How to Play Poker Solitaire

This game is a little like playing "what happened when Poker goes on a blind date with Sudoku at a Solitaire restaurant?" The result is a card game with elements of each of these popular favorites. Learn how to play with a deck of cards or play an automated Internet version and you might find yourself addicted quickly.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Deck of playing cards
• Playing surface
• Computer with Internet access (optional)

1. Begin by laying out your cards face down on your playing surface to form a five by five card grid. Do not look at these cards. They are place holders to mark your game board.
2. Turn up the next card remaining in your stack and place it (facing upward) on top of any spot on the grid. As you play each new card off of the deck, you'll begin to form poker hands along each row, each column and each diagonal line. Try to anticipate the pattern of play so that you'll be left with the best hands. Once a card is placed, it is set and cannot be rearranged to a more useful position later.
3. When the last card is placed, you can tally up the best hands your decisions have made. Use the standard poker hand rankings (see below) from a high card to a royal flush. The better the hands are, naturally, less likely to materialize.
4. Create a point system to rank your play, scoring using a video poker payout table of your choice.
5. Play an online version; there are many free options available.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't forget to count the hands formed by the two diagonals! Sometimes a great hand will develop along those lines.