Best Single-Player Card Games

Card games are famous for their ability to build community. From Hearts to Spades to poker, card games provide a delightful pastime for friends and family. However, even a player on their own can get hours of enjoyment from a single deck of cards. Some of the best single-player card games are Klondike, Spider, and FreeCell.

The Iconic Solo Game: Solitaire

A generation of kids know Solitaire from the digital version found on Microsoft Windows in the 90s. This version is technically called ‘Klondike Solitaire,’ but it has become so common, it’s now acceptable to simply call it ‘Solitaire.’

How to Play

Solitaire is played with a standard fifty-two-card deck.

Cards are dealt into piles. The first pile has one card, the second has two cards, all the way up to the seventh pile, which has seven cards. Only the top card of each pile is dealt face-up. The remaining cards are put face-down to create the stock.

Players move face-up cards between stacks in order to reveal more cards. Cards can only be moved if they are one rank lower and of a different color. For example, if the game begins and one pile has a red ten face-up on top and another pile is showing a black nine, the player may put the nine on top of the ten. Then, the card that was under the nine is flipped face-up. If a pile is emptied, a King, including the cards in sequence below it, may be moved to that space.

If a player can no longer move any cards, they may turn over the top three cards of the stock, using the top card, then the card under it, etc. When the player reaches the bottom, they turn the stock over so it is face-down again. In some versions, the player may do this a limitless number of times, but it’s more common that the player may only go through the stock three times.

How to Win

The goal of the game is to build four piles, one for each suit, starting with the Ace of that suit. When an Ace is revealed, the player may put it above the playing area to start a foundation, then add to it as additional cards of that suit are revealed.

A Slight Solo Challenge: Spider Solitaire

If Klondike Solitaire has become second nature to you, you can try other games of its kind. Spider Solitaire can provide a slightly more difficult game that requires different lines of strategy.

How to Play

Spider Solitaire requires two standard decks shuffled together. The player deals out ten piles. The first four piles have six cards, with the sixth card face-up on top. The other six piles have five cards, with the fifth card face-up on top. The remaining cards are kept face-down to form the stock.

The goal of Spider Solitaire is similar to Klondike, as players can only move face-up cards to put cards in order of rank. However, in Spider, the suit does not matter.

Players do not create suited piles, as in Klondike. Rather, players continue to organize cards by rank until they have a sequence from King to Ace. Once a sequence is complete, the player puts them into a stack and removes them from the game.

If a pile is emptied so that there are fewer than ten piles, the player may move any card or sequence of cards into that space. When a player is out of moves, they deal from the stock, placing one card face-up on each of the ten piles. If a player wants further challenge, they can play so that suit matters, as in Klondike.

How to Win

The player wins when they successfully create eight complete sequences.

A Starting Point: FreeCell

FreeCell is slightly easier than Klondike, so it can be a great way for teaching beginners the basics of card games.

How to Play

Using a standard fifty-two-card deck, the player deals out eight columns of cards with every card face-up. The first four columns have one more card than the second four.

Cards are moved the way they are in Klondike: as long as they are one rank lower and the opposite color.

The game gets its name from four free spaces above the area of play. The player may put one card in each of the free spaces, and those cards may be brought back into play when an open space becomes available.

How to Win

Just like in Klondike Solitaire, there are four foundations the player is trying to complete, beginning with the Ace of each suit.

Fun on Your Own

Card games are one of the easiest ways to pass the time and lightly challenge your mind, whether you're in a group or on your own. If you’re planning to get away from solo play and deal some cards with friends, check out our post on inspiring quotes about playing cards for some conversation starters!