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BestSolitaireGames

Category

Strategy Games

Games where the outcome depends mainly on planning and decision-making rather than the shuffle.

21 games in this category.

  • Baker's Dozen

    Thirteen short columns with every King sunk to the bottom of its own, and no way to refill a column once cleared.

    • One deck
    • 14 min
    • Intermediate

  • Baker's Game

    The predecessor to FreeCell — identical rules, except tableau sequences must build by suit rather than alternating color.

    • One deck
    • 15 min
    • Intermediate

  • Beleaguered Castle

    All four Aces start face-up as foundations, surrounded by eight columns you must whittle down with no redeals.

    • One deck
    • 12 min
    • Intermediate

  • Bisley

    The Aces build up and the Kings build down, meeting somewhere in the middle across thirteen open columns.

    • One deck
    • 15 min
    • Hard

  • Calculation

    Four foundations each build by a different fixed interval at once, so every card has exactly one place it belongs.

    • One deck
    • 12 min
    • Intermediate

  • Canister

    Eight open piles built down with suit ignored, and any card or ordered group may take a space.

    • One deck
    • 13 min
    • Intermediate

  • Cruel

    Twelve piles of four that you may gather and redeal in order as often as you like — without ever shuffling them.

    • One deck
    • 18 min
    • Expert

  • Eight Off

    A roomier FreeCell cousin with eight free cells and stricter suit-based tableau building.

    • One deck
    • 16 min
    • Intermediate

  • Fortress

    A Castle-family game with ten short rows you may build up or down by suit — but never round the corner.

    • One deck
    • 12 min
    • Hard

  • Forty Thieves

    Build strict same-suit sequences across ten columns dealt from two decks — one of the toughest classic patience games.

    • 2 decks
    • 25 min
    • Hard

  • FreeCell

    Nearly every deal is winnable with the right plan — four free cells give just enough room to maneuver every card into place.

    • One deck
    • 15 min
    • Intermediate

  • Maze

    Pull the Kings out and slide the remaining 48 cards around six gaps until every suit runs Ace to Queen.

    • One deck
    • 14 min
    • Hard

  • Penguin

    A seven-cell FreeCell relative where the first card dealt sets the starting rank for every foundation.

    • One deck
    • 15 min
    • Hard

  • Russian Solitaire

    A stricter Yukon variant where tableau sequences must build by suit instead of alternating color.

    • One deck
    • 20 min
    • Expert

  • Scorpion

    Move any card onto any other regardless of sequence, then untangle same-suit runs across seven columns.

    • One deck
    • 15 min
    • Hard

  • Seahaven Towers

    A FreeCell relative played with ten tableau columns and only two free cells.

    • One deck
    • 15 min
    • Intermediate

  • Simple Simon

    A single-deck relative of Spider — build same-suit runs across a pyramid-shaped tableau.

    • One deck
    • 12 min
    • Intermediate

  • Spider

    Build same-suit sequences from King to Ace across ten tableau columns using two full decks and four suits.

    • 2 decks
    • 20 min
    • Intermediate

  • Spider (Two Suit)

    A more forgiving Spider variant played with only two suits instead of all four.

    • 2 decks
    • Two suits
    • 16 min
    • Intermediate

  • Spiderette

    A single-deck take on Spider, played across seven tableau columns instead of ten.

    • One deck
    • 14 min
    • Intermediate

  • Streets and Alleys

    Beleaguered Castle without the head start — the four Aces are buried in the tableau and you have to dig them out.

    • One deck
    • 12 min
    • Hard

Frequently asked questions

What is strategy games?
Games where the outcome depends mainly on planning and decision-making rather than the shuffle.

Games in Strategy Games

  • Baker's Dozen

    Thirteen short columns with every King sunk to the bottom of its own, and no way to refill a column once cleared.

  • Baker's Game

    The predecessor to FreeCell — identical rules, except tableau sequences must build by suit rather than alternating color.

  • Beleaguered Castle

    All four Aces start face-up as foundations, surrounded by eight columns you must whittle down with no redeals.

  • Bisley

    The Aces build up and the Kings build down, meeting somewhere in the middle across thirteen open columns.

  • Calculation

    Four foundations each build by a different fixed interval at once, so every card has exactly one place it belongs.

  • Canister

    Eight open piles built down with suit ignored, and any card or ordered group may take a space.

  • Cruel

    Twelve piles of four that you may gather and redeal in order as often as you like — without ever shuffling them.

  • Eight Off

    A roomier FreeCell cousin with eight free cells and stricter suit-based tableau building.

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