Of strategy, solitaire, and more! Prior to the internet, people had a way of entertaining themselves – there were music, dancing, television, and games. Speaking of games, did you know that the earliest record of the card game solitaire was in the late 1700s? According to the book, ‘The History of Solitaire’, the word ‘Patiencespiel’ (also known as card solitaire) appeared in a German book published in 1788. The name also appeared in publications in the 1800s in Russia and Sweden, and 1870 in the United States.
Playing cards, according to researchers, may have started during the Tang Dynasty around the 9th century AD as a product of woodblock printing technology during the day. Today, the famous ‘deck of cards have been custom produced for casinos, magicians, souvenirs, and even as educational tools.
When was the last time you played solitaire?
Solitaire might just be one of the first games learned with a deck of cards. It is also one of the first games installed on computers, as popularized by Microsoft Solitaire that came along with the Windows operating system from 1990 onwards. Apparently, there isn’t just one solitaire game. There is a variety of them, including patience or card solitaire (Klondlike, Spider, Yukon, FreeCell), mahjong solitaire, peg solitaire, and more!
Of course, there is that distinct challenge in every solitaire game. The game requires focus, strategy, and attention to detail. And if ever you missed playing the game, you can still play it online. One of the most reliable websites when it comes to card games is www.Solitaire.org
There is no need to download it. Simply visit the website and start playing your favorite solitaire games, mahjong games, card games, hidden objects, matching games, and more!
Classic Solitaire
Triumph!
The classic solitaire game space consists of the following elements: the draw pile, the deck of 52 cards shuffled in random; the foundations, a place where piles of cards can be stacked in numerical order. This space is left empty at the start of the game. The beginning foundation card is the ace of each suit upon which the rest of the cards are stacked, all the way up to the King of that suit; and a table, or tableau, empty spaces or feature cards that are temporarily stored before being added to a Foundation.
The playing field is organized with seven columns on the Tableau. The first having only one card and the rest having progressively one more card in each column until the seventh and final column has seven. This means 28 of the 52 cards are on the Tableau and the other 24 cards are left in the reserve or stockpile.
The rule of the game is simple: clear all the cards!
Cards are arranged from left to right, with the bottom-most card of each pile placed face-up. To play, move cards from the table to the foundations, beginning with the ace of each suit. The draw pile is the source of new cards, only one card at a time can be drawn. Cards of a lower consecutive rank can be moved below a card of a higher rank, but only if the cards are of a different color. The game is over when all cards are cleared or if there are no moves possible. Play it here!
FreeCell Solitaire
Solved!
FreeCell, unlike the classic solitaire, features four empty spaces, or cells, that are used for the temporary storage of cards. The FreeCells can be used to store single cards. FreeCell is ‘open’ in that the cards are dealt face-up at the start of the game. This means that nearly every game can be won as players can plan their moves ahead.
The rule of the game is simple. You may move any exposed card from the end of a tableau column to another tableau column if it creates a descending sequence, so long as the color of the card being placed is different from the card it is being placed upon. You may also move a packed descending sequence of cards as a group to another Tableau column.
When you manage to create a descending sequence of cards from King to Ace of the same suit it is transferred to the Foundation pile. The game is won when all cards are moved to the foundation piles. Play it here!
Pyramid Solitaire
Aced!
How to play: remember, the magic number is 13. Deal cards to form a pyramid, starting with a row of one card, followed by a row of two cards, and so on, down to a final row of seven cards. The pyramid will consist of twenty-eight cards in total shown face-up. Each row should overlap the previous one. The remaining cards are set down at the bottom of the pyramid. This is the draw pile. These cards are arranged face-down. There is also a waste pile for cards that are passed from the draw pile.
Pyramid Solitaire is ‘open’ in that the cards are dealt face up at the start of the game. The object of the game is to remove all cards from the pyramid. Cards are removed in pairs and these pairs must add up to thirteen. For example, a ten and a three can be removed together, as they add up to a total of thirteen. Play it here!
If you’re fond of mathematics, this is the game for you.
Apart from the mentioned three, there are more variations of solitaire. The website www.Solitaire.org offers a wide variety of solitaire games, mahjong games, card games, hidden objects, matching games, and more!
Bonus: Mahjong Solitaire
Victory!
