♠Solitaire Basics
What is solitaire?
Solitaire (called “Patience” in most of Europe) is a family of single-player card games. The family includes Klondike, FreeCell, Spider, Pyramid, TriPeaks, and dozens more variants. Each has its own rules, but they all share the same goal structure: sort a shuffled deck into ordered piles by following the variant’s specific movement rules.
How many solitaire variants exist?
Hundreds have been documented, but only about 30 are widely played. We host 26 browser-playable variants across the network and maintain in-depth rules, strategy, and tips for each. See our full solitaire variants directory.
What’s the difference between solitaire and patience?
They’re the same thing. “Solitaire” is the North American term; “Patience” is used in the UK, Australia, and most of continental Europe. The games, rules, and variants are identical — only the name differs by region.
Which solitaire is the most popular?
Klondike, by a wide margin. It’s the game most people mean when they say “Solitaire” — the one that shipped with Windows since 1990. FreeCell and Spider are the #2 and #3 most-played variants, both also popularised by Microsoft. TriPeaks and Pyramid round out the top five.
Is this site free? Do I need to download anything?
Every game on the network is 100% free and plays in your browser on desktop or mobile. No download, no signup, no credit card. Ads support the site.
♥Picking the Right Game
Which solitaire is the most skill-based?
FreeCell. Every card is dealt face-up, so there\u2019s zero hidden information — every game is a pure logic puzzle with ~99.999% solvability. Beleaguered Castle and Baker's Game are close runners-up. See our difficulty ranking for a full list.
Which solitaire involves the most luck?
Klondike Draw 3 is notoriously luck-heavy — the stockpile order often decides winnability. Spider 4-Suit is skill-based but extremely unforgiving, so it feels luck-driven until you learn the column tactics. TriPeaks and Golf also have strong luck components because they depend on draw order.
Which solitaire is best for beginners?
Klondike Draw 1 and Spider 1-Suit. Klondike is the game most people already know, and Draw 1 keeps the luck component manageable. Spider 1-Suit removes the suit-matching constraint, letting beginners focus on column strategy. See our beginner\u2019s guide.
Which solitaire is best if I have only 5 minutes?
TriPeaks, Pyramid, and Golf all play in 2–5 minutes per game. They’re built around fast draw-pile mechanics rather than long tableau planning. FreeCell and Klondike typically take 5–15 minutes per game — longer if you’re thoughtful.
Which solitaire is best for the brain / seniors?
FreeCell gets top marks: the pure skill aspect exercises working memory, planning, and pattern recognition. Pyramid and Baker's Dozen are also excellent cognitive workouts. See our full breakdown in best solitaire games for brain training.
♦Strategy & Winning
What’s a typical solitaire win rate?
It varies wildly by game. FreeCell: 85–95% for competent players. Klondike Draw 1: 50–60%. Klondike Draw 3: 15–25%. Spider 1-Suit: 70–85%. Spider 4-Suit: 20–35%. Pyramid: 10–20%. TriPeaks: 40–60%. Win rates reflect the balance of skill vs luck in each variant.
How do I get better at solitaire?
Pick one variant and learn its strategy principles deeply before moving on. Use the undo button liberally to explore different lines. Start every game by scanning the full tableau before you make any moves. See our solitaire strategy guide for cross-variant principles.
Is every solitaire game winnable?
No — only FreeCell comes close, with 99.999% of deals solvable. Klondike, Spider, Pyramid, and TriPeaks all have unsolvable shuffles that depend on hidden card order. A lost game in those variants isn’t always your fault. In FreeCell, it almost always is.
Should I use hints and undo?
Yes, especially when learning. Hints show you the best available move so you can compare it with your own choice — that’s how you calibrate your decision-making. Undo lets you explore alternate lines after a mistake without abandoning the game. Advanced players use both sparingly; beginners should use them freely.
Why do I keep losing?
Most losses come from moving too fast. Scan the entire tableau before your first move, look for buried aces and low cards, and plan at least 2\u20133 moves ahead. If you\u2019re losing a luck-heavy variant (Klondike Draw 3, Spider 4-Suit), accept that some deals can't be won and move on. See our strategy hub for specific tactics.
♦Related Guides
Complete guide to every major variant in the family.
Browse all 26 variants we cover, organized by family.
Principles that apply across Klondike, FreeCell, Spider, and more.
Every variant ranked easiest to hardest with win rates.
From Napoleon to Windows — how solitaire became ubiquitous.
Launch any of the 26 variants directly in your browser.
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