technology | May 11, 2026

Is it possible to win every hand of solitaire?

Originally Answered: Is every solitaire game winnable? No. There is some fixed theoretical percentage that each solitaire game has. Some Solitaire games are judged to be harder than others if their fixed theoretical percentage win is lower.

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Herein, can you win every game of solitaire?

Research has shown that every game of Windows Solitaire is winnable—except for one. Game #11982 is impossible to win. This fact has been proven both by human players and computer players. It is believed that this is the only game of Windows Solitaire that cannot be won.

Similarly, what percentage of solitaire games are winnable? For a "standard" game of Klondike (of the form: Draw 3, Re-Deal Infinite, Win 52) the number of solvable games (assuming all cards are known) is between 82-91.5%. The number of unplayable games is 0.25% and the number of games that cannot be won is between 8.5-18%.

Beside this, how many hands of solitaire are winnable?

About 79% of the games are theoretically winnable. The number of games a player can probabilistically expect to win is at least 43% In addition, some games are "unplayable" in which no cards can be moved to the foundations even at the start of the game; these occur in only 0.025% of hands dealt.

Is there a trick to Solitaire?

For your first move, draw a card from the deck to give yourself more options. Play aces and twos right away. Don't leave an empty space if you don't have a king to put on it. If there are options, move cards from the column with the most face-down cards.

Related Question Answers

Is Solitaire good for your brain?

Solitaire is a logic-based game, which means it gets the juices flowing in your head. It gets your brain moving, keeps your skills sharp, and allows you to reap the benefits of a cognitive-based game while also having something to do (and killing time, if you're into that sort of thing).

What is a good solitaire score?

3. The highest score you can earn in the standard version of Microsoft Solitaire is 24,113. You get 10 points for each card added to an aces pile (aka "home stack") and five points for each time you move a card from the deck to a column (correctly).

How many cards do you flip in Solitaire?

Method 3 Trying Variations of Solitaire
  1. When laying out the cards, deal 10 rows of cards with four cards in each pile, all face up.
  2. You can only move the top card of each row at a time.
  3. Play the cards in the reserve deck at the same time, but you can only flip one over (not three at a time.)

What is the fewest moves in Solitaire?

Originally Answered: What is the minimum number of moves required to win in Solitaire? Theoretically, for a very optimal deal of Solitaire it would only take 76 moves for 1-deal, or 60 for 3-deal (one for each card to move into the Foundations and some overflow for dealing from the deck).

What FreeCell games Cannot be won?

In the FreeCell that comes with Windows, and in Pretty Good Solitaire and FreeCell Wizard, the following game numbers are impossible: #11982, #146692, #186216, #455889, #495505, #512118, #517776, and #781948.

Can you run out of moves in Solitaire?

There have been some estimates about the number of Klondike Solitaire games that are unplayable (no moves possible, about 1 in 400), and several guesses about how many games are unwinnable, although this percentage varies wildly from 30%-10%.

What's the fastest solitaire time?

Tscherni. Tscherni completed a round of solitaire in five seconds.

Does solitaire make you smarter?

The free game that is available on every computer and phone actually exercises your brain to make better decisions. Everything you do on a regular basis trains your brain in a certain way. The words you use constantly train your brain as well. As it turns out--so is the game of Solitaire.

Who invented solitaire?

In the late 1960s, 10-year-old Paul Alfille invented a new solitaire variant—there are hundreds, by the way—called FreeCell. Alfille loved his new game, but he really, really hated shuffling.

What is the highest level in Klondike solitaire?

A: The highest possible score is 24113, including bonus points for time. Q: What is the higest score without bonus points? A: 745. Download Pretty Good Solitaire for Windows: play hundreds of solitaire games on Windows XP, Windows 7, and Windows 10 including the standard solitaire game (called Klondike).

How do u play solitaire on Google?

Just search for “solitaire” in Google and right at the top you'll see the option to play. Google has only included the standard version of solitaire. Searches for Freecell or Spider Solitaire will come up short for games embedded in your results.

What does winning deal mean in Solitaire?

If you are playing the game mode Winning Deal, every game is winnable and has a solution. You can press on the gold star that says "Winning,” tap the "Show Me How to Win" button and see the game played out, then Replay the game. This works the same for the Daily Challenge, as each of those games is winnable as well.

How many levels are there in Solitaire?

There are three levels of difficulty in Spider Solitaire: Beginner (one suit), Intermediate (two suits), and Advanced (four suits).

What is a run in Solitaire?

Consecutive cards within a column which are ordered by rank so that the value of each rank is exactly 1 less than the rank before are collectively called a run. For example, a run might consist of a king followed by a queen and then a jack, which would be a 3-card run.

Is Solitaire lucky?

When looking up free solitaire card games, there are several cases to be made about this game being a game of luck. It's a one player game after all in which you'd be right. However there is still some randomization involved in the game. Meaning you have chances of winning as long as the cards are played outright.

Can you always win FreeCell?

Nearly every FreeCell game is winnable. Nearly every FreeCell game can be won. Only a very few FreeCell games are unwinnable. Using the basic deal numbering system that virtually all FreeCell games use, game #11982 is the first unwinnable game of FreeCell.

How do you win Vegas Solitaire?

In the Vegas-Style version of three-card Klondike, a player invests $52, or $1 per card, just to play the game. For each card played into its Ace stack, including the Aces, the player wins back $5. So all a player must do to get their money back is play just 12 cards ($60) into the Ace stacks to start making a profit.

Does solitaire require skill?

Most patience games, as you've noted, require logical deduction, but most still require a degree of luck. Spider Solitaire and Mrs. Mopp come close to being solely skill-based, but are both still vulnerable.

How do you beat Freecell 11982?

On Windows, Freecell game #11982 is impossible to beat. But there is a way, albeit unorthodox. Open up Freecell and hit F3 (or Game -> Select Game) and type in 11982. Hit Control-Shift-F10, then move the 2 of hearts to the 3 of spades and voila, you won the game.