Think you're a solitaire savant? Get suited up with the best free online solitaire games like
Snowbird Solitaire,
Jet Set Solitaire, or
First Class Solitaire HD. Pogo™ offers an array of free online solitaire games with various themes for all ages and levels. Put your concentration and skills to the test and see if you can sort your cards and clear the deck.
A Brief History of Solitaire
“Solitaire” comes from the Latin word “solitarius,” which means isolation or separation from others so it’s the perfect game if you’re looking for a relaxing single player experience. This family of card games was originally called “patience” or “cabale,” which it still is in parts of Europe.
According to the
Encyclopædia Britannica, this card game originated in the late 18th century in Europe. At the time, it came about “possibly as a form of fortune-telling,” with the game’s result indicating if the player's wish would come true. In fact, “cabale” roughly means “secret knowledge.” Current day solitaire fans might be surprised to learn this, since it takes strategy and a strong understanding of the rules to win most game styles. Moreover, most players want to win because it’s fun and satisfying; they aren’t typically hoping to get their fortune revealed.
How to Play Solitaire Card Games
The rules will vary depending on which style of game you’re playing. As mentioned before, solitaire is truly a family of card games that share similar fundamentals. However, within this group there is a near-endless variety of games to play.
Generally speaking, the goal in solitaire games is to move cards into sequential order. The rank order in these games is A (low), 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K (high).
Typically they will also include the some or all of following elements:
– Foundation: The place where piles of cards are built by the player in sequential order. Sometimes the foundation starts off with a base card, such as the ace of each suit. From there, the player will typically need to stack cards of the same suit on top of each ace until they reach each suit’s king card.
– Tableau: The part of the board where cards can be temporarily held if they can’t yet be moved into the foundation. Typically cards can be moved around between piles within the tableau as well. These piles are usually governed by a ruleset, such as sequential order and suit match being required to place or move a card.
– Stock pile: The pile from which players can draw a single card at a time. After pulling a card, the player has the ability to move that card to the foundation or tableau, or draw a new card from the stock pile.
– Waste pile: The pile that contains cards drawn from the stock pile that weren’t played. Typically these are unable to be played once a new card from the stock has been drawn. In some games, the waste pile is flipped and used as the stock pile once the original stock pile has run out of cards.
“Classic” or klondike solitaire includes all of the elements explained above. Be sure to review the rules of the specific game you’re playing — part of the fun of online solitaire is how much variety there is!
Why Players Love Solitaire
Every casual gamer is unique. However, there are a handful of common reasons why people love this classic card game so much:
– Relaxing: Although many games aren’t easy to beat, solitaire variations tend to be a great way to get your mind relaxed when taking a break from work or unwinding on the weekend. The calming backdrop in
Rainy Day Spider Solitaire does an especially good job at this.
– Strategic: It’s ultimately a game of skill, not luck, which requires you to think ahead when making moves. It’s similar to chess in that way — sometimes waiting to move a card is actually your best move because of its impact on future moves.
– Satisfying: There’s just something about completing full sets of cards that brings you satisfaction. Moreover, when you’re able to win a game that was particularly challenging, it’s even more gratifying.
– Fun: This game is a perfect way to kill time with a fun activity. Plus, it’s easy to jump in and out of the game if you need to answer an unexpected phone call or feed your pets.
Other Game Genres You Might Like
Even though solitaire is fantastic and fun, you might want to mix it up with other genres sometimes. There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of variety.
– Card Games: Try your hand at other games that involve a deck of 52.
Spades is a great one to start out with!
– Casino Games: Are you feeling lucky? Put on your best poker face and try out a game like
Turbo 21 blackjack.