Solitaire is the world’s most widely recognized card game — a single-player game of strategy, patience, and careful planning played with a standard 52-card deck. Whether you know it as Solitaire, Patience, or Klondike, the objective is the same: sort all 52 cards into four foundation piles, one per suit, ordered from Ace through King.

For over two centuries, Solitaire has captivated players around the globe. From hand-dealt parlor games in 18th-century Europe to the iconic Windows Solitaire that introduced an entire generation to personal computing, the game endures because it’s easy to learn, endlessly replayable, and satisfying to win.

This guide is your one-stop resource for everything Solitaire. Below you’ll find rules, strategy, history, variant breakdowns, and much more.

What Is Solitaire?

Solitaire — often called Klondike Solitaire to distinguish it from hundreds of other single-player card games — is a patience game played with one standard 52-card deck. The player arranges cards across a tableau of seven columns while building four foundation piles by suit from Ace to King.

The game involves a mixture of strategy and luck. Not every deal is winnable, but skilled players can dramatically improve their win rate by making thoughtful decisions about which cards to move and when.

  • Solo play — No opponents or partners needed. Play anytime, anywhere.
  • Simple rules — The basics can be learned in under five minutes.
  • Strategic depth — Thoughtful play significantly raises your odds of winning.
  • Quick sessions — A single game takes 5–15 minutes.
  • Endlessly replayable — With billions of possible shuffles, no two games are alike.
  • Digital ubiquity — Windows Solitaire alone has been played billions of times since 1990.

Quick Overview of Klondike Rules

Klondike is the “default” Solitaire variant — the one most people mean when they say “Solitaire.” Here’s how it works at a high level:

  1. Deal 28 cards into seven tableau columns. Column 1 gets one card, column 2 gets two, and so on up to seven. Only the top card in each column is face-up.
  2. Place remaining cards in a face-down stock pile.
  3. Build tableau columns in descending order, alternating red and black suits (e.g., black 6 on red 7).
  4. Move Aces to foundations as they become available, then build each foundation up by suit (A → 2 → 3 → … → K).
  5. Draw from the stock when no more tableau moves are available. In the most common version, you flip one or three cards at a time.
  6. Win by moving all 52 cards to the four foundation piles.

For the full, detailed breakdown, see our Solitaire Rules for Beginners guide.

Solitaire Strategy at a Glance

Winning at Solitaire isn’t pure luck. Here are core strategic principles:

  • Uncover face-down cards — Prioritize moves that reveal hidden tableau cards.
  • Don’t rush to the foundations — Keeping cards in the tableau gives you more flexibility.
  • Build evenly — Avoid stacking all your moves on one column while others sit untouched.
  • Manage the stock wisely — In draw-three mode, plan multiple passes through the stock.
  • Think ahead — Consider the consequences of each move two or three steps forward.

Dive deeper in our full Solitaire Strategy guide.

Klondike is just the beginning. Hundreds of Solitaire variants exist, each with unique mechanics:

Variant Decks Difficulty Key Feature
Klondike 1 Medium The classic — alternating-color tableau building
Spider 2 Hard Build same-suit sequences across 10 columns
FreeCell 1 Medium Four free cells provide temporary card storage
Pyramid 1 Easy–Medium Remove pairs that sum to 13
Tri-Peaks 1 Easy Clear three peaks by building up or down
Canfield 1 Hard Foundations start at a random rank
Yukon 1 Medium Move groups regardless of sequence
Golf 1 Easy Clear tableau by building up or down on waste

Explore each one in detail in our Solitaire Variants guide, or take a deep dive into Spider Solitaire and FreeCell.

The History of Solitaire

Solitaire’s roots stretch back to late 18th-century northern Europe. The game traveled through Napoleon’s France, Victorian England, and eventually boarded Microsoft Windows in 1990 — forever changing how the world interacts with card games and computers alike.

Read the full story in our History of Solitaire article.

Solitaire by the Numbers

The math behind Solitaire is fascinating:

  • Klondike has roughly an 82% theoretical win rate when played optimally — but most players win only 10–20% of the time.
  • FreeCell is winnable in about 99.999% of deals.
  • Spider (4-suit) drops to around a 33% win rate even with optimal play.

For a full breakdown of the odds, probabilities, and statistics, check out Solitaire Odds & Statistics.

Learn the Lingo

Solitaire has its own vocabulary — tableau, foundation, stock, waste, cascade, building, and more. Knowing these terms makes strategy guides and variant descriptions far easier to follow.

Browse our complete Solitaire Glossary.

Common Mistakes & Tips

Whether you’re brand new or have been playing for years, there are pitfalls that trip up nearly everyone:

  • Moving cards to foundations too aggressively
  • Ignoring face-down cards in deeper columns
  • Failing to plan ahead through the stock pile
  • Not adapting strategy to different variants

See our guides on Common Solitaire Mistakes and Tips for Winning to sharpen your game.

Solitaire Scoring Systems

Did you know Solitaire has multiple scoring methods? From Vegas-style dollar scoring to timed point bonuses, the way you keep score changes how you play.

Learn about every system in our Solitaire Scoring guide.

Digital vs. Physical Solitaire

The experience of playing with a physical deck versus a digital app is surprisingly different. Each has advantages, and the history of digital Solitaire — from Windows 3.0 to modern mobile apps — is a story worth telling.

Read more in Online vs. Physical Solitaire.

Klondike Compared

Wondering how Klondike stacks up against other Solitaire variants? We’ve written head-to-head comparisons:

More Single-Player Card Games

If you love Solitaire, there’s a whole world of patience games and solo card experiences waiting for you. Our Card Games You Can Play Alone article covers the best single-player card games beyond Klondike.

All Solitaire Articles

Play Classic Card Games Free at Rare Pike

While we don’t currently offer Solitaire as a playable game on Rare Pike, we have a growing library of classic card games you can play online for free — no download, no sign-up. From trick-taking games like Hearts and Spades to rummy games like Gin Rummy and Cribbage, there’s always a seat at the table.

Browse All Card Games →