7 Best Card Games to Play By Yourself ()

Updated January • By The Editors

Finding the perfect card game to play by yourself can be a delightful challenge. While Klondike Solitaire (the one that came with Windows) is the most famous, the world of solitaire is vast, diverse, and filled with hidden gems that offer far more strategic depth.

Whether you're looking to relax with a simple game of chance or flex your mental muscles with a complex puzzle, we've curated a list of the 7 best solo card games you can play right now.

1. Accordion Patience

If you love puzzles like Tetris or Candy Crush, Accordion Patience will be your new obsession. Unlike traditional solitaire where you build piles, here you are constantly compressing a single long line of cards.

The goal is simple: compress the entire deck of 52 cards into one single pile. You can pile a card onto another if it matches the suit or the rank of the card immediately to its left, or three spots to the left.

Try it right here! Match cards by suit or rank to stack them.

Play Accordion Patience Solitaire

Why it's great for solo play:

One-hand friendly: Since it's just one line of cards, it's perfect for mobile play.
Pure strategy: There are no hidden cards. Every card is visible from the start (as you deal them), meaning your success depends entirely on your choices, not luck.
It's fast: A game can be finished in under 5 minutes.

2. Yukon Solitaire

Yukon is often described as "Klondike without the stock pile." All cards are dealt onto the tableau at the start—some face up, some face down. The twist? You can move any group of face-up cards, even if they aren't in sequence.

This freedom of movement makes Yukon incredibly dynamic. It rewards planning ahead and creating "empty slots" to maneuver your Kings.

Try a round right here. Move any face-up run to reposition quickly.

Play Yukon Solitaire

3. Agnes Bernauer

For those who find standard Klondike too reliant on luck, Agnes Bernauer is a refreshing alternative. It uses a "reserve" of 7 cards that are available to help you when you get stuck. This extra strategic layer makes the game winnable far more often than classic solitaire.

Use the reserve to break deadlocks and keep progress moving.

Play Agnes Bernauer Solitaire

4. Forty Thieves

Known for its difficulty, Forty Thieves is for the serious strategist. You play with two decks, and the rules are strict—you can only move one card at a time. It requires patience and foresight, making every win feel like a monumental achievement.

Two decks. One-card moves. Every decision matters.

Play Forty Thieves Solitaire

5. Russian Solitaire

A variation of Yukon, Russian Solitaire adds a difficulty spike: you must build your tableau piles in the same suit (e.g., 6 of Hearts on 7 of Hearts), rather than alternating colors. It's tough, brutal, and incredibly satisfying to crack.

Same-suit building turns Yukon freedom into a real puzzle.

Play Russian Solitaire

6. Aces & Kings

This double-deck game gives you four foundation piles starting with Aces and four starting with Kings. Your job is to meet in the middle. It's a unique "bidirectional" challenge that forces you to think about card sequences in a completely new way.

Build up from Aces and down from Kings until the sequences meet.

Play Aces & Kings Solitaire

7. Classic Klondike (Turn 3)

No list is complete without the classic. While "Turn 1" is easier, "Turn 3" is the definitive way to play. Drawing three cards at a time from the stock restricts your options and forces you to prioritize which cards to use and when.

The classic challenge: draw three, plan ahead, and commit carefully.

Play Klondike Turn 3

Ready to start playing? Check out our full collection of free card games to find your perfect match.