Best Single Player Card Games Like Solitaire

Solitaire was something of a revolutionary force for the industry of playing card games. Following its example, there are dozens of unique variations of single-player patience games that any gamer can try out for themselves to find their new favorite game!

7 of the best card games like Solitaire

Here are seven of the best single-player card games similar to Solitaire. These games are a mixture of one-deck games and two-deck games, with a fun mix of different rulesets and mechanics. If you’re already familiar with Solitaire games like Klondike Solitaire and Spider Solitaire, then the games in this list can be a great way to branch out!

Pyramid

What is it: The most angular variation of Solitaire you’ve ever played, with a little bit of math to boot! You’ll need a single 52-card playing deck.

Game Length: 15-25 minutes.

Difficulty: Fairly easy to win with the sheer amount of card combinations to make 13.

How to Play: Arrange 28 cards face-up in a pyramid, with 7 cards making up the bottom and a single card at the top.

Objective: Remove every card from the pyramid to win the game. To do this, combine cards from the pyramid with each other or with cards from the remaining stockpile so their value equals 13. Only then can they both be removed.

The Idiot

What is it: The Idiot is a brutally difficult, highly randomized Solitaire variation. Aces-high. You’ll just need a 52-card playing deck and a bit of resilience.

Game Length: Your experience will be entirely dependent on luck, and games may end quickly because of it. Players who wish for an exceedingly difficult Solitaire should feel at home here, otherwise, beware!

Difficulty: 15-25 minutes.

How to Play: Place 4 cards face-up into a tableau, and the entire rest of the deck goes into the stockpile. To remove cards from your tableau or stockpile, throw them into a waste pile if they are lower than another card of the same suit.

Objective: Completely clear the tableau and stockpile of cards until only each ace remains.

Diplomat

What is it: To play this large-scale Solitaire type game, you’ll need two 52-card playing decks, 104 cards in total.

Game Length: 40-50 minutes.

Difficulty: Can be successfully completed more often than not, but get ready to be in it for the long haul.

How to Play: Place each of the 8 aces in a formation in the middle of the tableau to begin your foundations. Around the aces, form two columns containing a combined total of 8 tableau stacks, each stack containing 4 cards. The rest of the remaining cards become your stockpile. Only a single card may be moved at a time, and you must stack cards descending according to their value. If you run out of moves anytime during play, draw from the stockpile and attempt to play it.

Objective: Fill the entire foundations using your tableau and the stockpile available to you. If you cannot complete before the entire stockpile has been drawn, the game is over.

Beleaguered castle

What is it: A numerical puzzle! This game functions a little differently than standard Solitaire, as moving your cards in the tableau is facilitated differently and can massively impact your decision-making. Requires a single 52-card playing deck.

Game Length: 20-30 minutes.

Difficulty: Somewhat challenging – you can only move single cards across the tableau and must stack them going down in rank.

How to Play: Place each of the four aces in a vertical formation in the middle of the tableau. Around the foundations, you’ll make 8 tableau piles of 6 cards each. This should look like two vertical columns of 4 stacks. Only a single card may be moved at a time, and you must stack cards descending according to their value.

Objective: Fill the foundations by suit in ascending value. Clear the entire board and complete the foundations to win!

Poker Squares

What is it: A single-player variant of Poker, the goal is to make as many of the best possible poker hands with a selection of cards as you can! Only requires a 52-card playing deck.

Game Length: 10-20 minutes.

Difficulty: There’s no “losing" in Poker Squares – simply try to achieve the highest score you can with your allotted cards!

How to Play: Arrange a five-by-five grid of cards– with only a single card for each space – to place a total of 25 cards. Cards cannot be moved once they are placed. Once the entire grid is assembled, you can try and form the best poker hands

Objective: Once the entire grid is assembled, your board is scored based on each of the 5-card hands created across the grid, horizontally and vertically. Make as many valuable poker hands as you can to earn points!

Cribbage Squares

What is it: A single-player version of the game Cribbage. Uses just a single, 52-card playing deck.

Game Length: 10-20 minutes.

Difficulty: Similar to Poker Squares, while the game can be played to hit a certain point threshold to “win", you can also choose to simply play for points!

How to Play: Arrange 16 cards in a four-by-four grid, with a single card in each spot. No cards can be moved once placed. Once all 16 cards have been placed, take a single card and flip it up in the bottom-right of the grid. This is your “starter" card.

Objective: Using your starter card, create the highest-value Cribbage hands possible. Once the entire grid is assembled, your board is scored based on each of the vertical and horizontal hands combined with the started card. Make as many valuable Cribbage hands as you can to earn big!

Forty Thieves

What is it: Popularly mythicized as the game Napoleon played in his exile at St. Helen, this game is a blend between Spider Solitaire and Klondike. To play, you’ll need two 52-card playing decks to make 104 cards in total.

Game Length: 40-50 Minutes

Difficulty: A difficult game to win due to its random nature and high card density.

How to Play: Create 10 equal columns in your tableau of 4 cards a piece. Every card in your tableau starts face up. You can only stack cards by suit in descending order in your tableau, or ascending order in 8 foundation piles.

Objective: Create 8 ascending foundation piles, arranged by suit, to win the game!

Play all your favorite Solitaire variations online!

We hope you’ve enjoyed some of these unique single-player card games. Perhaps you’ve found a new game that speaks to you, and that’s great! Even if you’re a player with no experience, we encourage you to give these games a try. Solitaire-type games can be easy to pick up, but difficult to master, so get to practicing!

If you’re interested in playing some classic Solitaire variations online, completely for free, check out 247 Solitaire for some of the best selection of Solitaire games on the web.

DISCLAIMER: The games on this website are using PLAY (fake) money. No payouts will be awarded, there are no "winnings", as all games represented by 247 Games LLC are free to play. Play strictly for fun.