cards Your #1 goal should always be uncovering face-down cards. Every hidden card you reveal opens up new possibilities. Focus moves on columns with the most hidden cards first. 🔑 Priority 2: Create Empty Columns (Carefully!) Empty columns are powerful because only Kings can fill them. However: • Don't create empties too early — you might need those cards elsewhere • Plan which King will fill the empty before creating it • An empty column lets you temporarily park a long sequence 🔑 Priority 3: Build Same-Suit Sequences Unlike Klondike where you can stack alternating colors, Scorpion requires same-suit stacking. This means: • Building mixed-suit sequences is usually a dead end — they can't be moved as a group • Always try to build pure same-suit runs whenever possible • A pure K→A same-suit run = one foundation collected 🔑 Priority 4: Time Your Single Deal The stock deals 3 cards — one to each of the first 3 columns. This can: • Help: Reveal new cards and create new opportunities • Hurt: Block existing sequences if dealt onto important columns • Strategy: Try to clear columns 1–3 as much as possible before dealing Advanced Tips 🎯 The "King Trap" Never move a King to an empty column unless you're sure it's the right King. Once placed, that King blocks the empty slot until you can build a complete sequence above it. 🎯 Sequence Splitting Sometimes you need to split a mixed-suit sequence by moving parts of it elsewhere. Look for intermediate columns where you can temporarily place cards. 🎯 Deal Timing Don't deal immediately when stuck. First: 1. Check every column for possible moves 2. Use undo to explore alternative paths 3. Deal only when truly no moves remain 🎯 Column Balance Try to keep columns relatively balanced in length. One very long column and six short ones limits your options significantly. Difficulty & Win Rate Scorpion Solitaire is considered medium-hard difficulty (~15-25% win rate). It's harder than Yukon but easier than Spider (4 suits). Patience and careful planning pay off!

History Scorpion Solitaire is a classic variant that combines elements of Spider Solitaire and Yukon. It gets its name from the "sting" — one wrong move can trap you with no way out! Why It's Unique • Collect-into-foundations — completed same-suit K→A runs are gathered into four foundation slots automatically. • Same-suit requirement — stricter than Klondike's alternating-color rule, making planning more critical. • One deal only — the stock holds just 3 cards, dealt to the first 3 columns, so there is no restocking safety net. • Hidden cards — the 12 face-down cards in columns 1–4 must be exposed through careful play. Similar Games If you enjoy Scorpion, you might also like: • Spider Solitaire — Same concept but with multi-deck suit-count variants • Yukon — Similar tableau structure but with alternating-color rules • Forty Thieves — Two-deck game with strict same-suit rules and 8 foundations