How to Play Accordion Patience
Compress all 52 cards into a single pile by stacking matching cards. One of the most challenging patience games with only 1-2% win rate. See the Accordion Patience win rate for realistic expectations.
Objective
The goal of Accordion Patience is to compress all 52 cards into a single pile. Unlike most solitaire games where you build foundations, here you're collapsing the entire deck by stacking matching cards on top of each other.
This is considered one of the most difficult patience games, with an estimated win rate of only 1-2%. The name "Accordion" comes from how the row of cards compresses and expands during play, resembling the bellows of an accordion.
Also known as: The Idle Year, Tower of Babel, Methuselah, Leapfrog
Setup
The entire deck of 52 cards is dealt face-up in a single continuous row from left to right. On wider screens, you'll see all cards laid out horizontally. On smaller screens, cards wrap to multiple rows but are still treated as one continuous line.
Unlike games such as Klondike or Spider, there are no separate piles, foundations, or stock. Every card is visible and in play from the start.
Rules
You can move a pile onto another pile if:
- Position Rule: The target must be immediately to the left (1 space) OR exactly 3 spaces to the left.
- Matching Rule: The top cards of both piles must share the same Suit OR the same Rank.
- 7♥ can move onto 3♥ (same suit) if it's 1 or 3 spaces left
- Q♠ can move onto Q♦ (same rank) if it's 1 or 3 spaces left
Strategy Tips
- Prioritize 3-Space Moves: Moving 3 spaces left compresses the layout faster than 1-space moves.
- Look for Chain Reactions: After each move, new matches may become available.
- Work from the Right: Focus on the right side of the row first. Cards on the far right have more potential targets to their left.
- Avoid Blocking: Be careful not to bury a card you'll need later.
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