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BestSolitaireGames

Comparison

Eight Off vs Penguin

Eight Off compared with Penguin
 Eight OffPenguin
DecksOne deckOne deck
Suits44
Typical length16 min15 min
DifficultyIntermediateHard
How much skill mattersHighHigh
How much the shuffle mattersLowLow
FamilyFreeCell familyFreeCell family
Good for beginnersNoNo

We have not written a verdict for this pairing. The comparison above is drawn from each game's own recorded facts — follow either link for its full rules and strategy.

Eight Off

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

Eight columns of six cards are dealt face up, and the four cards left over go straight into cells — so of the eight cells you start with, half are already occupied. Columns build down by suit in the traditional rules, foundations build each suit up from Ace to King, and you move one card at a time, though free cells effectively let you shift a whole run.

Penguin

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

All 52 cards are dealt face up into seven columns of seven, so nothing is hidden. Seven cells sit alongside, each holding one card.

Frequently asked questions

Which is harder, Eight Off or Penguin?
Eight Off is generally rated intermediate difficulty, while Penguin is rated hard — so most players find one noticeably harder than the other.