Types of Solitaire Games: The Main Variants Explained

There are hundreds of types of solitaire games, but nearly all of them descend from a handful of core families. Once you understand those families — how the tableau is built, whether there is a stock to draw from, and how you win — every new variant becomes easy to pick up. This guide walks through the main types of solitaire, from the world-famous Klondike to pairing games like Pyramid, with a short description of how each one plays and a link to play it free. Whether you are looking for something relaxing, something challenging, or just something new, there is a type of solitaire here for you.

The Main Types of Solitaire at a Glance

Most solitaire games fall into a few broad categories based on how they work. The table below summarizes the main types and their difficulty before we look at each one in detail.

Klondike Solitaire

Klondike is the classic, the game most people simply call "solitaire." You build seven tableau columns down in alternating colors and send cards up to four foundations, one per suit, from Ace to King. A stock pile feeds you extra cards. It comes in a draw-one version (easier) and a draw-three version (harder), plus a brutal casino-scored Vegas mode. If you only learn one type of solitaire, make it this one. Play Klondike Turn 1, Turn 3, or Vegas Solitaire — and our how to play Solitaire guide covers the rules from scratch.

Spider Solitaire

Spider is the great two-deck challenge. Using 104 cards across ten columns, you build descending sequences and can only remove a run once it is all one suit, from King down to Ace. The difficulty scales with the number of suits in play: one-suit Spider is a gentle introduction, two-suit is the popular middle ground, and four-suit Spider is an expert test of patience and planning. Spider rewards long-range thinking more than almost any other type of solitaire.

FreeCell

FreeCell is the thinking player's solitaire. Every card is dealt face-up from the start, and you get four "free cells" to temporarily hold single cards while you reorganize. Because nothing is hidden and almost every deal is solvable, FreeCell is a game of pure skill — luck barely enters into it. Play FreeCell, or try its tougher relatives Eight Off and Baker's Game, which add same-suit building. If you like solving puzzles rather than relying on the deal, this is your type.

Pyramid Solitaire

Pyramid is the best-known pairing game. Cards are dealt into a pyramid shape, and you clear it by removing pairs of exposed cards whose ranks add up to thirteen — Ace with Queen, two with Jack, and so on, with Kings removed on their own. It is quick, satisfying, and quite different from the build-up-and-down family. Play Pyramid Solitaire, and see our Pyramid strategy guide for tips on clearing the whole pyramid.

TriPeaks Solitaire

TriPeaks is a fast, addictive "card above or below" game. Three overlapping peaks of cards sit above a row, and you clear them by playing any exposed card that is one rank higher or lower than the card in your waste pile, building long chains for big scores. It is easy to learn and ideal for a quick, relaxing session. Play TriPeaks Solitaire and chase your longest chain.

Golf Solitaire

Golf is one of the simplest and quickest types of solitaire. Seven columns of cards sit above a single waste pile, and you clear them by playing any available card that is one rank up or down from the top of the waste — no suits to worry about. Rounds are short and the scoring borrows golf terms, making it a great pick-up-and-play game. Try Golf Solitaire when you want something light and fast.

Yukon and Open-Tableau Games

Yukon looks like Klondike but plays very differently: there is no stock pile, every card is on the table from the start, and you can move any face-up card (along with everything piled on top of it) regardless of order. This makes it a demanding, information-rich puzzle. The family includes Yukon itself, the same-suit Russian Solitaire, the forgiving Alaska, and Scorpion. If you have mastered Klondike and want a deeper challenge, the Yukon family is the natural next step.

Forty Thieves and Two-Deck Games

Forty Thieves is a famously tough two-deck game (also known as Napoleon at St. Helena) where all cards are face-up, building is by suit, and you can move only one card at a time. It demands careful planning and has a low win rate, which is exactly why dedicated solitaire players love it. Play Forty Thieves when you want a real test, or explore its cousins like Streets and Alleys for a different two-deck flavor.

