Playasolitaire

Definitions

With more than 200 solitaire to choose from, it could be alright to know where to look to find your favourite Solitaire. Playasolitaire.com devide the solitaires into different categories, and in those categories you find solitaire that has the same gameplay.

It could be that you dont agree with my definitions, but this is how I devide my categories:

Klondie Solitaire

The classic klondike is with 7 columns in the tableau, with 1 card in the first column, 2 in next and so on. Only the last card in every column is not hidden.
Usually it is built down in alternate colors, and an open space may be filled with a King or a sequence starting with a King. You can move on one free card, or a sequence. When turning to the waste pile, you can choose between turning one or three card, with unlimited redeals.
There is one foundation pile for each suit, and you should build them up in value from Ace to King.
There is many variations on Klondike, so it is not all solitairs that fit this description, but most do.

Spider Solitaire

These kind of solitaires is most often built down in value by suit. There is no foundation piles, you remove a sequence from the game when it is correct built down from King to Ace in a suit.
Spider solitaire can be played with only one suit, or two (black and Red suit) or four.
You can move on a single card or a correct built sequence. An empty space may be filled with any card or a sequence.
When taking card from the deck, you have to put a new card at the bottom of each column.
There is many variations in the layout, but most common is that you have the same amount of cards in each column, and only the last one is open.

Freecell Solitaire

In freecell, all cards are dealt to the tableau, and all card is open.
You build down in value with alternate colors. There is one foundation pile for each suit, built from Ace to King.
You may only move on a single card. But in Freecell, as the name explains, you usually have 4 freecells available. These can be used to store a single card, and therefore by using them when empty - you can move more than one card.
Many of the variations give you the opportunity to use any card to fill an empty space in the tableau, which gives you even more room for moving more than one card. But there is also many where you only can use a King for an empty space.
on Playasolitaire.com you will find many variations on Freecell. Some is with more than one deck, and some has fewer/more freecells. Try it out :)

Forty thieves

In this category there is a large variety on layout and rules on building. But what gave this solitaire the name, was that you have Forty thieves in the tableau (40 cards). Most forty thieves solitaires seems to have this in common: But - you will find solitaires with more than 40 cards, some without foundations and some with, and you will find others with building in alternate colors.

Golf Solitaire

This is the category with the largest variety in layouts and many solitaires comes with many levels. But all of them usually works the same way: Some variations other than the layout:

Poker Solitaire

This is solitaire where the goal is not to solve a solitaire and to get an empty tableau, but instead build the tableau with as many and as good poker combinations as you can.
The most common is a tableau with 5*5 cards in it, but of course as with the other categorys you will find much variations.

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Pyramid

This category has it name based on how the layout in the tableau is. It is build as a pyramid, with one cards at the top, which is covered with two cards, which is covered with three cards and so on. Most common is 7 rows.
The goal with the solitaire is to combine the value of two cards up to 13, and if so - you can take them away. The cards can either be in the waste pile(s) or in the tableau. They must not be covered with other cards.
Usually you get to turn the waste pile two times, but that can be different for each solitaire.
You will also with this category find many different layouts, bigger pyramid - several pyramids - many levels. But the building up to 13 is usually common. The most frequent variation here is that you can take away two cards with same value.

Scorpion Solitaire

These solitaire can have layout just as a Klondike or a Spider solitaire, and can be built down in tableau with both types, alternate colors or same suit.
The difference is in that you can move more than one card, and they do not have to be in a sequence. It is only the first card in a sequence that has to fit with the card you are moving the sequence to.
The tableau is built up by suit.

Other Categories

The other categories use many different layout and have many solutions on building and rules. But some definitions can be made: