Solitaire is a classic card game that has been around for centuries. It has become an enduring favorite for many players. The game of solitaire had humble beginnings as a game of patience, it has since then evolved into a genre all its own, with hundreds of variations and countless hours of entertainment. Whether you’re looking to pass the time, develop your strategy skills, or just unwind after a long day at work, solitaire games offer a wealth of options to suit any taste. In this article, we’ll explore solitaire 12 games that each have their own unique rules and challenges to give you new ways to enjoy this classic game at SubGame!
12 Great Solitaire Games
Get ready to sharpen your skills, exercise your mind, and immerse yourself in the addictive world of solitaire.
Klondike Solitaire
Klondike Solitaire is one of the most well-known solitaire games, and is often referred to as “Canfield.” The goal of the game is to move all of the cards to the four foundation piles in ascending order, beginning with the ace and ending with the king. The cards are dealt in seven piles, with the top card in each pile face up. The remaining cards are placed in a draw pile, with the top card turned over to form a discard pile.
Cards must be placed on top of a card of the opposite color and with a value of one less than the card being played. For example, a red four can be placed on top of a black five. Players can also move groups of cards in descending order and alternating color to free up spaces in the piles.
Spider Solitaire
Spider Solitaire is a more complicated version of Klondike Solitaire, with the added difficulty of having to deal with multiple decks of cards. The game requires two card-decks, with the goal being to arrange all of the cards in descending order in the piles.
The piles are formed by dealing out 10 piles of cards, with the top card in each pile face up. The remaining cards are placed in a draw pile, with the top card turned over to form a discard pile.
Cards are maneuvered between piles and must be placed on top of a card of the opposite color and with a value one less than the card being played. Players can also move groups of cards in descending order and alternating color to free up spaces in the tableau piles.
Freecell Solitaire
Freecell Solitaire is a unique solitaire game in that all of the cards are dealt face up at the beginning of the game. The goal of the game is to move all of the cards to the four foundation piles in ascending order, from the Ace to the King.
Cards can be moved between the tableau piles, with the understanding that cards must be placed on top of a card of the opposite color and with a value one less than the card being played. Players can also move groups of cards in descending order and alternating color to free up spaces in the tableau piles.
Crazy Quilt Solitaire
Crazy Quilt Solitaire is a solitaire game that is played with two decks and you draw from a “quilt”. The goal of the game is to move all of the cards into two foundation piles in ascending order and one in descending order, starting with the Ace and ending with the King.
The game is played by pulling cards that have a free edge from the “quilt” and adding them appropriately to the ascending or descending pile.
Players can move cards to the piles, with the rules stating that cards must be placed on top of a card of the opposite color and with a value one less or more respectively than the card being played. Players can also move cards onto the waste pile as a placeholder to make some additional strategic moves.
Pyramid Solitaire
Pyramid Solitaire is a solitaire game that is played with a deck of single 48 or 52 cards in the shape of a pyramid. The goal of the game is to remove all of the cards from the pyramid by matching pairs of cards that add up to 13.
The pyramid is formed by dealing out 28 cards in the shape of a pyramid, with the top card face up and the remaining cards face down. Players can remove cards from the pyramid by selecting two cards that add up to 13. Aces are worth one, Kings are worth 13, Queens are worth 12, and Jacks are worth 11.
Players can only remove cards that are not covered by other cards, and the game is over when all of the pairs of cards that add up to 13 have been removed or when no more moves are possible.
Tripeaks Solitaire
The goal of the game is to move all of the cards to the foundation piles in ascending order, starting with the Ace and ending with the King.
The game is played with three pyramid piles of cards, with the top card of each pile face up. The remaining cards are placed in a draw pile, with the top card turned over to form a discard pile.
Cards can be moved from the pyramid piles to the foundation piles, as long as cards are placed on top of a card of the opposite color and with a value one less than the card being played. Players can also move cards to the discard pile, with the goal being to clear all of the cards from the pyramid piles.
Golf Solitaire
The object of the game is to move all of the cards from the seven column to the only waste pile.
