Card games have been a beloved pastime for centuries, offering endless entertainment and mental challenges. But you don’t always need a partner to enjoy a good card game. In fact, single-player card games (also known as patience games or solitaire variants) provide a unique opportunity for solo fun and brain training. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing way to unwind after a long day, want to sharpen your focus and strategic thinking skills, or simply seek a screen-free activity to combat boredom, this comprehensive guide has you covered. We’ve curated a diverse collection of engaging card games for one player, from classic solitaire to unique variations, suitable for all experience levels, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned card shark. Get ready to shuffle up your routine and discover the world of captivating solo card games!
1. Klondike Solitaire
Klondike Solitaire is the quintessential classic card game for one player – the undisputed king of patience games. It’s a simple yet strategic battle against the deck, perfect for a quick mental workout or a relaxing way to pass the time. The goal is to build four foundation piles, one for each suit (Hearts, Diamonds, Spades, Clubs), in ascending order from Ace to King. You’ll use the seven piles of cards in the tableau to create descending runs, alternating between red and black cards. But be warned, Klondike Solitaire can be deceptively challenging! Don’t be afraid to use the stock pile when you get stuck, but strategic play is key to victory. And if you want to explore different challenges, there are tons of Solitaire variations out there, like Spider Solitaire and Freecell.
2. Clock Solitaire
Clock Solitaire is a simple and fun card game for one player that’s all about luck and a little bit of magic. It’s perfect for a quick relaxing break, and even kids can enjoy this easy-to-learn solitaire variation. Imagine a clock face – that’s how you’ll lay out your cards. Your goal is to match number cards to their corresponding hour piles, but watch out for those Kings! If all four Kings are revealed before you’ve cleared the deck, you lose. It’s a true game of chance, making every win feel like a stroke of good fortune.
3. Pyramid Solitaire
Pyramid Solitaire, also known as Solitaire 13, is a classic patience game that will put your card-matching skills to the test. It’s a brain teaser that combines strategy and a dash of luck, making it a perfect solo activity. Instead of the usual rows, you’ll face a pyramid of cards. The goal is to pair up cards that add up to 13 and remove them from the tableau. Kings, being worth 13, can be removed on their own. But here’s the challenge: you can only use cards that are fully uncovered. Strategically use your draw pile (stock pile) and discard pile (waste pile) to uncover hidden cards and create those winning combinations. If you enjoy games like Tri Peaks, you’ll love the strategic depth of Pyramid Solitaire.
4. Freecell
Freecell is a challenging yet rewarding solitaire variant that’s perfect for players who love a good strategic puzzle. Unlike some patience games, Freecell is known for its high winnability – almost every game can be won with skillful play. You’ll use four Free Cells at the top as temporary holding spots to manipulate cards in the tableau, building descending sequences in alternating colors (just like in classic Klondike). But Freecell’s real depth lies in mastering “Supermoves,” where you strategically use empty columns to move longer sequences of cards. It’s a game of planning, logic, and card mastery that will keep your brain engaged for hours.
5. Beleaguered Castle (aka laying siege and sham battle)
Beleaguered Castle is a challenging patience game that will test even the most experienced solitaire enthusiast. This advanced solitaire variant lives up to its name – it’s notoriously difficult to conquer! Imagine your four Aces as the castle walls, which you must fortify with cards in ascending order, from 2 to King, all in their matching suits. These Aces form your foundation piles, and the remaining cards are laid out in a tableau of rows, resembling a chaotic medieval siege. You can only move the end cards of each row, placing them on cards of the next highest rank. It’s a game of careful planning, strategic suit-matching, and skillful maneuvering to free up those key cards. Can you conquer the Beleaguered Castle, or will you succumb to the siege?
6. Napoleon at St. Helena (aka Forty Thieves)
Napoleon at St. Helena, also known as Forty Thieves, is a challenging and historically intriguing patience game that’s perfect for solitaire enthusiasts seeking a truly demanding experience. Legend has it that Napoleon himself played this game during his exile, adding a touch of historical drama to this already captivating card game.
Forty Thieves utilizes two decks of cards (104 cards total) and requires you to build eight foundation piles in ascending order from Ace to King, all in their matching suits. You’ll strategically move cards between ten columns, using a stockpile and discard pile to your advantage. Careful planning, suit-matching, and efficient sequence building are essential to avoid meeting your “Waterloo” in this historically-themed solitaire challenge.
