Types of Solitaire Card Games: A Complete Guide to Classics, Variations, and Modern Twists
From Klondike to Spider, explore the many types of solitaire card games that offer endless fun, challenge, and strategy for every kind of player.
Solitaire has been captivating players for centuries, evolving from a quiet tabletop pastime into one of the most beloved single-player games worldwide—both offline and online. With countless variations, from the classic Klondike to more strategic patience games, there’s a style to suit every mood and skill level.
This guide explores the different kinds of solitaire card games, dives into the nuances between patience and solitaire, and even touches on the game’s fascinating history. Whether you’re a casual player or a seasoned strategist, you’ll discover the rich variety and timeless appeal that keeps solitaire at the heart of card-playing culture.
14 Different Kinds of Solitaire Card Games
Not all solitaire games play the same. Some are slow and methodical, asking you to think several moves ahead, while others thrive on speed and intuition. The joy is in the variety; each game offers its own rhythm, set of rules, and little quirks that keep you coming back.
Whether you’re exploring a new type of solitaire game at your kitchen table or diving into different kinds of solitaire online, the right match can turn a few spare minutes into a satisfying challenge.
1. Klondike: The Starter Pack
You already know Klondike: 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.
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.
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.
5. Spider: Reckless Fun With Two Decks
If you play Spider Solitaire, 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.
6. Pyramid: The Speedy Math Snack
In Solitaire Pyramid, 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.
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. Solitaire TriPeaks is 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.
8. Golf: Quick Swings, Brutal Bogeys
In Solitaire Golf you 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.
9. Scorpion: The Messy Rescue Mission
Solitaire Scorpion 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.
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.
Difference Between Patience & Solitaire
Although often used interchangeably, “patience” and “solitaire” have subtle distinctions. In the UK and Europe, these games are most commonly called patience, representing a broader family of solo card games. In the U.S., solitaire tends to refer specifically to the Klondike-style card game, but it now loosely covers the entire genre.
A Brief History of Solitaire
Solitaire originated in 18th-century Northern Europe; particularly German and Scandinavian regions. Early references in card anthologies from the late 1700s suggest its aristocratic beginnings, possibly as a form of fortune-telling and leisurely strategy.
Over time, it evolved through the 19th and 20th centuries, with titles like Spider and Pyramid becoming favorites. The digital era truly transformed solitaire’s reach; when Microsoft included Klondike in Windows 3.0 (1990), it became a daily ritual for millions.
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.