Solitaire is one of the oldest card games that still holds its popularity today. In fact, many people are fans of the game, and tons of online websites offer solitaire both in single and multiplayer formats. There are also different versions of the game such as FreeCell Solitaire, Klondike Solitaire and many more. While many people think that solitaire is a simple game and requires little strategy to beat, it’s quite complicated if you want to be very good at it.
There are a lot of strategies involved with solitaire, especially with the multiplayer format. If you’re looking for some tips and tricks as well as some strategies you can incorporate in your next solitaire session, then look no further.
Before we delve into the tips and strategies, let’s discuss some basics first, especially the terminology. You will be reading some of them in this article, so it’s necessary for you to learn them.
The first term is “down cards,” which means the cards facing down in front of you and are usually the cards at the end of each row and column. “Up cards” are the cards facing up, and the deck is the name of the remaining cards you have in hand. If you remember all that, then let’s go to the first strategy.
The Golden Rule
It’s not a strategy per se but an unwritten rule. This rule is a fundamental strategy that every beginner should start with. Every time you are in a situation where you have to choose between picking a card from the deck or freeing a down card, always choose the latter.
Just remember that the more cards you currently have in play, the easier it will be to finish the game. And anyway, the cards in your deck, while they can be tempting to play, will always cycle back to you later on.
Draw Cards from the Deck as Your First Move
This tip is one of the most common starting strategies that almost everybody uses. As a starter, draw a card from the deck. Why? This is to give yourself more options so you can stack the card more efficiently. Also, it increases your chances of making a great move at the start of the game.
Play Your Aces and Two
When presented with an Ace or Two in your hands, then you should instantly play them. Apart from being the foundations, they will help you reveal other cards and reduce the cards you have in your hand. This is especially true in Klondike Solitaire, where you have to move the cards around in the shortest time you can to win the game.
Whether you get Aces or Two from the deck or the stock, move them immediately to the foundations. Not only will it help you have more cards, but it will also shorten the game so you can finish it quickly.
Play Your Kings
Kings are one of the most important cards in solitaire. Why? Because they have the ability to take up free spaces. That said, always try to reserve a spot for one king so when a king comes along, you can then free up that space and place the king there.
However, do not take a card out of free space when you don’t have a king ready. Which color should you choose? Always pick the king that can free up the longest pile of the column so you’ll have access to more cards.
Learn How to Use Five, Six, Seven, and Eight
Like any game, solitaire also has weak points that make it easier to beat them. For Tetris, it is the long blocks, Monopoly with its hotel placements, etc. For solitaire, it comes in the form of five, six, seven, and eight. These are called the middling cards, and they hold up the scaffolding of the columns, which, when played poorly, will stall the game for a longer duration.
For cards five, six, seven, and eight, there are some criteria that you should meet before you can play them. If these criteria are not met, they will drag the game longer than you expect them to be.
The first criteria are these cards should match the suit of its higher number. For example, if you want to play a seven of clubs on an eight of heart, the nine below number eight should also belong to clubs. Another criterion is that it should be able to free a down card. And lastly, you can only play them when they appear for the first time in the column.
To Sum it Up
You might think solitaire is simple and easy to play. In fact, it is. However, winning it more efficiently and in a shorter duration is a hard thing to do. Yes, it’s a hard thing for a beginner, but when you follow all of the tips and strategies discussed in this article and visit Spider Solitaire, you should be just fine.
This is a paid guest post.