The Most Popular Types of Solitaire Games

Many people regard the term ‘solitaire’ as a particular card game like Patience or Klondike. Little did they know that solitaire has several types of games you can explore. For example, Klondike is just one of the famous types of solitaire that people play. There are a few more you need to know.

 

If you’re a novice who wants to learn solitaire, the first thing you need to do is to inform yourself about the different types of it. In this way, you’ll know what to prioritize and what is not. There might be some solitaire games ideal for beginners. 

 

To help you with this task, here are the most popular solitaire games to try.

1. Klondike

One of the known solitaire games is Klondike. Due to its popularity, many people even termed solitaire as Klondike itself. Klondike’s origin might seem unknown, but enthusiasts believed that it first existed in the 19th century or also called the gold rush in Klondike, Canada. 

 

Klondike hit popularity when Microsoft released it on their Windows OS 3.0 way back in 1990. 

 

Klondike’s Gameplay

Klondike is composed of 52 cards in a deck. The objective is to organize the cards by suit, from Ace to the King, on empty locations known as the foundations.

 

There are seven piles of cards in the tableau, and all these are faced-down cards, except for the first card in every pile. Before you can reveal or access the cards, you need to move the first cards by building sequences. The sequences on the tableau should be starting from the King to Ace and taking turns in terms of colors.

 

Note that only Kings have the power to be moved and placed into empty locations on the tableau. Moreover, the other cards that are not moved or dealt into the piles are organized in a stockpile. Players can use their stockpiles to build their sequences over time.

1. Spider

Spider is also a popular solitaire game when it comes to 2-deck types. The reason why it’s called spider is because of its eight (8) foundations that players should build to win. The winning chance of spider solitaire is 1 in every three gameplays.

 

Spider’s Gameplay

Spider utilizes 2-decks of cards. It also has varying difficulty levels, which can include one or more suits. Moreover, its tableau setting is similar to what Klondike has. It has piles, a stockpile, and of course, the foundations. The only thing that differentiates Spider to Klondike is that all cards are revealed, and only those with complete sequences can be placed to the foundations.

 

The main objective is to create suit sequences, beginning from the King and finishing with the Ace. If there is more than one suit, the game could even be more challenging. Lastly, the stockpile can put an extra life on every pile if the player chooses to tap it.

1. FreeCell

FreeCell Solitaire is almost the same as the regular version of Klondike. However, FreeCell is guaranteed 99% solvable, as estimated by solitaire enthusiasts. FreeCell also demands a thoughtful approach and a good strategy. 

FreeCell’s Gameplay

When playing FreeCell, just think of Klondike’s gameplay. It has the same single deck, and there are seven piles of cards a player needs to deal with. However, in FreeCell, a player doesn’t have a stockpile, and all cards are dealt. Likewise, the cards are all facing forward, so the players can see it. 

 

The main objective here is to create the foundations through the suit. Meanwhile, building sequences are also the same as that of the Klondike. It should be by suit and Ace to the King for the foundations. For the piles on the tableau, it should be from King to Ace and in alternating colors. 

 

The only thing that makes a clear difference with this game is there are four (4) empty places on the tableau, which are called FreeCells. Players can send cars to these cells if they want them to be on hold so they can free the cards underneath.

 

There is no chance that players can exchange cards once it is placed on the free cell. Likewise, you can also just use the cards in those free cells when building a pile or a foundation sequence.

1. Tripeaks

Tripeaks normally has three pyramid peaks of cards on the tableau. Robert Hague developed the game in 1989 and claimed that 90% of Tripeaks game is solvable. This solitaire game is also called Three Peaks, Tri Towers, and Triple Peaks.

 

Tripeaks’ Gameplay

Tripeaks has 52 cards in a deck. The cards are placed in three 4-rows, which will look like a pyramid. Each pyramid has a base with four cards, all facing forwards and the others are facing downwards. Meanwhile, all the remaining cards belong to the stockpile.

 

The objective of the game is to completely wash out the cards from the tableau. In order to achieve it, the players need to break the pyramid by building the sequences. While building the sequences, the cards should be 1 point higher or at least lower than the later cards, regardless of what suit it is. For example, a three can build a sequence using a two or a 4.

 

Moreover, the cards displaced from the pyramid would go to the discard pile. The card on the top will also become the base for the proceeding sequence. If in case there are no possible moves, the player can utilize the stockpile and place another card to the discard pile essential in building the sequence base.

1. Pyramid

Pyramid Solitaire has a single pyramid shape of cards on the tableau. It is one of the types that aren’t ideal for beginners because it has a lower probability of winning. 

 

The victory in Pyramid solitaire is dependent on the various positions of the cards in the tableau and, of course, the strategy of the opponent. When the rules are conditioned to only tap stockpile once, the chances of winning is 1 in 50.

Pyramid’s Gameplay

Pyramid is a pairing game. There are 28 facing forward cards on the tableau in the form of a pyramid. Players can only play those cards that are not revealed. 

 

The objective of the game is to deconstruct or break the pyramid through the pairing of cards, which equals 13 points. Note that this is regardless of the suit. If the gameplay has 52 cards, the King has the power of 13 points and can be removed. Meanwhile, the Queens have 12, and the Jacks have 11. 

 

Using the stockpile, players are allowed to draw one card at a time to try and find a match for that card in the pyramid. 

What solitaire game is ideal for beginners?

Beginners should start learning solitaire through either a Klondike or FreeCell. Klondike entails a very simple rule, which beginners need to cope with the game. Likewise, FreeCell is almost the same as Klondike when it comes to the rules and gameplay. The only thing that differs is the four empty spaces. Other than that, since FreeCell is 99% solvable or winnable, then it’s an excellent foundation for beginners to learn the basics of solitaire.

 

If you’re a beginner, you might want to avoid playing Pyramid-typed, or those with solitaire games for it will confuse you. Meanwhile, other solitaire games include baker’s dozen, yukon, forty thieves, golf, scorpion, addiction, canfield, and more.