Canfield and Reserve Games

Canfield is the classic casino-style solitaire, built around a thirteen-card reserve and a randomly chosen starting rank for the foundations, with wrap-around building from King to Ace. It is fast, streaky, and historically was played as a gambling game. Play Canfield Solitaire for a brisk, luck-and-skill mix that feels distinct from the Klondike family.

What Are the Five Most Popular Solitaire Games?

If you had to name the five solitaire games everyone should know, they would be Klondike, Spider, FreeCell, Pyramid, and TriPeaks. Klondike is the default classic, Spider is the big two-deck challenge, FreeCell is the skill-based puzzle, Pyramid is the favorite pairing game, and TriPeaks is the fast, modern crowd-pleaser. Between them they cover every major mechanic in solitaire, which is why most apps and websites lead with these five.

What Is the Old-Fashioned Game of Solitaire?

The "old-fashioned" game of solitaire that most people picture is Klondike — the version that shipped with early versions of Microsoft Windows and that has been played with physical cards for well over a century. Its seven-column layout, face-down cards, and Ace-to-King foundations are what the word "solitaire" calls to mind for most players. If you grew up playing solitaire on a computer or at the kitchen table, you were almost certainly playing Klondike.

Which Type of Solitaire Should You Play?

Choose by the experience you want. For a relaxing, familiar game, play Klondike or Golf. For a pure mental workout where skill decides the outcome, play FreeCell. For long, strategic sessions, play Spider or Forty Thieves. For something quick and satisfying, try Pyramid or TriPeaks. The beauty of solitaire is that all of these use the same deck of cards, so you can sample every type free in your browser and find the ones that suit your mood. Browse the full collection on our solitaire games home page.

More Pairing and Matching Types

Pyramid and TriPeaks are the best-known matching games, but the family is larger. Gaps (also called Montana) asks you to arrange cards into ordered rows by sliding them into empty gaps, a very different puzzle from building stacks. Other matching-style games pair or sequence cards in their own ways. These games tend to be quick and visual, relying on pattern recognition more than the long-range planning of the build-up family, which makes them a refreshing change of pace when the foundation games start to feel routine.

Special and Unusual Types of Solitaire

Beyond the big families sit a handful of distinctive games with their own rules. Clock Solitaire lays the cards out like a clock face and is almost pure luck, making it a relaxing, fortune-telling-style game. Accordion is a compact, brain-teasing game where you compress a single row of cards by matching suit or rank. Calculation is a deceptively deep game of building four foundations in unusual numeric sequences. These unusual types show just how much variety the humble deck of cards can produce.

Smaller and Single-Deck Spider Types

Not every Spider-style game needs two decks. Spiderette is a single-deck version of Spider played on seven columns like Klondike, giving you the same sequence-building challenge in a shorter game. Likewise, the Klondike family includes gentler and tougher cousins — from relaxed Klondike with easier rules to Double Klondike played with two decks. Exploring these smaller variations is a great way to find a difficulty level that fits exactly how much challenge you want.

Types of Solitaire by Number of Decks

One useful way to categorize solitaire is by how many decks it uses. Single-deck games (52 cards) include Klondike, FreeCell, Pyramid, TriPeaks, Golf, Yukon, and Canfield — these tend to be quicker and are where most players start. Two-deck games (104 cards) include Spider, Forty Thieves, and Double Klondike; the extra deck makes for longer, more strategic sessions. If you are curious about the exact counts, our guide to how many cards are in a deck breaks down single and double decks in detail.

Types of Solitaire by Skill vs Luck

Solitaire types also vary in how much the outcome depends on skill versus the luck of the deal. At the pure-skill end sits FreeCell, where every card is visible and almost every deal is winnable, so losses are down to decisions rather than chance. In the middle are Klondike, Spider, and most of the family, where the deal sets the limits but smart play decides whether you win a winnable game. At the luck-heavy end is Clock Solitaire, which plays itself out with almost no decisions. Knowing where a game falls helps you pick one that matches whether you want a relaxing flow or a genuine challenge.

How Many Types of Solitaire Are There?

