Double Scorpion Solitaire 🦂

Welcome to Double Scorpion Solitaire – a fun and exciting twist on classic solitaire! 🎉 This game is a two-deck variant of the Scorpion Solitaire, meaning it uses 104 cards instead of the usual 52. Don’t let the name scare you – Double Scorpion is actually more forgiving than its single-deck cousin, with a high chance of winning most games if you play your cards right. You can play it free right in your browser (no download needed) at SolitaireX.io, so get ready to relax and have some card-flipping fun! 😃

How to Play 🤗

New to Double Scorpion? No worries! Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to get you started:

Deal the Cards: The game uses two standard decks (104 cards). All cards are dealt into 10 columns (tableau piles) at the start. The first four piles have 11 cards each, and the remaining piles have 10 each. In the first 5 piles, a few cards at the bottom are face-down (hidden), while all cards in the last 5 piles are face-up. There are no separate draw or stock piles – everything you need is laid out on the table from the beginning.
Objective – Build Suited Runs: Your goal is to organize all the cards into eight sequences (runs) that go King, Queen, Jack... down to Ace of the same suit. Essentially, you want to form 8 perfect piles where each pile is one suit in descending order (like ♥K-♥Q-♥J ... down to ♥A). When you complete a run from King to Ace, it stays on the tableau as a finished sequence (they aren’t removed, so you’ll work around them). Finish all 8 suited runs, and you win! 🎊
Moving the Cards: You can move cards around according to some friendly rules:
- Build down by suit: Place cards in descending order within the same suit. For example, you can move a 10♣ onto a J♣, or a 5♥ onto a 6♥. Building by alternating color doesn’t work here – it must be the same suit.
- Any face-up card is free to move: Here’s the fun part – any card that is face-up can be moved, even if it’s buried under others in a pile. When you drag a face-up card, you automatically pick up that card and all the cards on top of it as a group. (They don’t need to be in order!). This Yukon-style rule means you can always dig deep to free up hidden cards.
- Flip face-down cards: Whenever you clear a face-down card (i.e. no cards are on top of it), flip it face-up so you can use it. Revealing those hidden cards gives you more moves to work with.
- Empty column = only Kings: If you clear out an entire column, you’ll have an empty space. You can only fill an empty column with a King or a sequence starting with a King. (Kings are the highest card, so they’re the only ones that can start a new pile.) Pro tip: Create empty columns when possible – they’re super handy for maneuvering cards! 👑
Winning the Game: To win, keep arranging cards until you form 8 suited sequences from King all the way down to Ace on the tableau. Once every card is part of a perfect run, you’ve conquered the Double Scorpion! 🏆 Because all cards are dealt from the start and there’s no time limit, you can take your time. Use Undo if you make a mistake (if you’re playing online) and enjoy the satisfaction of seeing all eight completed piles. Congratulations, you’ve tamed the Scorpion! 🎉

Game Rules (In a Nutshell) 📋

Cards & Deal: 2 decks (104 cards) are used. All cards are dealt into 10 tableau piles at the start (first 4 piles have 11 cards, next 6 piles have 10; a few cards at the bottom of the first 5 piles are face-down). There are no stock or draw piles in this game.
Goal: Build 8 sequences of 13 cards descending in suit (King → Ace). Completed sequences stay on the tableau (they aren’t moved to foundations).
Building Moves: You can only place a card on a next-higher card of the same suit. (So you can put a 7♠ on an 8♠, but not on an 8♥ or 8♦).
Free Movement: Any face-up card can be picked up and moved, along with any cards on top of it, even if those are not in order. This gives you a lot of freedom to rearrange cards.
Empty Columns: Only a King or a stack starting with a King can fill an empty column. No other card can start a new pile.
Winning: You win when all cards are arranged into 8 perfect King-to-Ace runs in their suits. Since almost every deal is winnable with good play, keep going until you solve it!

A Brief History 📜

Double Scorpion Solitaire has an interesting background (besides the cool name!). It evolved from the one-deck Scorpion Solitaire, which itself is a variant of an older game known as Russian Solitaire – all of these belong to the Yukon family of solitaire games. (Yukon-type games are known for letting you move any face-up card, which is exactly what Double Scorpion allows – that’s where the free-moving mechanic comes from.) The original Scorpion game likely earned its name because of a little “sting in the tail” – in classic Scorpion Solitaire, after you make all possible moves, there’s a final deal of three extra cards (like a scorpion’s tail giving a last sting). Double Scorpion removes that feature by dealing all cards from the start, so no surprise stings here!

As for Double Scorpion itself (the two-deck version), it’s a more modern twist that appears to have emerged from the digital solitaire era. No single inventor is officially credited for creating Double Scorpion – it seems to have evolved through solitaire enthusiasts and computer game developers rather than being invented by one person. The game was first popularized online and in solitaire collections as simply “an easy two-deck variation of Scorpion”. It retains the core challenge of Scorpion but adds more cards, more moves, and actually ends up easier (and more winnable) than the original. Over time, a Triple Scorpion (three-deck version) has also been tried by some fans, but Double Scorpion remains the sweet spot and a favorite among solitaire players looking for a fun, engaging game with a high win rate.

Tips and Tricks for Winning 🤩

Want to improve your Double Scorpion strategy? Here are some handy tips to help you win more often:

🔍 Flip those hidden cards ASAP: In the beginning, focus on revealing the face-down cards as soon as you can. Those hidden cards might be holding the keys to finishing your sequences, so make moves that uncover them early. The more cards you have face-up, the more options you’ll have!
🃏 Watch out for Aces: Aces are the lowest cards, which means nothing can be placed on them. An exposed Ace can act like a roadblock since you can’t put any card on top of it. Try not to free an Ace too early unless you can immediately move it under a 2 of the same suit. It’s often okay to leave an Ace buried until you’ve built most of its sequence above it.
👑 Use empty columns wisely: Empty columns are like free real estate – take advantage of them! Only Kings (or piles starting with a King) can fill an empty spot, so move a King there as soon as you create an opening. This will free up another column and give you more room to maneuver other cards. The more empty columns you can open up, the easier it becomes to rearrange cards.
🔄 Avoid messy stacks: Because you can move any face-up card (even with unrelated cards on top), it’s easy to create “messy” stacks (cards out of order). Try to avoid stacking cards in random orders that don’t follow the proper sequence, as this can bury important cards you need. If you do park a card somewhere temporarily, remember to straighten it out soon. Keeping the tableau organized will make your life easier.
⏱️ Take your time (and use Undo if needed): There’s no time limit here, so play at a relaxed pace and think a few moves ahead. If you get stuck or make a move that doesn’t work out, use the undo button to backtrack and try a different approach. Experimenting is part of the fun, and since most deals are solvable, a little patience will pay off. Enjoy the process!

With these tips in mind, you’ll be better equipped to tackle even the trickiest deals. Double Scorpion rewards careful planning and a bit of daring creativity – so plan your moves, but don’t be afraid to try something unexpected! 😊

More Solitaire Fun at SolitaireX 🎮

Finished conquering the Double Scorpion? Plenty more games await! SolitaireX.io offers a whole collection of solitaire games you can play for free. From classics like Klondike and FreeCell to other Spider-family games (e.g. Spider Two-Suit, Spider Four-Suit, and even one-deck Scorpion), there’s no shortage of card game fun. Head over to the main site and discover more solitaire adventures to enjoy. Happy gaming! 🔗✨