How to Play Solitaire | The Gamer's Guide to Beating Your Own System

You probably know how to play solitaire because it’s automatically downloaded on most of your smart devices and computers. But did you know that the game was originally designed to help people retrain their brains? Okay, so it was invented to fight boredom, but anything that you play against yourself is a challenge. That’s why learning how to outthink your own mind is important (and fun).

How to play solitaire: the basics

Back in the day, people called this game “Klondike” and sat at tables for hours. Today, it’s played on a computer or with a standard deck of cards. And while the game may seem confusing when you’re looking over someone’s shoulder, it’s actually pretty easy. Here’s what you need to know:

You can play solitaire at your own pace.
The object is to create an ordered pile of cards with each suit (diamonds, hearts, spades, and clubs).
Foundation piles always begin with an Ace and end with a King.
Victory is yours when all the cards are where they should be.
You must draw cards from a discard pile and reshuffle when you run out.
Players can draw either one or three cards at a time from the discard pile.
There is no score and it’s almost impossible to gamble in Solitaire unless you bet against yourself.

So, why would any want to learn such a simple game? And why does it matter if you’re any good at it? Great questions, but first let’s talk about ways to trip up your own methods.

Tips for tricking yourself

Standard solitaire can get boring if that’s all you ever play. In fact, a lot of people say that the game gets stale after only a short while. That means you can either put your cards away or attempt to outsmart yourself for fun. The choice is yours, but if you choose to improve your experience with the game, this is what you should try first:

Different forms of the game – there are at least four unique Solitaire games that you can use to enhance your experience.
An additional deck – the standard deck has 52 cards, but extra cards can make the game more challenging.
Bending the rules – spice it up by giving or taking power away from certain cards.

Why knowing how to play solitaire is so important

Did you know that school kids play solitaire to learn fundamental math? College-level statistics and probability classes encourage it as well. Truth be told, this game is essential to our culture. Here are 5 good reasons why:

It can increase the player’s IQ.
Gameplay helps calm frazzled nerves.
Your mind becomes more focused and active.
It improves your long-term and short-term memory.
Inexperienced players and technology users can learn basic skills.

The takeaway

You may not become a card shark overnight, but learning how to play solitaire can help you sharpen your mind and win games more often. Best of all, you can have a lot of fun while doing it if you do it creatively.