There is no single official count, but card historians have catalogued well over a hundred distinct solitaire games, and some collections list several hundred once you include every regional variation. The good news is that you do not need to learn them all: master the handful of core families — Klondike, Spider, FreeCell, Pyramid, TriPeaks, and Yukon — and almost any new variant you meet will be a twist on rules you already know. That is the real value of understanding the types rather than memorizing individual games.

Where the Word "Solitaire" Comes From

Solitaire takes its name from the French word for "solitary," reflecting that it is a game you play alone. In much of the world, especially Britain, the same games are called "patience" — a fitting name for pastimes that reward calm, careful play. The two words mean the same thing: single-player card games built around sorting a shuffled deck into order. The games spread across Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries and exploded in popularity in the computer era, when Klondike shipped with early versions of Windows and introduced solitaire to hundreds of millions of new players.

Play Every Type of Solitaire Free Online

One of the best things about modern solitaire is that you can sample every type free in your browser, with no download and no sign-up. That makes it easy to explore: spend a few minutes with Pyramid, switch to FreeCell, then try a hand of Spider, all without setting up a single physical card. Because the deal and shuffle happen instantly and you get unlimited undo, trying a new type of solitaire has never been lower-effort. The whole collection of variants is available to play from our home page whenever you want to find your next favorite.

Finding Your Type of Solitaire

With so many types available, the best approach is simply to experiment. Start with Klondike to learn the universal ideas — foundations, tableau building, and uncovering hidden cards — then branch out based on what you enjoy. If you love a guaranteed-solvable puzzle, lean into FreeCell; if you want a long strategic journey, climb the Spider difficulty ladder; if you prefer quick, breezy rounds, rotate between Golf, TriPeaks, and Pyramid. There is no wrong choice, and the variety is exactly what keeps solitaire fresh year after year.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the different types of solitaire?

The main types are Klondike, Spider, FreeCell, Pyramid, TriPeaks, Golf, Yukon, Forty Thieves, and Canfield. They differ in how the tableau is built, whether there is a stock to draw from, and how you win — but all use a standard deck.

What are the five solitaire games everyone knows?

Klondike, Spider, FreeCell, Pyramid, and TriPeaks. These five cover the major mechanics — foundation building, same-suit sequencing, free-cell puzzles, and pairing — and are the most widely played versions online.

What is the old-fashioned game of solitaire?

It is Klondike, the classic seven-column game with face-down cards and Ace-to-King foundations. It is the version bundled with early Windows and the one most people mean when they say "solitaire."

What is the easiest type of solitaire?

Golf and one-suit Spider are among the easiest, and Klondike Turn 1 is very beginner-friendly. FreeCell is easy to win with thought because nearly every deal is solvable, though it requires planning.

What is the hardest type of solitaire?

Four-suit Spider and Forty Thieves are among the hardest, with low win rates that demand careful long-term planning. Vegas-rules Klondike is also brutal because you get only one pass through the stock.

Are all types of solitaire played with one deck?

No. Klondike, FreeCell, Pyramid, TriPeaks, and Golf use one 52-card deck, while Spider and Forty Thieves use two decks (104 cards). See our guide on how many cards are in a deck for the full breakdown.

What is the most fun type of solitaire?

That is personal, but FreeCell is a favorite for puzzle lovers because skill decides the game, Spider is loved for its depth, and TriPeaks and Pyramid are popular for quick, satisfying rounds. Trying a few free in your browser is the best way to find your favorite.

Is solitaire the same as patience?

Yes. "Solitaire" and "patience" are two names for the same family of single-player card games — "solitaire" is more common in the United States and "patience" in Britain. Both refer to sorting a shuffled deck into order on your own.

What is the best type of solitaire for beginners?

Klondike Turn 1 is the classic beginner choice, and Golf and one-suit Spider are very approachable too. FreeCell is also beginner-friendly to win because nearly every deal is solvable, though it rewards a little planning.

How many types of solitaire are there?

There is no official count, but historians have catalogued well over a hundred distinct solitaire games, and some collections list several hundred. You only need the core families, though — most variants are twists on rules you already know.