Types of solitaire: 14 games and how they work

The three families of solitaire

Almost every solitaire is one of three kinds of game:

• Building games have you sort the deck into ordered columns, then into four foundations from Ace to King. Klondike, Spider, FreeCell, Yukon, Scorpion, Forty Thieves, Canfield and Baker’s Dozen all work this way. They take longest and give you the most choices.
• Pairing games remove cards in pairs: in Pyramid, two cards that add up to 13. Simple rules, quick games.
• One-pile games have you play cards one higher or one lower onto a single pile. TriPeaks and Golf are the best known. They are fast, and the fun is in long chains.

The six classics (all free above)

More types of solitaire

These aren’t on KepoGames, but you’ll meet them in card game books and apps, so here is how each one works.

Yukon

Klondike without the stock. All 52 cards are dealt into seven columns, with the bottom cards of each face up. You build down in alternating colors like Klondike, but you can move any group of face-up cards, even if they aren’t in order. More of the game is skill, since there’s no deck to draw from.

Scorpion

A one-deck cousin of Spider. Seven columns, some cards face down, and you build down in the same suit. Like Yukon, you can move any face-up group of cards. Complete a King to Ace run of one suit in a column to win. Hard, and very satisfying when it comes out.

Forty Thieves

Two decks, ten columns of four face-up cards. You build down in the same suit and can only move one card at a time, and you only go through the stock once. Few deals can be won, which is why it’s also called Napoleon at St. Helena: something to keep you busy for a very long time.

Canfield (Demon)

A 13-card reserve, four columns, and foundations that start at a random rank instead of the Ace. You build down in alternating colors and go through the stock three cards at a time. It wins rarely, which is how it made money as a casino game in the 1890s. In Britain it’s called Demon.

Baker’s Dozen

Thirteen columns of four cards, all face up, with the Kings moved to the bottom of their columns. Build down regardless of suit, one card at a time. Mostly skill, and most deals can be won.

Accordion

Deal the cards in a row. A card can jump onto the card next to it, or three places to its left, if they match in suit or rank. The goal is to end with one pile. Simple to explain and very hard to win.

Clock

Thirteen piles of four cards, laid out like a clock face, with the Kings in the middle. Turn a card, put it under the pile of its hour, and turn the next one. There are no decisions: the deal decides everything, which makes it a calm game of pure luck.

Mahjong solitaire

Not a card game, but often filed with solitaires: match pairs of free tiles until the board is empty. Kepo Mahjong is free to play, and our guide explains how mahjong solitaire works.

Which one should you play?

• Five minutes to spare? Golf, Pyramid or TriPeaks.
• The classic? Klondike, and our tips to win more often.
• Want to think? FreeCell, where almost every game can be won.
• A long challenge? Spider with two or four suits.

Want more? Our list of card games for one person adds Hearts, Spades and Go Fish against computer players. All of them are free in your browser, with no ads and unlimited undo.