The Super‑Complete Guide to Solitaire Variants
Grab a coffee and pull up a chair—I’m about to take you on a quick tour of the real solitaire universe. Spoiler: Klondike (the Windows one) is only the front porch. There’s a whole mansion of solo card games back there, each with its own quirks, frustrations, and “YES, I’M A GENIUS!” moments.
1. Klondike—the starter pack
You already know this one: seven columns, red‑on‑black stacks, Aces to the top. It’s comfy, like sweatpants for your brain. If you want a twist, flip to “Vegas mode.” Every trip through the deck costs fake cash, so the puzzle becomes, “Can I win before I go broke?”
Play‑time: 3‑10 minutes per deal (Draw‑1 is quicker than Draw‑3).
Difficulty feel: Easy to learn / medium to win regularly.
Best for: Total beginners, nostalgia hunters, folks who want a calming ritual.
Learn How to Play Klondike Solitaire—Your Zero‑to‑Hero Crash Course
2. Double Klondike—Klondike on steroids
Two decks, nine or ten columns, twice the drama. Clearing eight foundations feels like finishing a TV‑series binge in one weekend—exhausting but oh‑so‑satisfying.
Play‑time: 10‑15 minutes (longer endgame).
Difficulty feel: Medium‑hard just from sheer volume.
Best for: Klondike fans craving “supersized” puzzles and big finales.
3. FreeCell—where luck sits on the bench
All 52 cards start face‑up. You get four little parking spots (the “free cells”) to juggle cards. Suddenly every loss is on you, not the shuffle. Win a tough deal and you’ll strut around like you just cracked the Da Vinci code.
Play‑time: 5‑12 minutes (depends on how long you stare before moving).
Difficulty feel: Hard—nearly every deal is solvable, but you have to figure it out.
Best for: Puzzle solvers, perfectionists, anyone who hates blaming luck.
Learn How to Play FreeCell Solitaire
4. Eight Off & Baker’s Game—the FreeCell dark mode
Eight Off gives you extra parking spaces but forces you to build piles strictly by suit. Baker’s Game is even meaner—also suit‑only, but with just four cells. Try it when you feel like punishing yourself in the name of “mental growth.”
Play‑time: 8‑15 minutes.
Difficulty feel: Hard +; extra cells help, but suit‑only descents bite back.
Best for: FreeCell graduates who want a step up without total brutality.
Learn How to Play EightOff & Baker's Game
5. Spider—reckless fun with two decks
Picture ten messy piles and a stack of extra cards waiting to crash the party.
One‑suit Spider (all spades) is beginner‑friendly.
Two‑suit adds hearts—spicier.
Four‑suit? Buckle up; victory screenshots are brag‑worthy.
Play‑time (one suit) : 4‑8 minutes.
Difficulty feel: Easy‑medium; most deals winnable.
Best for: New Spider learners, quick dopamine seekers.
How to Play Spider Solitaire
6. Pyramid—the speedy math snack
Cards form a triangle. Pair exposed cards that add up to 13. Kings nuke themselves. A round takes, what, two minutes? Perfect for elevator rides or awkward Zoom‑meeting wait times.
Play‑time: 1‑3 minutes per hand.
Difficulty feel: Easy to play / luck‑heavy to win.
Best for: Micro‑breaks, math flash‑card fun, commuters.
How to Play Pyramid Solitaire
7. TriPeaks—the arcade cousin
Three little mountains of cards. Play one rank up or down, ignore suits, rack up combo points, feel like a pinball wizard. Easy to learn, dangerously bingeable.
Play‑time: 2‑4 minutes.
Difficulty feel: Easy, arcade‑y.
Best for: Score combo lovers, mobile gamers, anyone who likes quick momentum.
How to Play Tripeaks Solitaire
8. Golf—quick swings, brutal bogeys
Lay out five rows. Play cards strictly up or down by rank until you stall. One wrong move and it’s “welp, +7 on that hole.” My personal rage‑quit champion.
Play‑time: 2‑5 minutes.
Difficulty feel: Easy rules, sneaky‑hard endgame.
Best for: Fans of near‑miss tension and “I should’ve played THAT card” moments.
How to Play Golf Solitaire
9. Scorpion—the messy rescue mission
Looks like Spider, except half the deck is already face‑up—and you can drag messy, half‑ordered stacks around. Mid‑game you’ll release a buried Ace and suddenly everything unknots. Extremely satisfying chaos.
Play‑time: 6‑12 minutes.
Difficulty feel: Medium‑hard; wild swings from doomed to dazzling.
Best for: Players who like dramatic come‑backs and untying knots.
How to Play Scorpion Solitaire
10. Canfield (a.k.a. Demon)—casino‑born mischief
Foundations start on a random rank (all 7s, all Jacks, whatever). Tableau piles are tiny, so space is precious from the first move. Sometimes you win. Mostly you mutter, “Who designed this torture?”
Play‑time: 5‑10 minutes.
Difficulty feel: Hard, swingy, sometimes unwinnable.
Best for: Risk takers, people who laugh at bad luck and play again.
11. Yukon—Klondike but wilder
No draw pile. Everything’s dealt up front, but tons of cards are face‑down. The trick: you can move any face‑up card plus whatever’s on top of it—even if hidden cards break color order. It’s like playing Jenga with a live grenade… yet weirdly relaxing.
Play‑time: 8‑14 minutes.
Difficulty feel: Medium‑hard; rewarding once you “get” the loose‑move rule.
Best for: Klondike fans wanting fewer draws, more on‑board creativity.
12. Forty Thieves—Klondike after five espressos
Two decks, ten columns, strict suit‑by‑suit building. Genuine brain burn. Clear a deal and you’ll want to print the score screen and frame it.
13. Set, Trios, all the quirky minis
Need palate cleansers? Pair‑matching games, little counting puzzles, you name it. Great when you’ve only got three minutes but still want that sweet serotonin pop.
14. Story‑time moderns
Sometimes you want a side‑quest with your card flips.
Solitaire Home Story turns wins into home‑renovation progress (HGTV meets Klondike).
Fairway Solitaire puts the cards on a golf course with power‑ups and snarky commentary.
They’re the gaming equivalent of a cozy blanket: guaranteed winnable, pretty graphics, low stress.
15. The choose‑your‑own‑adventure bit
Want pure strategy? FreeCell, Eight Off, or Baker’s Game—no excuses, only logic.
Crave long, slow burns? Four‑suit Spider or Forty Thieves. Stretch first.
Need micro‑breaks? Pyramid or Golf. Two minutes in, done.
Love a storyline? Fire up Solitaire Home Story and get renovating.