In Spider Solitaire, an empty column looks like a trophy. You cleared it, so you must be winning, right? Not always. Emptying a column too early is one of the sneakiest ways to lose. Let's look at why it backfires and what smart players do instead.
- Empty columns are the most useful space you have in Spider.
- Clearing one too early wastes it before you can use it well.
- Save empty columns for sorting cards and building long runs.
- Only clear a column when you have a real plan for the open space.
A quick Spider refresher
Spider Solitaire uses two decks and ten columns. Your goal is to build full runs from King down to Ace in the same suit. When you finish a run, it lifts off the board. Clear all eight runs and you win. When you get stuck, you deal a new row of cards across every column. You can read the full solitaire rules if you need a refresher.
Here is the catch. You can only deal that new row when no column is empty. Every column must have at least one card. That single rule is why empty columns are both powerful and a little dangerous. Knowing it changes how you play.
Why empty columns are gold
An empty column is the best space in the game. You can drop any card there, of any suit or rank. That makes it a workshop. You can pull apart a messy stack, park cards, and rebuild them in the right order. Without that open space, mixed-up columns stay stuck.
Empty columns also let you move bigger groups of cards around. They give you room to sort by suit, which is what you need to build those long King-to-Ace runs. In short, an empty column is freedom. The more you have, the more moves you can make.
The too-early trap
So if empty columns are so good, what is the problem? The trap is clearing one before you can use it, and then filling it right back up with junk. Say you empty a column, but you have no plan. A few moves later you drop a random 7 into it just to get the 7 out of the way.
Now that valuable open space is gone, and you got nothing for it. You spent all that effort to clear the column and then wasted it. Even worse, sometimes you break up a decent stack just to reach an empty column, which leaves the board messier than before.
When it is right to clear
Emptying a column is great when you have a real use for it. Ask yourself these questions before you clear one.
- Do I have a messy stack I need to sort using the open space?
- Am I close to finishing a run and need room to move cards?
- Will the empty column let me flip a bunch of hidden cards?
- Can I keep it open, or will I be forced to fill it with junk?
If you have a clear yes to one of these, go for it. If you are only clearing the column because it feels good, stop and think. A held plan beats a proud but useless empty space every time.
Better habits to build
Try to keep single-suit cards together as you play. That way, when you do open a column, you can build a real run instead of a mixed mess. Working in one suit, or as close to it as you can, is the core of good Spider play. Our Spider strategy guide goes deeper on suit sorting.
Also think ahead about that new deal. Since you can't deal with an empty column, plan whether you want to keep a column open or fill it right before you deal. Timing that choice well is a mark of a strong player. It takes practice, and every game teaches you more.
Clearing columns the right way
Emptying columns in Spider is not bad. Doing it too early, with no plan, is what fails. An open column is the most flexible space on the board, so treat it like the prize it is. Clear one when you can use it to sort cards, finish a run, or dig out hidden cards, not just because clearing feels nice.
Keep suits together, plan around the new deal, and never trade a good stack for an empty space you will only waste. Do that, and those open columns will start working for you instead of against you. That is how you turn Spider from frustrating into a game you win.