7. Poker Squares (aka poker patience)
Poker Squares, also known as Poker Patience, is a unique solitaire game that combines the thrill of poker with the strategic challenge of a puzzle. It’s perfect for those who love card combinations and testing their poker hand ranking knowledge. Imagine a 5×5 grid where you’re dealt 25 cards, one by one. Your goal is to arrange these cards to create the best possible poker hands in each row and column. You’ll need to balance the odds, anticipate future draws, and strategize your card placements to maximize your score. No bluffing needed here – just pure strategic card play. If you enjoy Poker Squares, you might also want to check out Cribbage Squares, which uses a similar grid-based system.
8. Cribbage squares
Love Cribbage, but can’t find a worthy opponent? Cribbage Squares is the perfect solo solution! This challenging and strategic cribbage variant takes the classic card combinations and unique scoring rules of Cribbage and transforms them into a one-person brain teaser. Instead of a cribbage board, you’ll be strategically arranging cards on a 4×4 grid, trying to maximize your points using classic Cribbage scoring like 15s, pairs, runs, and more. Think of it as a blend of Cribbage and Sudoku, with a dash of card counting thrown in for good measure. It’s a great way to sharpen your Cribbage skills and challenge yourself, even if you can’t peg your way to a perfect 121.
9. Spider Solitaire
Spider Solitaire is a classic solitaire game that’s as challenging as it is addictive. This popular computer game (remember Microsoft Solitaire?) has been a staple for patience enthusiasts for decades, offering a unique blend of strategy and luck. The goal is to build descending sequences from King to Ace, all in matching suits, within ten piles of cards in the tableau. You can move cards onto cards of the next highest rank, regardless of suit, but building sequences in the same suit is key to clearing the tableau and moving those complete runs to the foundation piles. Spider Solitaire offers different difficulty levels, depending on how many suits are used (one suit being the easiest, four suits the hardest). So, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned card shark, Spider Solitaire is sure to test your strategic thinking skills.
10. Memory (concentration)
Memory, also known as Concentration, is a classic matching game that’s both fun and educational for players of all ages. Don’t let its simplicity fool you – this brain training game can provide a surprising mental workout. The goal is to flip over two cards at a time, trying to find matching pairs. It sounds easy, but as the board fills up, you’ll need to rely on your concentration and short-term memory to remember where those cards are hiding. Memory is a great way to boost your cognitive skills, have some laughs, and maybe even unleash your inner Sherlock Holmes.
11. Wish
Wish is a super simple card game perfect for a quick dose of card-flipping fun. It’s a matching game that’s all about luck, making it ideal for kids and anyone who enjoys a casual, fast-paced experience. Grab 32 cards (sevens and up, plus Aces), shuffle them well, and deal out eight piles face down. Flip over the top card of each pile and look for matches. If you find a pair, remove it, and keep flipping! There’s no strategy required, just a little bit of hope and maybe a wish for good luck.
12. Scoundrel
Scoundrel is a unique solo card game that lets you embark on a thrilling dungeon crawl adventure, all from the comfort of your tabletop. It’s a fantasy card game with role-playing game (RPG) elements, perfect for those who love imagination and storytelling. In Scoundrel, you’ll navigate a dungeon laid out in rows of cards, each representing a treacherous room. But here’s the twist: the suits take on special roles. Spades and Clubs represent menacing monsters, Diamonds are your trusty weapons, and Hearts represent your precious health points. You’ll need to make strategic choices with every card you draw to overcome challenges and survive the dungeon’s depths. Will you emerge victorious with treasure in hand, or will your adventure end in a pile of bones?
13. Hope Deferred
Hope Deferred: This one’s for those who like their solitaire with a side of superstition and a dash of “will they, won’t they?” It’s all about banishing those pesky Clubs from your deck – but will hope triumph in the end?
First, you’ll need to create a “Piquet” deck – which is just a fancy way of saying you’re ditching all the cards from 2 through 6. Think of it like those cards got lost on a particularly wild Friday night. Now, deal out your cards in rows of three, plucking out those Clubs like you’re weeding a garden. After a few rounds and a couple of shuffles, you’ll discover your fate. Were you destined for card-playing glory, or was your hope, well, deferred?
14. Beehive
Beehive is a delightful solitaire card game that combines a nature theme with engaging set collection mechanics. In this easy-to-learn patience game, your goal is to help those busy bees pollinate their flowers by creating sets of four-of-a-kind. Ten cards form your “beehive,” face down with only the top card visible. Two rows of three face-up cards represent the “flowers.” You’ll move cards between the beehive and the flowers, using your draw pile and discard pile strategically to complete those matching sets. Beehive offers a relaxing yet engaging challenge that’s perfect for a quiet afternoon of solo play.
