Solitaire

You can play card games alone.

These are called solitaire. Some people call them patience games. This name is used because you must wait and try hard.

Most games are for one person. You can also play with friends. You move cards to make a pattern. You might put cards in a row.

You can build a line of cards. You start with an ace. Then you add a two and a three. You can also pair cards to win. Some games use math to win. You add cards to reach a total. It is a fun way to play.

Solitaire is a type of card game.

Many people call these "patience" games. This name comes from the skill needed to play. You must be patient to win. Most of these games are for one person. However, some versions can be played with two or more people.

There are three main ways to play. In one way, you build sequences. You might start with an ace. Then you add a two and a three in order. This is called building a sequence.

In another way, you pair cards to discard them. A third way uses math. You add card values to reach a total. If you clear all the cards, you win.

Some games are "open." This means you can see all the cards at the start. Other games are "closed." In these games, some cards stay face-down. You do not know what they are until you turn them over.

Some games start closed but become open as you play. These are called half-open games. Solitaire may come from Germany or Scandinavia. The first books about these games appeared in the late 1700s.

Solitaire is a special kind of card game.

Many people call these games "patience" games. This name comes from the fact that you must be very patient to win. Most of these games are meant for one person to play alone. However, there are some versions for two or more players. Some people use the name solitaire to mean any game played by one person. In other places, solitaire refers to games played with marbles or pegs.

People love these games because they test your skill and your luck.

There are three main ways to play these games. The most common way is building sequences. You deal a pack of cards onto a table in a set layout. You move the cards to arrange them in order, like from an Ace to a King. The first card in the sequence is called the foundation card.

A second way is pairing cards to discard them. The third way is called totalling. In this version, you discard two cards that add up to a specific number, like eleven or thirteen. If you clear all the cards, you win the game.

These games have a long and interesting history. They likely started in Germany or Scandinavia. The earliest records of these games appeared in the late 1700s and early 1800s. One of the first descriptions was in a German book from 1783. This book called the game patience and said it was for two players. Later, the games became popular in France. They reached Britain and America in the second half of the 1800s.

Some people think these games are linked to old ways of reading cards.

Many authors have written books to teach these games. In 1860, a man named William Henry Cremer wrote a book called Patience. A woman named Lady Adelaide Cadogan published a famous collection in 1870. One of the most important writers was Mary Whitmore Jones. She wrote many books between 1888 and 1911. Her many books included around 250 different games!

You can even find special cards made just for these games. Some are very small, measuring only 45 by 32 millimeters.

Solitaire games can be grouped by how much you can see. In "open games," you can see every card from the start. This lets you use careful thinking to solve the game. In "closed games," some cards stay face-down in a pile. You do not know what they are until you turn them over. This makes the game more about judgment and luck. Some games are "half-open," which means they start closed but become open as you play. This variety makes solitaire a very big family of games.

Solitaire, often called patience, is a genre of card games defined by a specific objective. The primary goal is to arrange playing cards into a systematic order. In some variations, the objective is to pair cards together to discard them. While most versions are designed for a single player, some varieties allow for two or more players.

The term "patience" comes from the idea that these games require great endurance. Players often face many failures before achieving success, making the name quite fitting.

There are three main mechanisms used to play these games. The most common method is building sequences. A shuffled pack is dealt into a prescribed layout on a tabletop. Players move cards to arrange them in ascending sequences, such as Ace to King, or descending sequences. The card that starts the sequence is known as the foundation card or base card.

A second method involves pairing cards to discard them. If a player successfully throws out all the cards through pairing, the game is "out," meaning it is won. A third method is totalling, where players discard two cards whose combined values form a specific number, such as eleven or thirteen.

Solitaire games can be categorized by how the cards are revealed to the player. In "open games," every card is visible from the very beginning. These games require intense analysis to solve, similar to the game of chess. "Closed games" are different because not all cards are visible. Some cards remain face-down in a stock, and the player must use judgment because the sequence is unknown.

There are also "half-open" games, which begin in a closed state but gradually become open as the game progresses.

Within the closed games, there are several distinct types. Simple builders involve building suit sequences on foundation Aces with very little player choice. In these games, cards that cannot be played are sent to a "wastepile," where they might become inaccessible. Reserved builders are more complex, as they involve dealing a specific number of cards to a "reserve" to increase available options. Packers add another layer of strategy. In these games, players build cards in reverse sequences on a layout called the tableau before moving them to the foundations.

The history of solitaire is tied to Europe, likely originating in Germany or Scandinavia. The earliest written records appeared in those regions during the late 1700s and early 1800s. One of the first known descriptions appeared in a 1783 German anthology titled "Das neue Königliche L'Hombre-Spiel." Interestingly, this early version of patience was described as a game for two players playing alternately. Some researchers suggest a connection between solitaire and "cartomancy," which is the practice of using cards for divination. This theory is supported by the Danish and Norwegian name for the game, "kabal."

As the games spread to France, Britain, and America, many authors began documenting them. In 1860, a writer using the pseudonym "Perseverance" published a book called "Patience" in London. Later, Lady Adelaide Cadogan published her "Illustrated Games of Patience" around 1870. One of the most prolific authors was Mary Whitmore Jones. Between 1888 and 1911, she published several volumes containing approximately 250 different games. Her work helped expand the variety of solitaire available to players worldwide.

Because of the specific needs of these games, card sizes vary significantly. While standard playing cards are roughly 88 x 58 mm, patience cards are often smaller, measuring about 67 x 42 mm. Some manufacturers even produce "mini-patience" cards at 54 x 36 mm, or even smaller versions at 45 x 32 mm. Since many games require two full decks, they are frequently sold in twin packs. This variety in equipment reflects the long-standing and diverse nature of the solitaire tradition.