Play Chelicera Solitaire Online for Free (No Signup Required)

Chelicera Solitaire twists Scorpion: empty tableau spots refill automatically, three cards at a time, in a single-deck game with a 50/50 shot at winning.

Erik den Hollander's twist on Scorpion Solitaire: instead of dealing extra cards from the stock, empty tableau spots refill automatically, three cards at a time. It's a single-deck game, medium difficulty, with a 50% chance of winning, and skill matters more than luck here.

It's closely related to Chinese Solitaire, another Scorpion variant that deals its extra cards straight onto the tableau.

If you run into anything odd or have an idea that would make the game better, please contact me.

Enjoy playing!

How to play Chelicera Solitaire

Layout:

7 tableau piles: Build down in suit across the seven tableau piles. Runs of cards can be moved together. Empty spots fill automatically from the stock, three cards at a time, until the stock runs out; after that, only a King or a run led by a King can fill a space. At the start of the game, four cards are dealt face-up to the first four piles, followed by seven cards to the last three piles.

Stock: Cards automatically fill empty slots in the tableau.

Tableau:

Seven tableau piles, all dealt face-up: the first four get four cards each, and the last three get seven cards each.

A card can be added to a tableau pile only if it's one rank lower and the same suit as the pile's current top card, so the only card that fits on a Q of hearts is a J of hearts.

Any uncovered tableau card can be played onto another tableau pile.

The tableau's empty spots are immediately filled with three cards from the stock. Once the stock runs out, only a King (or a run led by a King) can fill an empty spot.

Any face-up tableau card can move onto another pile it fits on, bringing every card stacked on top of it along with it.

Stock:

The stock is made up of leftover cards.

Cards cannot be withdrawn from the stock manually.