ProSolitaire › Can You Win Every Game of Solitaire?

Can You Win Every Game of Solitaire?

No. In Klondike solitaire, some deals can't be won no matter how well you play. If you've ever been stuck and wondered whether it was you or the cards, sometimes it really is the cards.

Why some deals can't be won

Every new game starts with a shuffled deck. Most shuffles can be solved, but some put a card you need underneath a card that can never move out of the way. Once that happens, no sequence of moves can fix it.

A common example is when the cards you need to start a foundation, such as the Aces, are buried under the very cards that depend on them.

How many games can be won?

Researchers have studied this with computer programs. In a 2019 study, Ian Gent and Charlie Blake estimated that about 82% of Klondike deals (81.942%, give or take 0.081%) could be won in a version called "Thoughtful Klondike" with draw 3 rules.

"Thoughtful" means the player can see where every card is, including the face-down ones. Real players can't, so in an ordinary game you will win less often than that. The exact best-possible win rate for regular Klondike, where face-down cards stay hidden, is not known.

What this means for you

• Don't be hard on yourself. A lost game doesn't always mean you played badly.
• Draw 1 is easier. Turning over one card at a time gives you more chances to reach the cards you need. See draw 1 vs draw 3.
• Use Undo. If a game gets stuck, take back a few moves and try another route. Often a different order of moves is what was missing.
• Start fresh. If you've tried everything and nothing opens up, press New Game. Every deal is a fresh shuffle.
• Play to uncover cards. Good habits improve your odds. Our strategy tips and common mistakes pages are good places to start.

Source: Blake and Gent, The Winnability of Klondike Solitaire and Many Other Patience Games (2019).