The game is played with seven columns of cards, with the top card in each column face up. The remaining cards are placed in a draw pile, with the top card turned over to form a discard pile.
The cards can be moved between columns if they are placed on top of a card of the opposite color and with a value one less than the card being played. Players can also move groups of cards in descending order and alternating color to free up spaces in the columns.
Yukon Solitaire
Yukon Solitaire is similar to Klondike but the main difference is that you don’t have a stock. You are dealt 28 cards in a similar fashion to Klondike as well. This game consists of 4 foundations and 7 rows of tableau stacks. You can move groups of cards in sequence and in alternating color.
You can win Yukon Solitaire by building your foundations up in ascending order from Ace to king.
Clock Solitaire
Clock Solitaire might be the most varied of all solitaire games, in the sense that it is heavily reliant on luck. The game is played by placing the cards in a circle to represent the hours on a clock.
The game starts by placing the Ace of Spades at the top of the circle, followed by the two of hearts, the three of clubs, and so on, until all 52 cards have been placed in the circle like the shape of a clock.
Players then flip over the top card in the draw pile, and if the card matches the suit of the card at the top of the circle the player moves the card to the corresponding hour on the circle. The goal of the game is to move all of the cards to their correct position on the circle before the draw pile runs out.
While winning the game is difficult, it’s still loads of fun and a great way to change up the pace.
Calculation Solitaire
Calculation Solitaire has players sort cards into the foundations and doesn’t have any suit requirements and received its name from being associated with math.
Cards are moved based on the multiples of the card next to each foundation and can only be moved out of columns to the foundation. For example, column one will begin with an Ace and you’ll have to play the next card and ensure it’s a 2. The second pile will begin with a 2 and you’ll have to play a card that is 2 numbers higher, so it will be a 4, 6, and so on. Take note that cards cannot be exchanged and moved between the piles.
The game can be won when a player moves every card in the waste and stockpile to the four foundation piles.
Baker’s Dozen Solitaire
Baker’s Dozen Solitaire is played with thirteen tableau piles (as the name implies), with each pile containing four cards, with the bottom card facing down, and the remaining three face up.
Cards can be arranged by sequential order and the only card that you can play for every pile will be the top card. Keep in mind that spaces cannot be filled if they are left over, so being mindful and selecting cards with care will be important.
Winning Baker’s Dozen happens when you completely build all four foundations from ace to king and your tableaus are depleted.
Aces Up Solitaire
Aces up is one of the fastest versions of solitaire that can be played. During this game four piles of cards are used along with a discard pile. By process of elimination players will deal four cards and if there are two or more cards sharing an identical suit all of the cards are discarded except for the highest card of the suit.
Dealing this way continues until there are no more pairs of matching suits. When there are no cards left to manipulate or remove the next four cards are dealt face-up onto the piles until the last four cards are dealt, then the game is complete.
Player scores are calculated by the number of discarded cards. The highest number you can get to win is 48 (meaning every card was discarded minus every ace in the game).
Is Solitaire Based on Luck or Skill?
Solitaire is primarily based on skill rather than luck with the exception of a few games like Clock Solitaire. While the initial arrangement of the cards is randomized, the outcome of the game largely depends on the player’s ability to strategize and make logical moves based on the cards available.
A skilled player can often win games that a less skilled player would lose, even with the same starting layout. Though it can be argued that luck is still involved, as a poor initial arrangement of cards can make the game much more difficult to win. Overall, though, solitaire is considered a game that rewards skillful play over luck more often than not.
What is the Most Popular Solitaire Game?
While there are so many variations of solitaire with their own set of rules and strategy, the most famous game is Klondike. It is also referred to as “Patience” and the way it is played is often the basis for other types of solitaire.
Conclusion
Solitaire games give you a great opportunity to enjoy your free time and train your strategic thinking. Taking into account all these inspiring versions, there is sure to be a game that will suit your preferences and skill level.
The variations on this list are just a few examples of the many solitaire games available.
Whether you prefer traditional games or unique spinoffs, solitaire offers hours of entertainment and mental stimulation. So why not try out a new game today and see if you can beat your personal best score?