Reading

For the questions that come up after a deal is over: where did this game come from, who plays it best, and how should I play the next one? The history and competition pages stick to what the records confirm and say so when a popular story has nothing behind it. The strategy pages are all written for this site's rules.

Solitaire in general

A History of Solitaire (Patience) From a two-player betting game in a 1788 German book to Windows 3.0: two names, the Napoleon myth and Parlett's classification. Solitaire Competitions and Communities The same-deal principle, freecell.net, Microsoft's events, Guinness and speedrun records, and the 2026 "World Solitaire Championship" in Miami. Solitaire Glossary 47 terms, from foundations and the stock to supermoves, safe moves, thoughtful solitaire and duplicate play.

History and competitions, game by game

FreeCell: History, Records and Competitions From PLATO around 1978 to Windows' 32,000 numbered deals, the unsolvable #11982 and a freecell.net streak of more than 20,000. Baker's Game: History, Records and Competitions Martin Gardner's 1968 column, the myths around C. L. Baker, and why about a quarter of random deals can't be won. TriPeaks: History, Records and Competitions The dollar-scored 1991 original in Entertainment Pack 3, the unsourced "1989", mobile hits and online contests. Golf Solitaire: History, Records and Competitions Nine-hole scoring in a 1926 book, Ace and King rules that never agreed, solver win rates, and what exists instead of tournaments. Klondike Solitaire: History, Records and Competitions From a 1905–07 card book to Windows 3.0, Vegas scoring, an 8-second Guinness record and the 2026 "World Solitaire Championship" in Miami.

Strategy guides

FreeCell Strategy Guide Supermove arithmetic, what one empty space is worth, reading a deal before your first move, and chasing the rankings. Baker's Game Strategy Guide Counting in a game where every card has one home: when a free cell is affordable, same-suit traps and cross-blocks. TriPeaks Strategy Guide How many cards each card blocks, choosing between two playable cards, counting the stock and cutting your draws. Golf Solitaire Strategy Guide Thirty-five cards and seventeen starts, a 2 for every Ace and a Queen for every King, and nine-hole practice. Klondike Solitaire Strategy Guide Freeing the 21 face-down cards, choosing a King's colour, foundation take-backs and the 76-move floor.

Rules and basics

How to Play FreeCell — Rules and Tips The layout and rules, why five cards move at once but six don't, and our 20,000 solver-checked deals. How to Play Baker's Game — Rules and Tips The one line that differs from FreeCell — building in suit — and how much it changes the game. How to Play TriPeaks — Rules and Tips Clear 28 cards from three peaks in about two minutes. Why every card is face up here and there is no undo. How to Play Golf Solitaire — Rules and Tips The shortest game on the site, with no Ace–King link, and why it is the hardest of our five. How to Play Klondike Solitaire — Rules and Tips Face-down cards, a stock, Kings-only empty columns — and why we draw one card with unlimited passes.

Where to start

New to a game? Start with its rules and basics page. Once you have played a few deals and hit a wall, the strategy guide explains why, with numbers. The history pages can be read any time. The three pages for each game are linked by the tabs under the title, and any unfamiliar word should be in the glossary.

Every practice routine in the strategy guides uses deal numbers. The same number always gives the same layout, so you can replay one deal and bring your moves and time down. Game Guides compares all five games side by side: how long a deal takes, whether there is undo and how many random deals can't be won.

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