Solitaire Difficulty Ranking: Which Game Is Hardest to Win?

1. FreeCell - Easiest (99% solvable, 41% actual wins)
2. Spider Solitaire 1-Suit - Very Easy (52% actual wins)
3. Klondike Turn-1 - Easy-Medium (82-92% solvable)
4. TriPeaks - Medium (varies by variant)
5. Klondike Turn-3 - Medium-Hard (11% actual wins)
6. Spider Solitaire 2-Suit - Hard (17% actual wins)
7. Spider Solitaire 4-Suit - Very Hard (6% actual wins)
8. Pyramid Solitaire - Hardest (0.5-5.5% winnable)

Key Insight: A game with one extremely difficult winning path counts as "solvable" in theory, but in practice, it's nearly impossible to win. This explains why FreeCell's 99% solvability translates to only 41% actual wins.

Theoretical Solvability: ~99% (only 8 known unsolvable deals out of 1 million)

Actual Player Win Rate: 40.9%

Why It's Easy: All cards are visible from the start, allowing complete information planning. The four free cells provide tremendous flexibility for moving cards.

Perfect For: Players who enjoy strategic puzzle-solving with minimal luck factor.

1-Suit Spider: 51.9% win rate (easiest Spider variant)

2-Suit Spider: 16.6% win rate (moderate challenge)

4-Suit Spider: 6.2% win rate (extreme difficulty)

Theoretical Solvability: 98.8-99.9%

Why Difficulty Varies: More suits exponentially increase the complexity of building complete sequences. The visibility of all cards doesn't help when there are so many blocking patterns.

Turn-1 Klondike: No exact data, estimated 35-45% win rate

Turn-3 Klondike: 11.1% actual win rate

Theoretical Solvability: 82-92% (depending on rules)

Why It's Challenging: Hidden cards in the stock pile create uncertainty. Drawing three cards at a time (Turn-3) severely limits access to needed cards, making many winnable games practically unwinnable.

Theoretical Solvability: 0.5-5.5% (varies by variant)

Actual Win Rate: Even lower, around 1-3%

Why It's Hardest: The initial pyramid layout determines winnability more than player skill. If needed pairs are blocked or buried too deep, the game becomes mathematically impossible regardless of strategy.

Note: "Relaxed Pyramid" (only need to clear pyramid, not entire deck) increases win rates to 50-70%, making it much more playable.

Beginner (0-50 games)

• FreeCell: 20-30%
• Spider 1-Suit: 30-40%
• Klondike Turn-1: 15-25%
• Klondike Turn-3: 5-8%

Intermediate (50-500 games)

• FreeCell: 35-45%
• Spider 1-Suit: 45-55%
• Klondike Turn-1: 25-35%
• Klondike Turn-3: 10-15%

Expert (500+ games)

• FreeCell: 50-60%
• Spider 1-Suit: 60-70%
• Klondike Turn-1: 40-50%
• Klondike Turn-3: 15-20%

1. Master One Variant First

Instead of playing all variants casually, focus on mastering one game. Deep familiarity with patterns and strategies will dramatically improve your win rate.

2. Use Undo Strategically

When learning, use the undo feature to explore "what if" scenarios. This helps you understand why certain moves work better than others.

3. Study Your Losses

After losing, try to identify the critical turning point. Was the game unwinnable, or did you make a mistake? This analysis builds better decision-making.

4. Play With Perfect Information

Start with FreeCell or Spider (where all cards are visible) to develop strategic thinking without the luck factor of hidden cards.

5. Learn Variant-Specific Strategies

Each solitaire game has unique optimal strategies. Read our comprehensive guides for your favorite variant.

Want to Win Often? Play FreeCell or Spider 1-Suit

🧠 Want Strategic Depth? Play FreeCell or Spider 4-Suit

⚡ Want Quick Games? Play Pyramid or TriPeaks

🎲 Like Classic Challenge? Play Klondike Turn-3

😊 Just Starting? Begin with FreeCell or Spider 1-Suit

Is every solitaire game winnable?

No. While FreeCell has ~99% winnable deals, Pyramid has only 0.5-5.5%. Most variants fall somewhere in between, with 80-90% theoretical winnability.

What's considered a good win rate in Klondike?

For Turn-3 Klondike, 10-15% is typical for experienced players. For Turn-1, aim for 30-40%. Anything above 50% in Turn-1 means you're among the best players.

Why is Spider 4-suit so much harder than 1-suit?

With 4 suits, you need exact suit matches to build sequences, creating exponentially more blocking patterns. With 1 suit, any card of the right rank works, giving much more flexibility.

Can I improve my win rate with practice?

Absolutely! Strategic thinking, pattern recognition, and experience can double or triple your win rate. FreeCell especially rewards skill over luck.

What's the fastest solitaire game to play?

Pyramid and TriPeaks typically take 3-5 minutes per game. Klondike and Spider can take 10-20 minutes, while FreeCell can take 15-30 minutes for difficult deals.