When Was Solitaire Invented? Exploring Its History & Origins

Solitaire is a timeless card game that has evolved over the last four decades. While its exact origin isn't clearly documented, many think Solitaire was invented in 18th-century Europe, with roots as a form of fortune-telling. Not only has Solitaire grown in popularity as a game, but it has also evolved into different variations, testing your probability, game theory, and strategy skills.

In this post, we will explore the history of Solitaire, how it grew to be so popular, and how the game has changed over time. Once you learn its origins, you can play for free on Solitaired. We have tons of online single-player card games, from Klondike and Spider Solitaire to FreeCell.

Origins of Solitaire

Solitaire originated in 18th-century Europe, most likely beginning in France, Germany, or Scandinavia. This game was originally used for leisure and fortune-telling. As a fortune-telling game, each card had meaning, and the cards were read as they were arranged.

In Europe, the game was known as “Patience.” In Eastern Europe and Scandinavia, it was called “Kabale,” and in the U.S. and Canada, the game was called “Solitaire.” “Kabale” refers to secrecy and laying playing cards out in patterns, used for fortune telling. The root word, “cabal,” means secret or mystery. As a result, this game was associated with the occult, which was popular in Europe in the 1700s.

Evolution of Solitaire in the 19th Century

The rules for Solitaire were codified in Russia and Sweden in the early 1800s. It was even reported that the French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte played Patience in his exile on St. Helena in the late 18th century.

Charles Dickens was a big proponent of Solitaire games by writing it into his book, Great Expectations (1860). His characters are often seen playing this game, which reflects that it wasn’t an obscure game at the time. Leo Tolstoy, a prolific Russian author, referenced the game of Patience in his book, War and Peace.

Many of the early books that mentioned Solitaire or Patience were written by women. Some of these titles include: Illustrated Games of Patience by Lady Adelaide Cadogan, Games of Patience for One or More Players by Mary Whitmore, Patience by Mrs. E.D. Cheney, and Amusements for Invalids by Annie B. Henshaw.

This time period was a surge of players of Patience games, as people were excited to gather and complete as many of the card collections as they could.

Solitaire in the 20th Century and Its Digital Transformation

The 20th century marked a new era of Solitaire variations and the emergence of digital games.

One example of this was Klondike Solitaire. It was first mentioned in Hoyle’s Games in the 1907 edition. It was likely popularized in the Klondike area of Canada’s Yukon territory during the gold rush era of the 1890s. Legend has it that miners would play this version of Solitaire during downtime at work.

Books on Solitaire continued to be published and helped expand the game to new people and places, even beyond the end of the 18th century. An example of this was The Complete Book of Solitaire and Patience Games by Albert Morehead, published in 1949.

The Solitaire card game became even more popular with its availability on computers as you could now play the game without a deck of cards. Microsoft included Solitaire in its Windows package in 1990 after being developed by Wes Cherry, a Microsoft intern, in 1988. However, he was never paid for it or given royalties.

The goal of Microsoft Solitaire was to help users practice using the mouse and the graphic interface for this operating system, but it also helped Solitaire gain popularity all over the world. Future Microsoft operating systems included new games, which helped popularize variations like FreeCell and Spider Solitaire.

Solitaire in the 21st Century

Not only did computers transform Solitaire into a popular single-player game, but the Internet also helped turn it into a multiplayer experience, with the opportunity for competition online. You can join the competition by visiting Solitaired and checking out our multiplayer gaming option or see how you stack up with other players on our leaderboard.

Additionally, with cell phones and personal computers becoming the norm, apps were developed and more and more people were able to play.

In 2019, Solitaire was put into the Video Game Hall of Fame, due to its popularity and accessibility. After being introduced through Microsoft Windows, it became one of the most played video games in the world.

As seen with the history of Solitaire, this game evolves as technology does. With augmented reality (AR) on the move, players can even play the game in a 3D environment!

The Mathematical Depth of Modern Solitaire

Solitaire has become a game of strategy, making players think of the moves ahead and calculate probabilities.

With a digital version of the game, a computer analyzes the different game outcomes and tries to find the best strategy for each move. By testing these different moves, the computer can see which plays are most likely to win (and recommend moves if you use the hint button). This shows how math can simplify Solitaire and make it easier to score a victory.

Time to Play!

With the focus on math and strategy, Solitaire can offer brain benefits, such as improving memory, focus, and executive functioning skills. Not only is the game itself relaxing, but it can improve your problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, too.

Since the different variations of Solitaire have different skill levels, it's clear that this game can challenge a player at any level. If you’re ready to play a Solitaire game, check out Solitaired, which has several single-player card games online, from Klondike to Spider Solitaire to FreeCell.