Every Type of Solitaire Game Explained
Solitaire isn’t just one game — it’s an entire family of single-player card games with hundreds of variants developed over the past two centuries. While most people know Solitaire as the classic Klondike game from Microsoft Windows, there’s a rich world of variants that each offer a completely different strategic experience.
This guide covers the most popular types of Solitaire, from the classics everyone knows to lesser-known variants worth discovering. For each game, we explain the rules, difficulty level, and what makes it unique.
The 3 Categories of Solitaire Games
Before diving into specific games, it helps to understand that Solitaire variants fall into three broad categories:
1. Building Games
You build sequences of cards on the tableau and move completed suits to foundation piles. This is the most common category.
- Examples: Klondike, FreeCell, Spider, Yukon
2. Clearing Games
You remove cards from a specific layout by matching or pairing them. The goal is to clear the board rather than build foundations.
- Examples: Pyramid, TriPeaks
3. Packing Games
You arrange cards in a specific order within the tableau itself, often without foundation piles. Less common in digital versions.
- Examples: Scorpion, Wasp
The 6 Most Popular Solitaire Variants
1. Klondike Solitaire — The Classic
Play Klondike Solitaire Free →
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Decks | 1 (52 cards) |
| Layout | 7 tableau columns + stock pile |
| Win rate | ~30% |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Type | Building game |
Klondike is what most people mean when they say “Solitaire.” It was included in Microsoft Windows 3.0 in 1990, originally designed to teach users how to drag and drop with a mouse. Since then, it has become the most-played computer card game in history.
How it works: Deal seven columns with increasing numbers of cards (1 to 7). Only the top card in each column is face-up. Build columns downward in alternating colors (red on black, black on red). Move all cards to four foundation piles, building each suit from Ace to King. Draw from the stock pile when you run out of moves.
What makes it special: Klondike strikes the perfect balance between luck and skill. The hidden face-down cards add an element of mystery, while strategic decisions about which cards to move and when to use the stock pile determine whether you win. It’s the definitive Solitaire experience.
Best for: Everyone — especially players new to Solitaire.
2. FreeCell Solitaire — The Strategist’s Game
Play FreeCell Solitaire Free →
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Decks | 1 (52 cards) |
| Layout | 8 columns + 4 free cells |
| Win rate | ~99.999% |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Type | Building game |
FreeCell is the purest test of Solitaire skill. All 52 cards are dealt face-up from the start, meaning there’s no hidden information and no luck involved. Every win or loss is the direct result of your decisions.
How it works: All cards are visible in eight tableau columns. Build columns downward in alternating colors, same as Klondike. Four “free cells” at the top provide temporary storage for individual cards. Move all cards to four foundation piles (Ace to King by suit). The key mechanic: the more open free cells and empty columns you have, the larger the card sequences you can move.
What makes it special: With a win rate of approximately 99.999% (only 1 in 32,000 original deals is unsolvable), FreeCell proves that nearly every game can be won with perfect play. Of the original 32,000 numbered Microsoft FreeCell deals, only deal #11982 is proven unsolvable — a fact that became legendary among card game enthusiasts.
Best for: Players who love strategy and want a Solitaire variant where skill, not luck, determines the outcome.
3. Spider Solitaire — The Ultimate Challenge
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Decks | 2 (104 cards) |
| Layout | 10 tableau columns + stock pile |
| Win rate | ~33% (1 suit), ~10% (4 suits) |
| Difficulty | Hard |
| Type | Building game |
Spider Solitaire is widely considered the most challenging mainstream Solitaire variant. Using two full decks (104 cards), it demands patience, planning, and the ability to think many moves ahead.
How it works: Deal 104 cards into 10 columns. Place any card on a card one rank higher, regardless of suit — but only same-suit sequences can be moved as a group. Your goal is to build eight complete King-to-Ace sequences in the same suit. Completed sequences are automatically removed. Deal new cards from the stock when no moves remain.
What makes it special: Spider is played in three difficulty modes: 1-suit (easy), 2-suit (medium), and 4-suit (hard). The same-suit grouping constraint creates a unique strategic puzzle — you can build mixed-suit columns freely, but only pure runs can be moved together. This tension between easy placement and difficult movement is what makes Spider endlessly engaging.
Best for: Experienced Solitaire players who want a longer, deeper strategic challenge.
4. Pyramid Solitaire — The Math Puzzle
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Decks | 1 (52 cards) |
| Layout | 28-card pyramid + stock pile |
| Win rate | ~2-5% |
| Difficulty | Hard (by win rate) |
| Type | Clearing game |
Pyramid Solitaire is completely different from the building games. Instead of creating sequences, you solve a mathematical puzzle: pair exposed cards that add up to 13 to remove them from the pyramid.
How it works: 28 cards are dealt face-up in a pyramid shape (7 rows). Cards are “exposed” when no cards from the row below overlap them. Pair two exposed cards that sum to 13 (e.g., 6+7, 5+8, Queen+Ace). Kings equal 13 and are removed alone. Draw from the stock to find additional pairing partners. Clear all 28 pyramid cards to win.
Card values: Ace=1, 2-10=face value, Jack=11, Queen=12, King=13
What makes it special: Pyramid’s low win rate (2-5%) makes it one of the hardest Solitaire games to beat — but the rounds are quick, which keeps you coming back. The mathematical matching mechanic exercises a different kind of thinking than sequence-building games, making it feel more like a puzzle than a card game.
