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by BoardGameGeek reviewer EndersGameWhen most people think of solitaire card games, they think of the classic game Klondike, which has become synonymous with solitaire itself. Klondike Solitaire is the quintessential example of a builder solitaire game, where you're trying to play all the cards from the deck from Ace through King on four foundations corresponding to suit, with the help of a tableau which is built with cards in descending order and in alternating colours.Some of the finest solitaire games in the world are builder games like this, and take this concept in various different directions. But what about non-builder games,...

by BoardGameGeek reviewer EndersGameMost people are familiar with solitaire, and identify it with Klondike. Klondike is the classic game that everyone is familiar with from Microsoft Windows, where you're building cards down in value in alternating red and black colours, while simultaneously trying to play the entire deck from Ace through King by suit onto four foundations. It is the archetype of the classic builder solitaire game.Many two-deck builder games offer a longer and more thoughtful playing experience, but builder games like Klondike that use just a single deck are ideal time fillers. Perhaps you have explored some solitaire games outside...

by BoardGameGeek reviewer EndersGame Despite the fact that the world of solitaire card games features a rich diversity of different types of games, most people are only familiar with the classic Klondike, and similar games of its kind like Spider, and FreeCell. Consider yourself more experienced with solitaire than most if you've ever played games like Baker's Dozen, Beleaguered Castle, Canfield, Fan Games, Yukon, or Forty Thieves. But all of these games - and the many related ones that belong to their families - have one thing in common: they share the same basic formula for game-play, since they are all examples of builder games.Builder games represent the largest slice...

by BoardGameGeek reviewer EndersGame Top Traditional Card Games For Just Two Players One of the best uses for playing cards is ... for playing card games. This primary usage explains why playing cards spread rapidly throughout Europe after they first arrived there in the late 14th century. Add gambling to the mix, and you get a winning catalyst. Over the centuries that have elapsed since then, we've learned a lot of secondary uses for playing cards, like card magic and cardistry. But card games continue to be as popular as ever. Casual poker tournaments are found around the world, and...

by BoardGameGeek reviewer EndersGameSolitaire games can be a great way to pass the time, either with a deck of actual playing cards in hand, or using a quality app or computer program like BVS Solitaire. One advantage of playing a digital version is that it will do the hard work of shuffling and dealing the cards for you, and enforce the rules, making new games easier to learn and play.But where should you start, especially if you are new to solitaire card games, or want something so easy that you can even teach it to children? In a previous article I...