Solitaire, also known as Patience, is a popular one-player card game that has been entertaining players for centuries. To play, you will need a standard deck of 52 playing cards. The objective of the game is to arrange the cards in a specific order, according to their suit and value, in four foundation piles.

To set up the game, shuffle the deck and lay out seven piles of cards, face down, in a row. The first pile will have one card, the second pile will have two cards, and so on up to the seventh pile with seven cards. The remaining cards will form a draw pile at the top of the seven piles.

The game begins by turning over the top card of the draw pile and placing it face up on the table. This card will be the first card in the discard pile. You can then start to move cards from the seven piles and the discard pile onto the four foundation piles according to specific rules.

Cards in the seven piles can be moved onto another pile if the card being moved is one rank lower and of the opposite color. For example, a black nine can be placed on a red ten. A sequential stack of cards, starting with a king and going down to an ace, can also be moved as a group onto another pile.

Alternatively, you can move cards from the seven piles to the four foundation piles. The four foundation piles must start with an ace and then be built in ascending order according to suit. For example, a red ace can be followed by a red two, then a red three, and so on. Once a foundation pile is complete, it cannot be moved.

If you cannot make any more moves using the cards in the seven piles or the discard pile, you can turn over the next card in the draw pile and continue playing. The game ends when all cards have been moved to the foundation piles, resulting in a win, or when there are no more moves remaining, resulting in a loss.

In some variations of Solitaire, players are allowed to turn over and go through the draw pile more than once. This can make the game more challenging and strategic.

Solitaire is a great game to play to pass time or to challenge yourself mentally. It requires concentration, patience, and a bit of luck. It is a perfect game to play alone, but it can also be enjoyed with others by taking turns and competing for the best score.

You can also try out different variations of Solitaire, such as Klondike, Spider, or Pyramid. Each variation has its own set of rules and adds a unique twist to the classic game.

So, shuffle up your deck of cards and give Solitaire a try. Who knows, you may just become a master of this timeless card game.