Best for: Players who enjoy puzzles, math-based challenges, and quick rounds.
5. TriPeaks Solitaire — The Fast One
Play TriPeaks Solitaire Free →
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Decks | 1 (52 cards) |
| Layout | 3 overlapping peaks + stock pile |
| Win rate | ~90% |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Type | Clearing game |
TriPeaks (also called Tri Towers or Three Peaks) is the fastest and most relaxing Solitaire variant. With the highest win rate of any popular variant, it delivers consistent satisfaction and addictive chain-building gameplay.
How it works: Three overlapping peaks of face-down and face-up cards are dealt. One card starts the waste pile. Play any exposed peak card that is one rank higher or lower than the waste pile card (e.g., if waste shows 7, play a 6 or 8). Ranks wrap around — King connects to Ace. Draw from the stock when stuck. Clear all three peaks to win.
What makes it special: TriPeaks is all about building long chains. When you play several ±1 cards in a row without drawing from the stock, it creates a satisfying cascade that can clear entire sections of the board at once. The high win rate keeps the momentum going, making it perfect for quick, relaxing sessions.
Best for: Players who want a quick, satisfying game with a high win rate. Great for short breaks.
6. Yukon Solitaire — The Klondike Evolution
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Decks | 1 (52 cards) |
| Layout | 7 columns (no stock pile) |
| Win rate | ~25% |
| Difficulty | Hard |
| Type | Building game |
Yukon Solitaire is a harder, more strategic evolution of Klondike. It removes the stock pile entirely and adds a powerful flexible movement rule that creates unique tactical opportunities.
How it works: All 52 cards are dealt to seven columns — same face-down structure as Klondike, but with 4 extra face-up cards per column (except column 1). There’s no stock or waste pile. Build foundations Ace to King by suit. Build tableau columns downward in alternating colors. The key difference: move any face-up card along with all cards on top of it, even if the group isn’t in proper sequence.
What makes it special: Yukon’s flexible group movement rule is its signature mechanic. In Klondike, you can only move properly sequenced runs. In Yukon, you can grab any face-up card and everything above it — even a jumbled pile — as long as the bottom card lands on a valid target. This opens up surprising moves that feel like breaking the rules but are perfectly legal.
Best for: Players who’ve mastered Klondike and want a more challenging, stock-pile-free variant with deeper strategy.
Other Notable Solitaire Variants
Beyond the six most popular variants, here are some other Solitaire games worth knowing about:
Baker’s Dozen
Thirteen columns of four cards each, all face-up. Kings are moved to the bottom of their columns during setup. Build foundations Ace to King by suit. A simpler game with a high win rate.
Canfield
Sometimes confused with Klondike, Canfield deals a reserve pile of 13 cards and uses one card to start a foundation. The starting foundation rank varies each game (it’s not always Ace), adding a unique twist.
Clock Solitaire
Cards are dealt in a clock face pattern with 12 positions plus a center pile. Flip cards and place them at their clock position (Ace=1 o’clock, 2=2 o’clock, etc.). Almost entirely luck-based.
Forty Thieves
Two decks dealt into 10 columns of four face-up cards each. Only one card can be moved at a time (no group movement). Eight foundation piles. Very challenging with a low win rate.
Golf Solitaire
Seven columns of five overlapping cards. Play cards ±1 from the waste pile (similar to TriPeaks but with a different layout and no wrapping). Simple and fast.
Scorpion
Similar to Spider but with more flexibility. Seven columns with some face-down cards. Build same-suit sequences. You can move any face-up card and everything below it. No stock pile in most versions.
Solitaire Variants Compared
| Variant | Type | Decks | Layout | Win Rate | Difficulty | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Klondike | Building | 1 | 7 columns | ~30% | Medium | Medium |
| FreeCell | Building | 1 | 8 columns | ~99% | Medium | Medium |
| Spider | Building | 2 | 10 columns | ~33% | Hard | Slow |
| Pyramid | Clearing | 1 | Triangle | ~2-5% | Hard | Quick |
| TriPeaks | Clearing | 1 | 3 peaks | ~90% | Easy | Very Quick |
| Yukon | Building | 1 | 7 columns | ~25% | Hard | Medium |
Which Solitaire Game Should You Play?
If you’re a complete beginner: Start with Klondike Solitaire — it’s the classic everyone knows, with a nice balance of luck and skill. Or try TriPeaks for the simplest rules and highest win rate.
If you want pure strategy (no luck): FreeCell Solitaire is your game. All cards are visible, nearly every deal is winnable, and only your decisions matter.
If you want a serious challenge: Spider Solitaire in 4-suit mode or Yukon Solitaire will push your strategic thinking to the limit.
If you want quick, casual rounds: TriPeaks Solitaire and Pyramid Solitaire both offer fast games perfect for short breaks.
If you love Klondike but want something new: Yukon Solitaire is Klondike’s harder sibling with no stock pile and flexible group movement. Or try FreeCell for the complete-information version of a similar game.
Ready to play? All six Solitaire variants are available free on Solitaire Wave — no download, no signup, no waiting. Pick a game above and start playing!