Introduction to Online Solitaire

Online Solitaire is a classic single-player card game that has won the hearts of millions of people worldwide...

Game Objective

The objective of Solitaire is to arrange all cards from a standard 52-card deck into four foundation piles, one for each suit (hearts ♥, diamonds ♦, spades ♠, clubs ♣), starting from Ace (A) up to King (K).

Game Setup

At the start of the game, cards are dealt as follows:

• Main field (tableau): Consists of 7 columns.
  • First column: 1 card (face up).
  • Second column: 1 card face down, 1 card face up.
  • Third column: 2 cards face down, 1 card face up.
  • Continues with the same pattern until the seventh column, which has 6 cards face down and 1 card face up.
• Draw pile (stock): Remaining cards that weren't dealt to the main field.
• Foundations: Four empty fields where you'll stack cards by suit from ace to king.

Game Rules

Moving Cards on the Main Field

• Stacking order: Cards are stacked in descending order of value (K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, A).
• Alternating colors: Cards must be stacked alternating between red (hearts ♥️ or diamonds ♦️) and black (spades ♠️ or clubs ♣️).
  • For example, on a black eight (8♠️) you can place a red seven (7♥️ or 7♦️).
• Moving multiple cards: You can move entire sequences of cards if they are properly ordered.
• Empty columns: Only a king (K) or a sequence starting with a king can be moved to an empty space on the main field.

Building Foundation Piles

• Start with ace: Each foundation pile starts with an ace of the respective suit.
• Ascending order: Cards are stacked in ascending order (A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K).
• Same suit: All cards in one foundation pile must be of the same suit.
  • For example, the hearts foundation will contain cards: A♥️, 2♥️, 3♥️, ..., K♥️.

Using the Draw Pile

• Drawing cards: When you have no moves on the main field, you can draw cards from the draw pile.
• One or three cards: Depending on game settings, you can draw one card at a time or three cards at once.
• Going through the deck: You can have a limited or unlimited number of passes through the deck.

How to Play Solitaire

1. Check the main cards: Look at which cards are available at the top of each column and plan your moves.
2. Move cards: Follow the rules for moving cards between columns on the main field.
3. Reveal hidden cards: When you remove a card covering another, turn the hidden card face up.
4. Use the draw pile: If you have no moves, draw a card from the deck.
5. Build foundations: When you have an ace or the next card in sequence, move it to the appropriate foundation.
6. Plan ahead: Try to anticipate future moves and avoid blockages.

Tips for Beginners

• Prioritize revealing hidden cards: The more cards you reveal, the more options you'll have for moves.
• Free up columns: Try to clear an entire column so you can move a king or a sequence of cards.
• Don't rush the foundations: Sometimes it's useful to keep lower cards on the main field for moving.
• Use the draw pile wisely: Be mindful of how many times you go through the deck if passes are limited.
• Think several moves ahead: Planning is key to success in Solitaire.

Game End

The game ends in one of two ways:

• Victory: Successfully build all four suits in the foundations from ace to king.
• Stalemate: No more possible moves on the main field or in the draw pile.

Solitaire Variations

• Draw One Card: Draw cards one at a time from the draw pile. This is an easier variant as you have more options for moves.
• Draw Three Cards: Draw three cards at once from the draw pile. This variant is more challenging and requires better strategy.
• Limited Passes Through Deck: You have a limited number of passes through the draw pile, which further increases game difficulty.
• Different Scoring Systems: Some versions of the game track scores based on time and number of moves.