54 Platripedia—Game Tips

Mastering Solitaire Strategy

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According to a study from Oregon State, the odds that a random game of klondike solitaire will be solvable are less than 20%. So if you’re constantly finding yourself stuck in a quagmire of jacks, kings and aces, don’t throw your deck away just yet. Here are a few tips that should shape up your solitaire game.

Freeing the downcards is your top priority. Always make a play or move that will allow them to be uncovered. This rule supercedes all other rules. If you have more than one choice of downcards to uncover, then opt to uncover the downcard in the column where there are the most of them.

Try to resist moving cards into the foundation until it becomes necessary, unless it is an ace or a deuce. Although, you may be tempted to put cards into the foundation as soon as you can since it is the point of the game, they may serve you better as part of your stacks. You may place a card in the foundation and find out you later need it only after it is blocked by another card. However, if a card appears in your stockpile that will fit in your foundation but not your columns go ahead and drop it on your foundation.

The stockpile should be your last resort and only used as a means of helping you uncover downcards in your columns. When your options become limited, but you catch a break and are able to play three cards in a row from the stockpile, resist this temptation. Since the cards are removed from the stockpile at three at a time, using all three at once won’t mix up the rotation of the stockpile.

You shouldn’t combine columns of cards without any reason to. Unless it frees a downcard, or you have no other options, then leave your columns alone. If combining columns will free a space available for a king, but no king is available, then you should wait before doing so. Also, it is recommended to build your columns evenly if possible.

Playing middle cards like 5, 6, 7, or 8 will decrease your versatility and push you into a corner. You shouldn’t play these cards at all unless it frees a downcard or no other cards have been played in the column, making it the second card in the column.

Good luck and happy stacking!