Things You'll Need:
- Deck of cards
- Playing surface
- Internet access
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Step 1
Review the rules of the Poker Solitaire version you are playing. Make sure you know if diagonal hands count. Check the scoring table, too.
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Step 2
Decide on your style. Do you want to hold out for the best hands, or the highest average score? Put another way, which is stronger: the thrill of a win, or the frustration of losing?
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Step 3
Consider a mixture of the two styles offered here. Warm up trying for big hands (full houses or better), then switch to the more skillful strategy when you are ready for consistent play.
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Step 1
If mastering Poker Solitaire for you means being able to say you hit a four-of-a-kind, a straight flush, or even a royal flush, then focus on these hands exclusively.
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Step 2
To seek full houses or four-of-a-kinds, start placing uniquely ranked cards (any suit) along the top and bottom of the play grid, then stack them accordingly when a duplicate comes up. This will often resemble a chessboard or a jagged toothline early on.
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Step 3
To play for a straight or royal flush, place your first card anywhere in the first column. Use each of the first four columns to set up an attempt at a different flush or straight, using the fifth for cards that don't fit. For a royal flush, sort anything less than a 10 to the right and be patient!
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Step 1
Choose this style if you want to show mastery of Poker Solitaire by consistently scoring higher than a risky or disorganized player. Maybe you've already caught your trophy hands and want a more effective strategy instead. After all, anyone can hit a great hand randomly once in awhile.
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Step 2
The opening: Put your first card in the first column, roughly according to rank: face cards toward the top, and 2s and 3s toward the bottom.
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Step 3
Repeat the previous step for the next several cards, using a new column for each suit. Line up pairs or three-of-a-kind's horizontally when possible, but otherwise plot straights in that direction.
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Step 4
The middle phase: The hands you are more likely to hit become clearer after the first eight or nine cards. At this point, you can start getting creative because your sorted grid offers a better chance of chasing upcoming hands. Use the furthest columns for junk cards, but still keep an eye out for straights or diagonal pairs.
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Step 5
When faced with continuing a flush at the expense of a pair, try to make the pair using one of the junk columns instead (even if you are three cards to a straight). You might still make the flush with unpaired or better paired cards.
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Step 6
The endgame: By the time you get to the last eight or so cards, give up on all but the closest flushes and take whatever you can get. Don't be afraid to sacrifice for a pair.
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Step 7
The last card will come as a relief because you only have one place to put it! Check your score (by hand if you aren't playing online). Expect more flushes and sets than straights or straight flushes with this strategy.
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Step 8
When you are ready to unlock the next level of Poker Solitaire play, make the middle column your junk column. Master sorting each card first by suit, then by diagonal straights and horizontal sets.
