Solitaire

Solitaire refers to any game of a huge family of single-player card games. The various solitaire games are similar in goal and in type, but the games vary greatly when you get into the details.

The result of this? There is a wide variety of different solitaire games. Think Rummy in terms of game variables, and move upward exponentially. In general, the term "solitaire" is used to refer specifically to the most well-known form of the game, called "Klondike". This is the game most modern players think of when the word "solitaire" comes up, the version on your PC and the version you are most likely to learn how to play. But don't limit yourself to this straightforward version. Even within the world of Klondike there are variations, such as Westfall where thirty cards are dealt into ten piles of three – this variation also features a free play space in the middle of the playing space for easier player maneuvering and strategy. This is just one of what seem to be limitless combinations of rules and strategy.

With such a vast array of variations on the solitaire theme it would be impossible to describe all facets of the game. Some games set themselves apart by involving more than one player -- others use more than one standard deck of cards or a complex variety of rules. This also means there is a game for players of every skill level. Still, most solitaire games have one thing in common – they are basically "ordering" games, where cards are taken from a shuffled unordered state into a numerical or class order as laid out in the game's rules. Solitaire games involve dealing cards from a single shuffled deck into a prescribed arrangement on a large flat surface (traditionally a tabletop) from which arrangement the player tries to reorder the deck by suit and rank. This is done through a series of transferring cards from one place to another under certain restrictions. Some games allow for the reshuffling of the deck or the placement of cards into new or "empty" locations, sometimes in the form of so-called "cells", others times in simple blank spots that arise during game play.

With websites like FreePlaySolitaire.com or good old Games.com's "Solitaire" games the possibilities for play have opened considerably. New games geared at online multi play have appeared, and ironically the game known as Patience in the United Kingdom has become as frantic as video poker, with tournament play, online forums, and even strategy guides everywhere.

WorldofSolitaire.com has 41 versions of solitaire online as of this writing. This website is particularly intriguing because as soon as you arrive, you're dealt a hand of solitaire – no intro and membership and rules reviews to slow you down. Load the site, deal the Klondike, and as you play the smooth attractive game they offer, they figure you'll be interested enough to lead you further. It worked on me.

The most popular versions in online play are Klondike, Baker's Dozen, Golf (a quick game where you can build your tableaux in either direction), FreeCell, Forty Thieves, and the more complicated Spider games.

Another exciting facet of the online solitaire game is tournament play – both for cash and for fun. One popular site advertises "over 9,000 tournaments a day", and the cash prizes astounded me: grand prizes of $1,000 or more.

Like most games, solitaire has its own terminology; here's a quick breakdown.

• Stack – A way of dealing cards so they are placed directly on top of each other. This keeps the player from looking at any card other than the top. In most cases, these cards should be kept hidden. It is considered illegal to view these cards during a deal.
• Stock – This is a pile of cards which are left over after setting up the other layout areas. These face-down cards can be turned over into waste (see below), usually one-by-one, but sometimes in groups of two or three depending on the player's desire.
• Waste - The area where the cards from the stock go when they are brought into play. Only cards from the stock can be played to the waste. As usual, only the topmost card is available for play.
• Foundations - Most solitaire games feature foundations. These games have a different goal from most other solitaire games -- to clear the tableau(see below) and move all the cards to the foundations. Usually they are built up by suit(see below) from Ace to King. Usually only thirteen cards are allowed per foundation.
• Tableaux - This consists of a number of piles of cards where cards can be moved from one area to another, under varying rules. Some allow stacks of cards which match the building requirements to be moved while others allow the top card to be moved.
• Cells - Common in games of the FreeCell variety, these cells allow only one card to be placed in them. Any card can be put in a cell. Players use cells for maneuvering.

Solitaire is at the mercy of strategy writers, as is any game of cards. The difference is that I've noticed a big difference in my own solitaire play after following a few simple rules. These rules are adapted, by the way, from material freely available on the internet as sites such as chessandpoker.com, gambling-gates.com, and others. These strategies specifically apply to Klondike, and are for instructional purposes only.

1. Always play an Ace or Deuce wherever you can immediately. This is something simple that amateurs must learn to advance their level of play. If you are not already automatically getting rid of your Aces and deuces, start immediately. Your game will knot up beyond belief otherwise.
2. Always make the play that allows a downcard to be exposed, regardless of any other game strategy. A downcard is one of the 21 cards played face-down at the beginning of the game.
3. When choosing between two downcard piles, always make the play that frees the downcard from the biggest pile of the two. It is better to get towards the end of a tall stack than to wipe out a short stack.
4. The only play between columns should be a play that allows a downcard to be freed.
5. Don't clear a spot unless there's a King waiting to occupy it right away.
6. Only play a King that will benefit the column with the biggest pile of downcards, unless the play of another King will allow a transfer that frees a downcard.
7. Only build up your Ace stacks beyond the Ace and Deuce when to do so will do one of the following four things --
   1. Frees, or allows a play that frees any downcard
   2. Opens up space for a same color pile transfer between piles that allows a downcard to be revealed
   3. Clear a spot for a waiting King. Never build up just to clear an empty spot
8. When you get to a point in the game where you think your necessary cards are covered, your strategy should be to quickly play any card available onto the correct Ace stack. This clears existing piles to the point that you can use an existing upcard to substitute for the necessary covereds. You may have to rearrange your old piles to allow blocked cards the ability to slip into their Ace stack.