Frequently Asked Questions

Solitaire is a family of single-player card games, also known as "patience" in many countries. The goal is typically to sort cards into ordered sequences by suit. There are hundreds of variants, with Klondike, Spider, and FreeCell being the most popular.

Klondike is by far the most popular solitaire game. When most people say "solitaire," they are referring to Klondike. It became globally famous through its inclusion in Microsoft Windows starting in 1990.

No, not every deal is winnable in most solitaire variants. In Klondike, roughly 79% of deals are theoretically solvable. FreeCell comes closest at 99.99% solvable. Spider Solitaire varies from 99% (1-suit) to 33% (4-suit).

Klondike Turn 1 is the most beginner-friendly solitaire game. FreeCell is also excellent for new players because all cards are visible from the start and nearly every deal is solvable, allowing you to focus purely on strategy.

Spider Solitaire 4-Suit and Russian Solitaire are among the most difficult variants. Spider 4-Suit has only about 33% solvable deals, while Russian Solitaire combines Yukon's layout with restrictive same-suit building rules.

In Turn 1, you draw one card at a time from the stock, making every card accessible on each pass. In Turn 3, you draw three cards and only the top one is playable, making the game significantly more strategic and difficult.

In FreeCell, all 52 cards are dealt face-up (no hidden cards), and you have 4 free cells for temporary card storage. There is no stock pile. These differences make FreeCell a game of pure skill with no luck involved.

Spider Solitaire uses two decks (104 cards) dealt across 10 columns. The goal is to build complete King-to-Ace same-suit sequences. It comes in 1-suit (easy), 2-suit (medium), and 4-suit (hard) varieties.

Yes. Pure Solitaire is fully responsive and works on all devices — phones, tablets, and desktop computers. No app download is needed; just open the website in any browser.

No. All games on Pure Solitaire run directly in your web browser. There is nothing to download, install, or sign up for. Just visit the site and start playing.

Yes. Playing solitaire regularly can improve strategic thinking, memory, pattern recognition, and patience. It also provides stress relief through focused, meditative gameplay. Research suggests card games contribute to overall cognitive health.

Yukon is a Klondike variant where all cards are dealt at the start with no stock pile. The unique feature is that any face-up card can be moved along with all cards on top of it, regardless of sequence. This creates a more strategic and flexible game.

Solitaire dates back to the late 1700s in Northern Europe. It became widely popular in the Victorian era and achieved global fame when Microsoft included it with Windows 3.0 in 1990.

In most European languages, solitaire card games are called "patience" — reflecting the calm, methodical nature of play. The name "solitaire" (meaning alone or solitary) is primarily used in North America.

Pure Solitaire currently offers 38 solitaire games across 8 game families: Klondike (8), Spider (5), FreeCell (6), Yukon (4), Forty Thieves (5), Canfield (3), Pairing (4), and Special (3). Each game provides a unique challenge and play experience.