Types of Solitaire Card Games

The game most people mean when they say 'solitaire.' Klondike is the classic — the one that shipped with every version of Windows and taught a generation how to use a mouse. Seven tableau columns with face-down cards create the element of surprise.

Uses two full decks (104 cards) spread across ten columns. The goal is to build complete King-to-Ace sequences of the same suit, which are then removed from the board. Comes in 1-suit, 2-suit, and 4-suit variants of increasing difficulty.

Thirteen columns of four cards each — all face-up. Kings are moved to the bottom of their columns at the start. No free cells, no stock pile, no empty column moves. A clean, challenging game that rewards careful planning.

Named after a 19th-century casino owner, Canfield deals 13 cards into a reserve pile and one card to start the foundations. Originally played as a gambling game where you'd 'buy' a deck and get paid per card moved to the foundations.

Similar to Klondike but without a stock pile — all cards are dealt to the tableau. The key difference: you can move groups of cards even if they aren't in sequence, as long as the card being placed follows alternating-color descending rules.

A brutally difficult variant of Yukon. Same layout, but you must build down by the same suit instead of alternating colors. This single rule change drops the win rate dramatically and demands very precise planning.

Also called 'Napoleon at St. Helena.' Uses two decks dealt into ten columns of four cards each. Building is by same suit (not alternating colors), and only single cards can be moved. Extremely challenging with win rates around 10%.

Seven columns with some face-down cards. Like Spider, the goal is to build King-to-Ace same-suit sequences. Any face-up card can be moved (with all cards on top of it), making it more flexible than Spider but still demanding.

Also known as 'Clover Leaf.' Eighteen fans of three cards each, with two redeals allowed. Only the top card of each fan can be moved. The redeals (gathering and reshuffling remaining cards) give you a second and third chance.

A close relative of FreeCell with an important twist: building in the tableau is by same suit (not alternating colors), and only Kings can fill empty columns. Like FreeCell, all cards are dealt face-up for complete information.

Sometimes called 'FreeCell without the free cells.' All 52 cards dealt face-up into eight rows flanking four foundation piles. Plays similarly to FreeCell but without any temporary storage, making it significantly harder.

Cards are arranged in a pyramid shape of 28 cards. Pair exposed cards that add up to 13 (e.g., Queen + Ace, 10 + 3) to remove them. Kings are removed alone since they already equal 13. Simple rules, but low win rates.

Three overlapping peaks of cards form the tableau. Remove cards that are one rank higher or lower than the current waste pile card. Fast-paced and satisfying, with an emphasis on building long chains of consecutive removals.

Seven columns of five overlapping cards. Remove cards that are one rank higher or lower than the waste pile card (wrapping allowed in some versions). Called 'golf' because the goal is to achieve the lowest score — fewest cards remaining.

A very simple game often played while making a wish. Thirty-two cards are dealt into eight piles of four. Remove pairs of same-rank cards from the tops of piles. If all pairs are removed, your wish comes true. Pure luck.

One of the most skill-intensive solitaire games. Four foundation piles build up by different intervals (1s, 2s, 3s, 4s), wrapping around. Deciding which of four waste piles to place each card on is the core puzzle.

Cards are dealt into 13 piles arranged like a clock face (12 piles around the edge, 1 in the center). Flip cards and place them at the clock position matching their rank. Pure luck — no decisions to make, but oddly satisfying.

All 52 cards dealt in a single row. Stack cards left onto matching cards (same suit or rank) that are 1 or 3 positions to their left. The row 'compresses' like an accordion as you stack. Simple rules, very luck-dependent.

Twelve foundation piles arranged in a clock pattern, each starting from a different rank. The remaining cards are dealt into eight tableau columns. A visually striking game that plays similarly to FreeCell but without the free cells.