Solitaire is an entertaining yet slightly challenging game that you can play by yourself in your free time. What’s fascinating about this game is how it engages your mind and puts you in a meditative state. Solitaire is the perfect game for someone looking to destress from work or kill time.
A Simple Guide to Playing Solitaire
Playing solitaire isn’t as complicated as it might seem. In this article, we will take you through how to play and win at this game. We will cover every aspect of the game, from card setup to gameplay to the objectives.
What You Need to Play Solitaire
To play solitaire, you only need a standard 52 card deck. If you are playing online, then you simply need to find a good solitaire site.
The Card Setup
The card setup, also known as the Tableau, should contain seven piles. In each, only the top card should face up. Here is how you should create the setup.
- Deal seven cards in a horizontal line with the far left card facing up and the rest facing down.
- Deal another pile of six cards with one in the far left facing up and the other five facing down.
- Deal another pile of five cards with the far left card facing up and the other four down.
- Deal another pile of four cards, with the one in the far left facing up and the other three facing down.
- Deal another pile of three cards with the one in the far left facing up and the other two facing down.
- Deal another pile of two cards with the one in the far left facing up and the other facing down.
- Deal the last pile of one card facing up.
If you are playing online, the game will create the card setup for you.
The Overall Objective
When playing, your goal should be to transfer all the cards into the ace foundation piles. The foundation pile is set above the card setup. You need to fill this pile in ascending order starting with Ace and going up to a king card. Each foundation pile should contain one of the suits in a standard card deck. The foundation pile is always empty when starting the game.
The Game Play
There are three ways to move cards in solitaire. You can move cards within the card setup, from the card setup to the foundation pile, and finally, you can reveal a card from the remaining deck.
Once you create your setup, you will remain with 24 cards. These cards are called the stock, and they come in handy when you have no moves left to play in the card setup. You can reveal the stockpile one card at a time or in a pile of three, although you should only use the third card.
Moving Cards Within the Setup
To move cards within the setup, you need to place the cards in descending order and in different colors. For example, you can place a four of spades (black) on top of a five of hearts (red), but you can’t move a four of diamonds (red) on a five of hearts (red). Remember that your goal should be to transfer cards from the setup and arrange them on the foundation pile. If you have no further moves at all, it means you have lost the game. If a pile in the card setup ends, you can only start it with a king card.
To Sum Up
Now that you’ve learned how to play solitaire, you can try playing a quick free game on this website. Don’t be discouraged if you lose your first couple of games. With time, you will become a true master!