Solitaires Team
On May 22, 2025, the gamer community will celebrate the 35th anniversary of the game Solitaire in the digital world. The vintage card game Solitaire rose to fame as one of the most beloved computer games almost by accident. It was included in the 1990 release of Windows 3.0 as a mouse training simulator. Since it was practically the only computer game at the time, it became popular very quickly. May 22, the day of the release, became the official day and is called Solitaire Day.
Nowadays Solitaires are still played by 35 million people monthly in 65 languages.
We know exactly the date when Solitaire appeared on our computers. However, researchers have been dealing with the original history of the invention of this ancient game for many years. There are at least several centuries from its very origins. Shall we trace it?
According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the first printed mention of the word “solitaire” in the context of games dates back to 1746. This reference probably refers to Peg Solitaire, a board game that uses marbles and pegs.
The earliest predecessors of Solitaire as a card game, known as patience games, are believed to have originated in Northern Europe in the late 18th century.
The first printed description of Solitaire rules we found in the 1788 edition of a German game anthology translated as “The New Royal l'Hombre”. It included a chapter entitled “Patience”.
In Das neue Spielalmanach für 1798 “Patiencespiel” we find the description of how to play a card game where two participants take turns, while bystanders place bets on their results.
Some sources claim that the game was likely played with tarot cards initially and was intended as a form of fortune-telling.
In Scandinavian countries, a game of that type is commonly referred to as “cabale,” a term that is linked to “cabal,” meaning a mystical interpretation of the Old Testament. From “cabal,” we also derive “Kabbalah,” the mystical branch of Judaism.
By the early 19th century, Solitaire had begun to make its way across Europe, becoming particularly popular in France. During this period, the majority of classic Solitaire games were both developed and standardized. When playing Solitaire, we use words of obvious French origin - such as tableau and foundation. That indicates that many of the modern rules and layouts were solidified during that period.
Urbanization and the Industrial Revolution, starting in the late 18th century in Britain, transformed rural societies into urban centers across Europe and the U.S., increasing individual leisure time as people moved to cities for work. With increased free time, Solitaire games became popular as a pastime, and many forms of them have developed. As players sought variety, the games evolved to meet their changing preferences.
Solitaire crossed the Atlantic and gained a foothold in North America by the mid-19th century. The game that most of us now know as Solitaire - its most famous version, Klondike Solitaire - gained its fame at this time. It is derived from the Klondike region in Canada, where gold prospectors passing the time in the harsh wilderness played Solitaire to entertain themselves. The game's popularity soared during the Klondike Gold Rush, as miners sought solace and distraction in the challenging and solitary environment.
The game's popularity in the United States is reflected in the literature of the time. Mark Twain wrote about Patience in his book “Life on the Mississippi.” The contest he mentioned was a humorous anecdote about two gamblers competing in a game of Patience (Solitaire) to pass the time during a steamboat journey.
That was the very beginning of Solitaire's integration into American gaming culture.
Klondike, alternatively called Canfield, owes its name to Richard Albert Canfield, once renowned as the wealthiest and most prominent gambler globally. Canfield operated numerous gambling establishments, notably the Old Saratoga Club situated in Saratoga Springs, New York.
Very often we meet with the statement that Napoleon had a weakness for the game and spent his days playing Solitaires on St. Helena's island. Many variations of the game are named in his honor - Napoleon's Square, Napoleon at St. Helena, and Double Napoleon - isn't it proof? However, modern researchers refute this fact.
St. Helena's days are well-documented, debunking the assertion. Napoleon played games like Vingt-Un, Piquet, and Whist, while historians Ross and Healey found the Patience story stemmed from a misinterpreted incident at the Whist table. Las Cases, not Napoleon, was seen “playing this solitary game of patience,” shuffling cards in a corner until they were easier to handle. Thus the word “patience” in that context was used as a virtue rather than a game.
Today, Solitaire remains popular worldwide, both in its traditional card form and various digital versions. Online and app-based platforms have expanded the reach of the game, introducing a multitude of variants that offer different challenges and require different strategies. These include games like FreeCell, Pyramid, and Spider, each with unique rules and gameplay styles.
The game we call Solitaire is called Patience or the equivalent in most European countries.
Here are some examples:
| Country | Game Name |
|---|---|
| France/UK | Patience |
| Sweden | Patiens |
| Finland | Pasianssi |
| Poland | Pasjans |
| Russia | Пасьянс (pas'jans) |
| Spain | Solitario |
| Denmark | Kabale |
The ancient game with the beautiful name of Patience or Solitaire still attracts many people with its simplicity and ability to distract from everyday life. Whether you play it with a deck of cards, on your phone, or online, it can provide moments of relaxation and solitude even in the hustle and bustle. Play, plan your moves, think about your strategy, try your luck - and let it smile on you in the next layout of your favorite Solitaire game. So shall we play?