15. Accordion
Accordion, also known as Accordion Solitaire, is an easy-to-learn and surprisingly addictive single-player card game that’s perfect for a quick mental break. The rules are simple: deal out your cards one by one in a row. If you see a match either by suit or number, you can stack those cards together. You can match the most recent card with the one next to it or the card three spots back. The goal is to sequence the entire deck into a single, triumphant pile. It’s a satisfying game of pattern recognition and strategic card placement, offering a casual yet engaging way to relax and test your observation skills.
16. Bowling Solitaire
Bowling Solitaire brings the thrill of the bowling alley to your card table. It’s a fun and easy card game that combines bowling themes with a bit of solitaire strategy. Using only the number cards from Ace (your 1 pin) to 10, you’ll set up your “pins” in that classic triangle formation. Then, use the remaining cards to “knock down” pins of matching values, just like in real bowling. Can you score a strike or a spare? Bowling Solitaire is a quick, casual game that’s perfect for a solo game night or a fun activity for the whole family.
Related: Discover other exciting family card games.
17. Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is a fast-paced, addictive solitaire game that’s all about luck and quick thinking. It’s like a card-playing slot machine – you never know what combinations will appear! The goal is to clear the board by matching pairs of cards with the same rank. Cards must be adjacent (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally) to be matched and removed. Once you’ve cleared all possible pairs, you slide the remaining cards up to fill the gaps and deal more cards from your stockpile. Keep making matches until no more moves are possible. Monte Carlo is a great choice for a quick and exciting solitaire session when you want to test your pattern recognition skills and see if Lady Luck is on your side.
18. Osmosis
Osmosis is a unique and challenging solitaire variant that takes a different approach to the classic formula. Instead of focusing on card rank, Osmosis is all about matching suits. You’ll start with four piles of four cards in the tableau and aim to build up four foundation piles, one for each suit. The twist? Each new foundation pile must be started with a card that matches the rank of a card in the foundation pile above it. So, if your Hearts foundation has a 7, your next foundation must begin with a 7 of a different suit. It’s a strategic puzzle that requires careful planning and a keen eye for suit-matching. If you enjoy solitaire games that break the mold, Osmosis will challenge your strategic thinking skills in a whole new way.
19. Devil’s Grip
Devil’s Grip is a fiendishly challenging solitaire variant that will test your patience and strategic thinking skills to the limit. This advanced solitaire game uses two decks of cards and involves building specific ascending sequences in a tableau of three rows. You’ll need to carefully rearrange the cards, using your stockpile to fill gaps and create the required numerical patterns: 2-5-8-Jack, 3-6-9-Queen, and 4-7-10-King. It’s a puzzle within a puzzle, as you try to anticipate which cards will come up next and plan your moves accordingly. If you can successfully build all the sequences, you’ll escape the Devil’s Grip. But be warned – this game is not for the faint of heart!
20. Aces Up
Looking for an addictive and easy-to-learn solitaire card game? Aces Up, a classic card shedding game, is your perfect match! This single-player card game is simple to pick up but offers a surprising amount of strategy, making it an ideal brain teaser for short breaks or long trips.
The goal is to discard all your cards, leaving only the mighty Aces on the table. You deal out four cards face up and look for pairs of the same suit. Discard the lower card of a pair and replace it with a new card from the draw pile. Sounds simple, right? The catch is that Aces are high in this game, so you’ll need to strategically maneuver to free them from those lower-ranking cards. Aces Up is a family-friendly patience game that provides a satisfying challenge for players of all ages.
21. Canfield
Want to test your solitaire skills against a game steeped in history? Canfield is a classic card game that has challenged and entertained players for centuries. This single-player card game, often considered Klondike’s more demanding cousin, provides an addictive blend of skill and luck.
Like other patience games, Canfield uses a tableau, foundation piles, and a reserve pile. However, a unique rule adds a layer of complexity: you can only start a foundation pile with a card matching the rank of the first foundation card. So, if you uncover a 7, you’ll need another 7 to get those foundation piles going! This challenging twist makes Canfield a true test of strategy and makes for an engaging brain teaser.
Want more card game fun? Check out our curated lists for couples, 2 players, 3 players, 4 players, 5 players, and 6 players card games!
