Solitaire Classic on Games.com: 20 Tips straight from Masque's hand

It's Solitaire. What else is there to it? As it turns out, there's a staggering amount of strategy to the age-old card game. Here's one: Did you know that you should only play or transfer a 5, 6, 7, or 8 card in certain situations, like when it will allow a play or transfer that will immediately free a down card? Pretty deep stuff, we know.

Thanks to the fine folks behind Solitaire Classic on Games.com, Masque, we have an exhaustive list of tips and best practices to help you achieve that perfect game time and again. (Who knows, maybe you'll climb up the leaderboards while you're at it.) Solitaire school is indeed in session below:

1. The Tutorial button displays the game rules.

2. The "red ribbon" indicates cards which can be moved to another tableau and the "gold ribbon" indicates cards which can be moved to the foundation piles. Both are enabled with "Show Hints" under Game Options.

3. Auto Complete will move cards for you automatically from the to the foundation piles when appropriate.

4. If you have Auto Complete enabled, it is handy to quickly shuffle through the hand a couple times to play out all of the cards that can be automatically moved to the foundation. This can help improve your score (which is based on time).

5. Turn up the first card off the deck before making any other moves. It increases the initial number of possible moves and gives you the opportunity to make a better choice.

6. Some suggest taking a pass through the stock pile without playing any cards from it to determine which cards are there and the best way to use them.

7. Always move an Ace or Deuce to the foundation whenever possible.

8. Expose hidden cards. If you have a choice from several possible moves that expose hidden cards, choose the column with the largest number of hidden cards.

9. Transfer cards from column to column only to allow a down card to be freed or to smooth the columns.

10. Make it first priority to move cards within the columns or to the stock piles.

11. Use the stock as a last resort when you get stuck.

12. Hold off the moves that are not important. The best moves provide you with opportunities to make other moves or expose hidden cards.

13. Focus on turning over cards in the longest columns first. If you don't reduce the length of the long columns early in the game, you'll get stuck later on.

14. Don't empty a tableau pile if you do not have a King to put it in. A space can only be filled by a King or a sequence starting with a King, so leave your options open.

15. If you have a choice between a black King and a red King to fill a space with, be cautious. Look at the color of the blocking cards, and make the appropriate color choice. For example, if you have a red Jack that blocks some hidden cards, you have to select a red King and than wait for a black Queen.

16. Only play a King that will benefit the column(s) with the biggest pile of down cards, unless the play of another King will at least allow a transfer that frees a down card.

17. Only build your Ace stacks (with anything other than an Ace or Deuce) when the play will:
- Not interfere with your Next Card Protection
- Allow a play or transfer that frees (or allows a play that frees) a down card
- Open up a space for a same-color card pile transfer that allows a down card to be freed
- Clear a spot for an IMMEDIATE waiting King (it cannot be to simply clear a spot)

18. Don't play or transfer a 5, 6, 7 or 8 anywhere unless at least one of these situations will apply after the play:
- It is smooth with it's next highest even/odd partner in the column
- It will allow a play or transfer that will immediately free a down card
- There have not been any other cards already played to the column
- You have absolutely no other choice to continue playing (this is not a good sign)

19. When you get to a point that you think all of your necessary cards are covered and you just can't get to them, immediately play any cards you can to their appropriate Ace stacks. You may have to rearrange existing piles to allow blocked cards freedom to be able to go to their Ace stack. Hopefully this will clear an existing pile up to the point that you can use an existing pile up card to substitute for the necessary covered card.

20. Once you've mastered Classic Solitaire, try a different variation by selecting Change Game! For example, if you prefer Classic Flip 3, you can find that by choosing Change Game, Find a Game, and selecting ALL under both WINNABILITY and SKILL OR LUCK.

Click here to play Solitaire Classic on Games.com Now >

[Sources: Chess & Poker, Solitaire Central, LearnPlayWin]

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