Do you know about the Patience Game?

Solitaire is called by various names depending on the region you belong to. Most countries in Europe recognize this card game as Patience. As you know, Solitaire or Patience is a solitary game and has numerous variants.

It can be played in a small space as well as a larger area. The game requires a standard 52-card deck that needs to be laid across the floor or on a table to play.

The four most common terminologies that you will hear while playing Patience are the Tableau, the Foundations, the Stock Pile, and the Waste Pile. The game starts by arranging the cards in seven piles that form Tableau.

The objective of the Patience card game is to flip cards from the Tableau and the Stock Pile to build four foundations containing cards from Ace through King. Once you achieve this goal, you win Solitaire/Patience.

Patience – A Solitary Card Game for the Unsociable

Being unsociable is okay, but everyone seeks entertainment in one form or another. Playing card games is a great way to pass time, but what if you are someone who does not like to hang out in a crowd?

This is where the Patience game comes in. It is also called Solitaire game in many countries owing to the fact that it is played in a solitary environment. Looking back, you must remember that the game came preinstalled on Windows computers and was a pastime activity for many children growing up.

Today, you can also play the Patience game online, as many websites host it for their members. If you do not prefer the online platform, you can play it the traditional way by using a standard deck of cards.

In case you are someone who has never played Patience, the following information is for you.

Patience, as a game, was invented in the 18th century by an imprisoned French aristocrat in Europe. Though this is the generally accepted consensus, some have claimed to have found the first traces of Patience dating back to 13th century in Asia.

The rules of the Patience card game are such that you require a great deal of endurance and concentration to arrange the cards in the necessary order.

In order to win the game, you must arrange the cards sequentially and in respective suits from Ace through King. The ranking of cards in Patience from the highest to the lowest value is as follows – King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, Ace.

Playing the Patience Game – A Guideline

So, now that you know what Patience is, here’s how you play.

As mentioned earlier, there are four unique piles that require your focus – the Tableau, the Foundation, the Stock Pile, and the Waste Pile.

The Tableau:

Tableau is one of the main components of Patience. It needs to be organized in a certain way before starting the game. The Tableau contains seven piles and this is how you arrange it – position the first card face up and six cards beside it face down next to each other.

Then, place a card face up on the second pile and five cards face down in the subsequent piles. Place them similarly until you have six cards face down and one face up card in the seventh pile.

The Foundation:

Setting up the Foundation is what you play for. You need to set all the cards sequentially with King forming the base. Remember, the sequences ought to feature alternating color cards.

For example, a King of Clubs must be followed by a Queen of either Diamonds or Hearts and that Queen must be followed by a Jack of either Clubs or Spades, and so on.

All Ace cards have designated spots on the table where they must be placed. You can place cards sequentially here, too, from Ace to King.

The Stock Pile:

The Stock Pile contains the remaining cards that do not make it to the Tableau. You can use this pile to reveal one card at a time and place it on the Tableau, if it forms a sequence.

The Waste Pile:

The Waste Pile comprises cards that do not go in either the Tableau or the Ace pile.

The gameplay requires you to build the Foundation by transferring cards sequentially across different piles. In doing so, you will successfully open blocked cards, which can now be used to form the Foundation further.

All Ace cards belonging to Hearts, Diamonds, Spades, and Clubs suits have nominated spaces on the board. If you uncover an Ace, it should be placed in its respective slot. You can further utilize these spaces by forming sequences from Ace to King.

Your first priority is to free up as many cards by uncovering face-down cards on the Foundation. If you are unable to do so, you explore the Stock Pile.

You can flip over only one card at a time. In case you cannot use a card from the Stock Pile, it gets transferred to the Waste Pile and you can proceed to flip another card from the Stock Pile.

“Space” is another terminology used in Patience. It refers to the blank slot on the Foundation once you have successfully unveiled and utilized all the faced-down cards that were previously present there. This space can only be filled with a King card, regardless of the suit. You can continue to build sequences atop this King card.

The game ends when you successfully manage to place all the cards by moving them within the Tableau or by transferring them from the Stock Pile.

List of Patience Games That You Can Play

Like other card games, Patience has its own set of variations. Klondike or Patience is the most popular variant in the world. Any time you mention Solitaire, Patience will immediately be the topic of discussion.

