Although many people are unaware of it, there are many hundreds (and probably thousands) of different solitaire games played with playing cards.
This can be daunting when you open a game such as Pretty Good Solitaire and see the names of over 800 solitaire games.
Which ones are the most important ones? Here are 7 games that every serious solitaire player should know.
1) Klondike
Klondike is the name given to the game that most people just call Solitaire. It is the basic game that came with Windows.
Klondike is not the best nor the most interesting of solitaire games, but it is the most popular. It also has all the standard elements (foundation piles for each suit, a tableau with alternate color building, a stock pile, a waste pile). Once you know how to play Klondike, a large number of solitaire games will seem familiar to you.
How to Play Klondike Solitaire
2) FreeCell
Like Klondike, FreeCell was included with Windows. But while Klondike is a favorite of people just wasting time, FreeCell is a puzzle that takes thought and strategy. FreeCell's design is brilliant - it is easy to learn but not easy to win, but...significantly, it can be won nearly every time.
FreeCell is a game that gets played thousands of times by its devoted fans. It has spawned many other games that try to imitate its puzzle-like style.
How to Play FreeCell Solitaire
3) Spider
Spider is another popular solitaire game that came with Windows. It is a much harder game for the casual player and therefore often is seen with 2 easier variants - Spider One Suit and Spider Two Suits.
Spider takes some work to master and can be frustrating at times. Like most of the games in this list, there are many variations of the game designed to be easier or different or more strategic.
4) Yukon
Yukon is a fascinating game with similarities to Klondike, but with one special feature - you can move any group of face up cards regardless of sequence. This makes for a different and fun game.
In order to win, you need to uncover the face down cards to turn them face up. Yukon's most famous companion game is Russian Solitaire, which is very hard since building is by suit rather than opposite color.
If you like Klondike, you'll find Yukon a nice change.
5) Forty Thieves
Forty Thieves is an important solitaire game to know. It has all the basics in common with hundreds of solitaire games - even more so than Klondike. Once you know how to play Forty Thieves, you know how to play a lot of games. Even better, Forty Thieves is challenging and interesting in its own right.
Forty Thieves also has a rich history, being over 100 years old. It also has many other names, such as Napoleon at St Helena.
How to Play Forty Thieves Solitaire
6) Pyramid
Pyramid is a different type of solitaire game with different structure - in Pyramid you pair two cards together whose ranks add to 13 and remove them from play. This makes it an Addition or Pairing type game, rather different from the previous games. Pyramid is probably the best known and most played Addition type game.
Once you learn Pyramid, you'll find that there are many other Addition type games, some of which are quite easy and others which can be interesting.
7) Scorpion
Scorpion is very Spider like, but has only one deck and involves creating sets of 13 cards down in suit from King to Ace. It is easier and more accessible than Spider and is probably a better introduction to Spider type games than even Spider is. Also, it's fun.
Scorpion also has some connection to Yukon, in that you can move any group of face up cards regardless of sequence. Scorpion is definitely a game to play if you haven't played it before.
How to Play Scorpion Solitaire
There are 150 types of solitaire game. Thanx for sharing the most popular ones.
Posted by: Solitaire oyna | April 11, 2015 at 03:55 PM
Those are definitely some amazing choices and I agree with them... well most of them. In my opinion Klondike is definitely the nicest one. It is the all time classic in my opinion, although others might argue a case for Spider solitaire. Granted it is VERY popular still after 30 years.
I like the different varieties of pyramid solitaire you get from the most basic to the more complex versions with multiple features.
Personally I have also wasted countless hours on games like Mahjong solitaire (but is debatable if it is even a solitaire game).
One that I have grown to like surprisingly is tripeaks solitaire. It is fast paced with bonuses and things based on how quickly you can work through the stages.
It adds a bit of a thrill to the whole thing.
Your list however... It is at least an 8/10... but that is just my opinion :)
Posted by: Thys du Plooy | October 13, 2015 at 01:26 PM
@onya 150? try more like over a thousand at least at this point.
Posted by: Hdofu | May 29, 2016 at 09:01 PM
Got it! thanks for sharing these games.
Posted by: Tournament Games | November 25, 2016 at 03:28 AM
These are all great choices, I would also add Tripeaks since it is easy and fun if you’re not looking for a super challenging game though, like most solitaire games, you can get stuck.
Posted by: Alison Rosenhall | March 14, 2020 at 09:19 PM
spider solitaire is best game to play in quarantine and this is trending game now.
Posted by: spidersolitaire | January 31, 2021 at 09:52 AM
I used to do the Clock but can’t find a decent one now.
Posted by: Barbara | August 01, 2021 at 11:01 AM