We have all played a game of solitaire, whether it be on our phones or our computers. Though it may be a simple game to some, solitaire is a fun and intriguing game. It helps train our minds and it’s a great way to pass the time. However, playing the same solitaire game on your PC or mobile phone can get monotonous. Which is why we want to introduce you to 5 other types of solitaire games that have similar gameplay and strategy that will keep you wanting more.
1. Classic Solitaire
The first version of solitaire on our list is the good old classic solitaire. Also known as Patience and Klondike Solitaire, this version of solitaire is an interesting single-player card game that is ideal for anyone above 8 years old. It requires a full deck of cards (52) which are arranged in four piles. Each of which should be sorted in ascending order that is from the Ace to the King.
How to Set Up Classic Solitaire
Getting started with Classic solitaire requires a thorough shuffling of the playing cards. Before you start the game, you need to ensure that you are seated in a stable playing area. Once your cards have been shuffled, begin building a solitaire layout. As you do so, it is crucial that you understand the three types of Solitaire Piles;
- The Foundations – These are the 4 empty piles that are set at the beginning of the game.
- The Tableau – It contains 7 piles; with the first one having 1 card, the second pile having 2 cards, the third pile has 3, the fourth pile should have 4, and so on till you reach the 7th pile. Kindly note that all cards in every pile should face down except for the top card.
- The Stock – This pile contains cards left after you have already built the Tableau. The stock is usually placed face down next to the Tableau.
Playing Classic Solitaire
To play classic solitaire, you have the freedom to move cards from one pile to another. That is, you can move the cards from the stock to the Tableau, or from the stock to the Foundations, and so on.
When it comes to card placement on different piles, some rules apply. For instance, all cards in the Tableau must be placed in descending order and follow an alternating color sequence. Also, in the Tableau pile, only the top card can be moved.
You should know that cards in the foundation piles should begin with an Ace and be placed in descending order. Additionally, only the 3rd card in the Foundation and Tableau piles can be used. Should the stock be finished, it must be flipped to form a new one. Playing classic solitaire involves the rearrangement of cards on the foundations described above.
Now that you are familiar with the basics of classic solitaire, let’s look at other versions you can try to switch up your gameplay.
2. Tens
The game of Tens also requires a 52 deck of cards and the player should be seated at a stable playing area. Kick things off by shuffling the deck and then create the Tableau by dealing 13 cards in 2 rows (one of 3 and the other of 5). What you are left with acts as the stock.
To play this game, you will need to discard four of a kind with pairs of cards that form ten. This can either be a 7 or a 3. Should a player be able to discard the entire deck of cards, they will have won. About cards that will be discarded, they should be replaced with cards from the stock.
3. Pyramid Solitaire
Pyramid is another fan favorite version of solitaire. It requires a deck of 52 playing cards, in which 28 of them are dealt face up to create the Pyramid. The pyramid consists of 7 rows of cards, with the top row having a single card, and the seventh row with seven cards. The remaining cards are placed side down in a pile.
The purpose of the game is to remove as many of the cards as possible from the pyramid by matching it with another card that totals 13. Cards in the pyramid can be matched with each other or with a card from the pile.
4. Monte Carlo Solitaire
The Monte Carlo is a bit complex to set up but once you get the hang of it, you will fall in love with this game. Shuffle the cards and create a 5 by 5 grid of cards that have been flipped over. The deck left behind is the stock. The goal of Monte Carlo is to transfer all your cards to the discard pile.
You can move a pair of cards if they are one of a kind or when they are diagonally, vertically, horizontally, and adjacent to each other on the grid. After moving all possible pairs, the grid remains to be reformed. And the stock creates another 5 by 5 grid. The game of Monte Carlo solitaire goes on till the player transfers all cards to the discard pile.
5. Bowling Solitaire
This is very similar to regular bowling, only that you will be using a deck of cards instead of a bowling ball and pins. When setting up bowling solitaire, the deck should have no face cards and the Aces should be through only 10s.
Begin by setting up pins which are a 4-row pyramid of cards that have been flipped over. The fourth row should have 4 cards, the third row 3 cards, and so on. You should then set up bowling balls which are three piles of cards. The third pile should have 2 cards, the second 3 cards, and the first 5 cards. Kindly note that it’s only the top card that can be flipped when bowling ball piles.
The bowling piles are used to knock down the pins. And this can be done through the following ways; when 2 or more pin cards have an equal value to the ball card, when the last digit of at least two pin cards is equal to the value of the ball card, and finally, when the pin card and ball have an equal value.
Bowling solitaire borrows some of the rules of ordinary bowling, such as; a player has only two bowls per set before a new pyramid has to be created and the pin cards are reshuffled.
Are you tired of playing the old versions of Solitaire that came with your old OS? With the above 5 versions of solitaire, you can be assured of venturing into a newer and more interesting experience of playing solitaire.
