Who Invented the Solitaire Card Game?

Of all the card games beginning with ‘S,’ there are two that are perhaps the most famous: the first is classic Spades, and the second is Solitaire. Solitaire is a game that is thought to have originated in the Baltic region of Europe during the eighteenth century, but in its earliest form, the game is said to have focused on the art of fortune telling, using the cards and suits to predict whether the players wishes would come true.

In this post, we’ll take a closer look at the history of solitaire and the long and curious journey that it took to become the card game staple that so many of us know and love to this day.

What Is Solitaire?

Solitaire is a single-player game in which the goal is to release certain cards, and place them into the correct position to build up four foundation piles, going in order of sequence and in particular suits‒from King down to Ace. The game starts with four foundation piles.

The cards are arranged into seven columns, with a pile of one card on the very left moving across to the right, increasing one card at a time until the pile on the far right has six cards. All of these should be face down, and the remaining cards should be placed to the side in a ‘waste’ pile.

Start play by turning over one card at a time; some can be played immediately. For example, if you have one nine of Hearts cards and one ten of Hearts, the nine can be moved to the top of the ten to create a sequence.

Moving the nine will unblock the card underneath, allowing you to turn it over, and see if it can be moved to a new sequence. You must place cards in descending order and alternate between red (Hearts and Diamonds) and black (Spades and Clubs) cards.

If you uncover a King card, this can be moved straight up to an available foundation space, and used to begin a sequence of a particular suit. For example, if you turn over a King of Spades, this can be moved to the foundation space, and when you find a Queen of Hearts or Diamonds, it can be added on top of the King.

Who Invented Solitaire?

This game was first described in the eighteenth century and may have been used by the Baltic people as a form of divination. The history of playing card suits stretches back far beyond this‒the suits in their current form are a design originating in eighteenth-century France, which was inspired by earlier German designs, which were inspired by earlier designs from across Asia.

It is possible that there were earlier examples of the game, but these predate any surviving written records, meaning that there is no way to be certain. What does seem clear, however, is that the use of playing cards is a tradition stretching back centuries.

In Closing

Solitaire is a fun, challenging game requiring plenty of patience and a solid understanding of the cards. It sits as part of a wider history of card games, and knowing about its origins can enhance and elevate the fun of each game. With each turn of the card, you are participating in an ancient tradition!