SOLITAIRE: Rules and Strategies

Solitaire (also known as ‘patience’) is a card game meant for, as the name suggests, one person. The first book of solitaire games published in 1874 included 24 games. Today there are at least 1500 games (including variations). The most commonly played include Klondike or classic solitaire, spider solitaire, and free cell solitaire. Listed below are rules and strategies for classic or Klondike solitaire.

Rules
This is a one deck game. The initial layout consists of 7 columns, the first containing one card, and the second two and so on. The topmost card of each column faces upwards, with the rest face-down. The remaining 24 unplayed cards form the stock, and are put face-down.

The objective of the game is to build up four Ace-to-King piles, suite-wise.

The player turns up cards from the stock, 3 at a time, into a waste pile. The top card of this pile and of each column is open for play. Open cards can be played on to the top card of any column, or foundation (a foundation is one of the four Ace-to-King piles which can be started whenever an ace is encountered as a top card during the game). A card can be placed on to the top card of a column, if it is one lower than that card, and of a different colour (e.g. 6 of hearts on 7 of spades). It can be played on to the foundation, if it is one up, and the same suite. If a face-down card is exposed in any of the columns, it is turned face-up.

A sequence of cards may be moved as a unit from one column to another. If a space is created between columns, it may be filled only with a king. Once the stock pile is exhausted, the waste pile may be turned face-down and reused as stock. The top cards of any of the foundations may be played on to the columns. The game ends when either all foundations are complete (in which case you win), or there is no possible move (in which case you lose the game). An easier version of the game allows you to turn up one card at a time from the stock.

Strategies
One can follow the following strategies to improve their chances of finishing the game.

• Turn up the first card/three cards before any other moves. You get more options this way.
• If you have a number of possible moves, pick the one which exposes hidden cards. If you have a choice between these as well, pick the one that exposes the column with the maximum number of hidden cards.
• Always move an Ace to the foundation as soon as possible.
• If there is a blank space, look at other cards and choose the colour of the filler King carefully.