How the card game Solitaire is, and always has been, the ultimate destresser.
Although the origins of Solitaire go way back to the 18th Century, mine, and I guess many others’ first experience of Solitaire was at lunchtime on our PC at work. But before I get into its many virtues, what exactly is it?
What is Solitaire?
Surprisingly, the definition of Solitaire is:
Any tabletop game which one can play by oneself, usually with cards, but also with dominoes
Solitaire: A means of escape.
Going back to my preferred format, the Windows (and now web) based version. My first and lasting memory of Solitaire was simply as a means of escape, whether that be some welcome respite in the middle of a busy workday, or some much-appreciated comfort when starting somewhere new and daunting. Solitaire was always there, always available at the click of a button., and never falling foul to company procedure on appropriate software or usage.
Solitaire: Less is more.
It doesn’t come much simpler. Lay down the cards in order, or per suit until you can’t make any more moves. There’s nothing more familiar and tactile than a deck of cards. But the magic of solitaire is it requires concentration, forward-thinking, and patience. Yes, it’s simple, but, like the very best games, it also has a subtle depth of strategy that lures you in and keeps you hooked.
Solitaire and Mental Health.
Back in the day, at my work computer, I was oblivious to the positive effect that as little as 30 minutes of Solitaire was having on my wellbeing. One of the main weapons we have against anxiety and depression is a distraction, and Solitaire delivers this in spades (pardon the pun). That’s right, I didn’t realise this at the time, but those regular lunchtime sessions probably helped me get through some particularly busy and stressful afternoons.
I suppose a big part of Solitaire’s charm is found in its premise: solitude. Of time out, alone, focussing on putting a deck of cards into order. No distractions, nobody invading your space. I’m feeling my pulse slow just thinking about it!
Rediscovering Solitaire.
As life and my career took over, I forgot all about the simple, twee charms of that old Windows app. Truth be told, the rising stresses of living through a COVID crisis have seen the biggest impact on mental health the world has ever seen… And then one day I stumbled across https://www.solitaire.org/
This fantastic FREE site brought it all back to me. It’s a love letter to Solitaire. A complete, comprehensive one-stop-shop with all the variations, the rules, and the history.
Solitaire vs Spider Solitaire.
Although Solitaire.org features many Solitaire games including Klondike, Freecell, Pyramid, Tripeaks, Golf, and even Mahjong, my heart lies with the original Solitaire and the classic Spider Solitaire from workdays gone by.
Spider Solitaire.
Starting with the simplest game of one-suite Spider, this is an instant switch-off from the noise of the day. It’s the quickest route to serenely, mindlessly hoovering up cards while feeding your housekeeping OCD until every last card is tidily ordered back into its deck. But just when you thought it’s too easy, you realise you need to draw out every remaining card over your previously meticulously ordered ones, then it’s damage limitation, panic, or a gratifying success based on your patience, planning, and will.
Solitaire.org provides the icing on the cake with a scoring system that adds just the right amount of extra depth, options for 2 and 4 suits (medium and hard difficulty), and packages it all up perfectly with a super-atmospheric Jazz soundtrack and perfectly judged visuals. It really does feel like your kicking back in a dark corner of a smokey Chicago bar in the roaring (19) 20’s.
All said. This is the ultimate form of the game we all know and love.
Solitaire
Not being familiar with the original form of the game, I had to at least give it a go. Solitaire is initially difficult, confusing, and frustrating. There’s no cool Jazz music and the visuals have been dialed down to almost blocks. But stick with it and that slightly higher complexity level and required strategy entices you in and won’t let go!
On the surface, Solitaire gives you less leeway and looks to be more a game of chance, but when you finally do get that break, the feeling of achievement is far greater.
Solitaire is a shot of gin to Spider’s warm mug of Cocoa. Both are gratifyingly effective in their own unique way.
Welcome back into my life!
I once had a book of [I think it was] 100 ways to play solitaire. Just having the shiny black book with a picture of the Klondike variety on the top was inspiring to me as a teenager. If my memory serves, the book was published by Whitman Publishing Company. Playing Solitaire on a computer is fun, but I think the tactile uses of an actual deck of cards was always awesome, too.