The rules of these games are more or less similar to Patience because it has been directly used as inspiration. However, some rules do differ enabling the variations to stand on their own feet.

Below are some of these games that you can try your hands at –

FreeCell:

As far as appearances go, FreeCell looks a lot similar to Patience. However, that is where the similarities end. People, who have played FreeCell have called it one of the most strategic card games, thanks to the vigilant approach it requires on behalf of the players.

The game uses a single deck of 52 cards that are spilt between 7 piles. You will also notice that in FreeCell, all cards get distributed and there is no separate Stock Pile. Also, all cards are spread face up as opposed to some cards being face down, which is the case in Patience.

The gameplay is similar where you need to build sequences. There are 4 designated spaces called Free Cells where cards can be placed so that you can free up other cards that can be played with to form the sequences.

It is important to note that once you place a card in the Free Cells, they come into play only when you want to form a foundation sequence.

Spider

One of the known aspects of Spider is that it makes use of two decks of cards. In this game, you need to form sequences across 8 foundations, ‘8’ resembling the number of legs of a spider, hence the name.

As compared to FreeCell, the game difficulty level of Spider is much higher. You have the option to choose whether you wish to use a single suit of cards or multiple, which decides your difficulty level.

If you choose multiple suits, the game’s difficulty level will be higher. The setup is similar to Patience, as Spider includes foundations, the Stock Pile, and a Discard Pile.

The differences, however, are that the cards are exposed and only assembled sequences can be added to the foundations.

Pyramid:

All cards in play are arranged in the shape of a pyramid and that is where the game gets its name from. Pyramid is said to be one of the games with lesser win probability regardless of how straightforward its rules are.

Out of all the cards in the deck, only 28 make it on the tableau, whereas the remainder forms the Stock Pile. The 28 cards are set face up. It is important to remember that only the cards that appear face up can be used in the game.

The objective of the game is to combine cards whose tally makes up 13 points irrespective of the suit they belong to. The cards have designated value against them with King valued at 13 and Queens and Jacks valued at 12 and 11 points, respectively.

All King cards can be discarded as a single card since they carry 13 points. As for the Stock Pile, cards can be picked one at a time if the cards in the pyramid do not meet the points matching requirements.

Patience has numerous other variants that you can try playing. These include the likes of Scorpion, Quadrille, Poker Squares, Indian Carpet, Knockout, and Deuces, to name a few. All games are dissimilar in different aspects but make for a great gaming experience.

How Do You Win at Patience Card Game?

When you first get to understand the rules of Patience, they may appear straightforward. And even when that is the case, the gameplay requires a lot of strategic manoeuvers to keep winning the game steadily.

If you have formulated your own strategies that work for you, then kudos to you. However, if you are someone who has struggled to finish the game on more than one occasion, adopting the below strategies might help land the results in your favor –

Start by playing the first hidden card:

When you try thinking out of the box, oftentimes you end up ignoring the basics. Regardless of your style of play, you should ensure to unveil the first hidden card in the upper deck, as it opens additional doors for you to build the Foundation.

Having extra options to play in Patience is always considered good.

Do not prioritize the Ace stacks:

Keep working on the Foundation as opposed to stacking on the Ace cards. While playing, you will realize that building the piles is much easier than stacking the Ace foundations.

It is important to remember that you cannot always mend the cards you stack on the Ace foundations and that will certainly put you in a spot of vulnerability. If you have been focusing on Ace stacks, you now know why those wins have been hard to come by.

Concentrate on the larger stacks:

When you notice larger stacks in Patience, it is crucial that you target them. This will enable you to open more hidden cards that you can use to create sequences and suits.

Additionally, do not lose focus of the Stock Pile. Move those cards around, too, and only once you are done with them should you start working on the remaining cards.

Be mindful of time constraints:

Most Patience games come with time constraints. Not being mindful of that aspect has its repercussions.

In Patience game online, where you compete against other players, you are always racing against time because both you and your opponent are required to play within the time limit.

Have plans for empty spots:

Having an empty spot on the tableau is a sign of trouble because it can only be filled by a King. Not making use of the King will result in a useless space, which you could have utilized to build sequences instead.

While at it, ensure that you only move those cards that need to be moved. If you move cards around mindlessly, you could end up blocking spots where some cards may have played a vital role in achieving victory at Patience.

