Monte Carlo Solitaire

Monte Carlo (also known as Weddings or Double and Quits) is a classic pair-matching solitaire played on a 5×5 grid. Deal 25 cards face-up, then remove pairs of same-rank cards that sit next to each other — horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. After removing all available pairs, consolidate the remaining cards and deal fresh ones from the stock to fill the gaps.

How Monte Carlo Works

The game starts with 25 cards in a 5×5 grid and 27 cards in the stock. Scan the grid for adjacent same-rank pairs and click both cards to remove them. When no more pairs exist, hit “Consolidate & Deal” to pack remaining cards together (shifting left and up) and fill empty spots from the stock. Repeat until all 52 cards are matched and removed, or until you're stuck with no pairs.

Strategy Tips

• Look for pairs near the edges first — they have fewer adjacency options after consolidation.
• When multiple pairs exist, prioritize removing those that will bring other same-rank cards closer together.
• Think ahead about what consolidation will do — sometimes waiting creates better adjacencies.
• Track which ranks still have un-removed cards to avoid dead ends.
• Remove pairs that free up the most space for new stock cards.

Learn More

• How to Play Monte Carlo — Complete rules and strategy guide
• Play Pyramid Solitaire — Another pair-matching solitaire (cards sum to 13)
• Play FreeCell — The classic free cell solitaire
• Types of Solitaire — Explore 20+ solitaire variants