Solitaire is one of those games that everyone knows at least one version of.  I, unfortunately, have an addiction to the game.  I know at least thirty-eight named versions of the game, and many unnamed ones I think my grandmother made up to keep me from bugging her.  Solitaire is first really seen in the mid-1700’s in Germany.  There are different names for it from other parts of the world, they include:

• Patience
• Kabal
• Success
• Fortune

There are a number of these solitaire games that have higher success rates than others.  For example, in Accordion, the idea is to move all 52 cards into one pile or to 4 piles, one of each suit.  The cards are dealt one at a time from left to right.  If a card is the same suit or rank as the card 1 behind it or 3 behind it, the card can be moved backward onto that matching card.  Any cards beneath the card that is moving are moved with it as a pile.  If cards do not match, they stay in their place.  I’ve read every article I can on this type of solitaire, but I have won the game only once.  I have played it thousands of times.

On the other hand, Free Cell is a game that I can win 3 out of every 4 times I play it.  In this game, all 52 cards are dealt in eight rows, left to right, with the second row beginning with the 9th card.  There are 4 reserve spaces beside the foundation spaces.  The idea of the game is to make 4 foundation piles of cards, 1 for each suit Ace through King.  The eight columns are built downward by alternating color.  All uncovered end cards are available for play.  So if you have an Ace uncovered, you can place it in the foundation pile.  Cards built in sequence may be moved together if there are enough empty reserves and table columns to unstack and restack the cards.  If there is not enough room, the cards cannot be selected.  For example if you have a 10,9,8,7,6 and you have a J of the opposite color than the 10 open, but you only have 3 reserve spaces open, this move is illegal.  The game is complete when you have the 4 foundation piles.

There is quite a difference in the design and concept of the two games.  In one, you can see all the cards from the beginning, so you can strategize how you want to move the cards.  In Accordion, you are always at the mercy of the desk.  But, I enjoy playing both of these games.  One to see if I can beat it every time and one to see if there IS a strategy.  Have fun!