Tricks & Tips to Ace Patience Game

The reputation of Patience is unparalleled in the world of card games with millions of individuals playing the game to this day.

Thanks to the Internet, it has now entered competition mode with sources allowing their members to contest against each other for rewards. While playing the Patience game online, you can adopt a few tricks that can help you to beat your opponents.

Read below a few approaches you should add to your arsenal to ace this card game –

Develop observational skills:

To succeed at Patience, you need to be observant. When you have the necessary observational skills, you successfully think a few steps ahead and outsmart your opponent in crunch times.

By observing the gameplay of your opponent, you can also determine any pattern they follow or what moves they might play next. Accordingly, you can unsettle them by devising and implementing your own strategies.

Using the Undo button:

The Undo button may be a game-changer when you are playing Patience alone. It is natural to make errors when you are competing with time running out.

The Undo button allows you to revert to your prior state in the game. You can use this to your advantage and rectify any mistakes that you may have made in moving the cards.

Strategically play the face-down cards:

Take any opportunity that you get to flip the face-down cards. Not knowing which card you might get upon revealing it can be overwhelming, as you have no desire of ending up with a stack of cards that are of no use to you in that phase of the game.

Alternatively, you can opt to not use the face-down cards in the Stock Pile and only use them when absolutely necessary.

Do not be afraid to pivot:

This strategy is especially in regards to your gameplay. You go into a game with a steady tactic that may have worked for you in your previous games.

However, Patience will throw surprises at you challenging you in all ways possible. So, you need to be able to pivot midway through the game if the need be.

Exploit your opponents’ mistakes:

While playing a multiplayer Patience card game, your opponent is as susceptible to committing a mistake as you are. You need to catch on to these errors and strike when the iron is hot.

Never ignore or forgive your opponent’s mistakes, as they can come back to haunt you. By targeting them at their most vulnerable state, you can force your opponents to commit more mistakes.

Always play the Aces and Twos:

Any time you receive an Ace or a Two card, play it. This will help you to quickly build on your foundations as well as assist you in getting rid of excess cards in your hand.

Play Card Games and Earn Cash Rewards with AIO Games

Card games make for an excellent way to spend free time. The Internet gives you access to numerous sources offering a selection of card games for you to play. With your priority not only set on entertainment but also the security of your finances, picking the ideal option to play with becomes crucial.

AIO Games is one of the most trustworthy resources online today offering multiple gaming options as well as top-notch security to its members. Based on your mood and preference, you can choose to play a skill-based game or one that you can play in solitude.

Another reason to choose AIO Games is its exemplary reward structure. You can participate in tournaments as well as competitions to top the leaderboard and win exciting rewards.

Below are some of the games that you can play with AIO Games and earn cash rewards –

Indian Rummy:

Rummy is one of the oldest games in India. With the card game making its presence felt online, you can access it anytime and anywhere by downloading the gaming app on your phone. If you feel like testing your skills, Rummy is the way to go.

AIO Games believes in offering its members a seamless gaming platform and rich rewards for their efforts. You can invite your friends and family or challenge yourself by competing against a complete stranger.

Take advantage of the free rooms to know the rules that you may not be aware of or to brush up on your existing skills. The rules of online Rummy are more or less traditional with your focus being on building sets and sequences faster than your opponents. Make the first valid declaration to claim your prize.

Call Break Card Game

Trick-taking games are unique and fun to play. Callbreak is one such card game that is suitable for people of all ages and backgrounds, and by playing it on AIO Games, you can earn quick cash rewards.

Callbreak is extremely strategic and is played between a maximum of 4 players. Using the 13 cards dealt, you need to make the same number of tricks or more that you bet beforehand.

Beware that the game has negative scoring, so, be at the top of your game! With AIO Games, you have the choice to play Callbreak in a single-round format or multiple-round format and reap associated rewards.

Poker Game

Poker is unarguably the most popular card game in the world. You may not be a card game fan, but you have heard of Poker for sure. If you have the skills for it, you can win Poker games consistently while being challenged by players of different experiences.

With AIO Games, you can play a variety of Poker variants including Texas Hold'em and Omaha Poker. A great social activity, you can opt for Poker and play against your known associates or family and friends.

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