Solitaire – a game of patience
Solitaire games have been around for quite a while. Some were introduced decades ago, some even a few centuries. The games are quite fun, easy to play, and can keep you occupied for long periods of time. The best part is you can play solitaire games all by yourself. Most of them are card games that require a deck of cards. They are also quite challenging, and some require a lot of patience and thinking. In regards to that, numerous strategies and tactics have been developed to beat them. Because after all, winning a solitaire game feels so satisfying!
Today, I will discuss the best strategies for solitaire games. So let us get started.
Klondike
Klondike is arguably of the most popular solitaire game ever. It is so popular that it is even sometimes called “Solitaire” by itself.
Klondike is a very simple card game as the rules are very easy to remember. You need 1 deck of cards with 52 cards in the deck. To win Klondike, you have to match the cards in a sequential manner from Ace to King on empty areas called foundations.
The game area is known as the tableau. When the cards are dealt, all of them face downward so you cannot see them except the top ones. To reveal the face down cards, you will have to carefully form a sequence of cards one by one and drag those cards onto different columns. A pile in the tableau is formed in the opposite direction from King to Ace and also in alternating colors of black and red. If you get stuck, you can deal yourself new cards from the deck. This pile can be used any time in the game to help you form piles. A timer is also usually involved when playing so you have to be quick and attentive.
There are a number of strategies for Klondike, but I will only talk about my favourite ones here. You can follow these tips to improve your chances of winning:
- Draw from the deck. When you start the game, do not immediately move a card from one pile to another. You should always first reveal one card from the stock pile. This improves your chances of getting a good card and forming a better pile early on.
- Move Ace cards into the foundation. As soon as you encounter an Ace card, you should immediately move it toward the foundation area. This is a thumb rule that you must always follow. It is also very logical and self-explanatory to move the Ace card on the foundation pile early on since you win by forming piles on the foundation.
- Uncover your hidden cards. If you are able to uncover your cards from a column, you should always do that. And if you have choices between 2 or more columns, always go for the column that has the most uncovered cards.
- Okay, now this one is fairly simple, but we can also call it one of the most important strategies for solitaire games. Do not lead yourself to a dead end! What this basically means is that you shouldn’t make a move that is not important. Only move the cards that either uncover hidden cards or allow you to make more moves.
- Only empty a column if you have a King. If you empty a column by moving too many piles here and there, it can be disadvantageous as only a King can start a new pile.
- Be careful about the colors. When encountering a choice between a black king or a red king, always think it out and look at your piles, especially the jack and the queen. You could accidentally block yourself if you move the wrong colors.
- Utilize the undo button. if you are playing Klondike on your computer you can always use the undo button. This can help prevent mistakes and also allow you to learn.
Remember that these are only strategic tips that help improve your winning chances, they don’t not guarantee it. If you are looking to play Klondike and test out these strategies, you should know about the website Coolmath Games that offers many solitaire games – all available for free. It lets you play Klondike for free on the website as well! https://www.coolmathgames.com/0-solitaire
Spider Solitaire
Spider Solitaire is another very popular version of solitaire. It is much like Klondike in terms of gameplay but also has other rules. It provides entertaining and challenging games like Klondike.
In order to play spider solitaire, you must have 2 decks to start. The game starts by dealing out a single deck on the game tableau. The cards are dealt out in a specific way so some columns differ in terms of size. Just like in Klondike, all of them are face down and only the bottom cards from each column are exposed.
Your main goal is very simple. You have to order the cards in an descending sequence from King to Ace. Unlike Klondike, there are no foundations in Spider Solitaire. It also has other rules to ensure that the gameplay is unique. You cannot move piles of cards from the column until you create one full sequence for a suit in the descending order. However, if you have a smaller pile that follows the correct suit order, you can transfer it to another column. When you form a column that has all the cards of a suit, it is removed from the game tableau. In the end you have to get rid of all the piles. You can follow some of these strategies to improve your game:
- Focus on same suit piles. If you have a choice, always form a pile that will ensure matching card suits. This will help you to move that pile onto other columns.
- Expose your underneath cards. If you form piles correctly, you should be able to move them. Moving them will expose some of the cards that were previously hidden.
- Clear your piles quickly. You should always try to clear redundant piles and move them to other piles. You will free up tons of space and may even save a whole column.
- Always start a pile from king. If you start a pile from a king and add more cards onto it, you will be in a better position because more and more cards can be put on top of it.
- Arrange your suits before dealing from deck. Before you receive 10 cards from the deck, you should make sure your cards are arranged in the best manner.
- Use empty spaces. If you move you piles in an orderly fashion, you should be left with empty spaces. This will further expose hidden cards or allow you to form better piles.
There you have it, these were the best strategies for the two most popular types of solitaire games. Of course, you can also enjoy Spider Solitaire and many other types of solitaire games by visiting Coolmathgames!
Click on the following link to play Spider Solitaire