Computer Solitaire

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 28 Nov 2004 9:56 am

Every once in a while, just to relax, I'll play the solitaire game that comes with Windows. I seem to win about 1 out of every 8 or 10 games. But I often wonder whether every game is, in fact, winnable. Or not. Obviously a bad player, or just bad luck, can lose an otherwise winnably-dealt game, but can a "good" or even a "lucky" player necessarily win any given hand, or are some dealings just plain "unwinnable" right from the start, no matter what you do? I wonder if anybody knows...

rpetersen · Post by **rpetersen** » 28 Nov 2004 10:01 am

Jim - You gotta know how to cheat - -
If you are playing draw three, simply hold down control, shift, alt when you click on the draw and it wil draw only one card so you can get that one card you have been needing. But don't tell anybody!!

------------------
Ron Petersen &
The Keep'n Tyme Band
Mullen Universal 12 - 1975 Session 400 - Nashville 1000

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 28 Nov 2004 10:01 am

"know"? No. But I'm pretty confident that a losing hand is a losing hand. I've badly misplayed a hand into a loss but I've had other hands that died in two or three go-rounds with barely a move on my part---there were no choices to be mis-played.
I take it personally. Bastards.
-----
-----
-----
Holy moly, Ron! That works![This message was edited by Jon Light on 28 November 2004 at 10:03 AM.]

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 28 Nov 2004 10:16 am

Oh, good grief, Ron! Now I've even lost while cheating! Now I feel like cr@p. Thanks a bunch; you've removed my last vestige of self-esteem.

rpetersen · Post by **rpetersen** » 28 Nov 2004 10:23 am

Well - If you drink a pint of your favorite first - you might still loose but you won't care!! - I bet tony Davis would have a remedy, But I hate to wake him up this time of the day!!!!!

------------------
Ron Petersen &
The Keep'n Tyme Band
Mullen Universal 12 - 1975 Session 400 - Nashville 1000

Bill Llewellyn · Post by **Bill Llewellyn** » 28 Nov 2004 1:53 pm

I recently downloaded a free solitaire game for the Mac. This version actually tells me when no more moves are possible, I guess to save my time.

Jim, you win about 1 in 8? Gee, I've had an older version of computer solitaire for about 10 years and I usually won about 1 in 30. And I'm embarrassed to say how many times I've played it in that much time!

------------------
Bill, steelin' since '99 | Steel page | My music | Steelers' birthdays | Over 50?

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 28 Nov 2004 2:03 pm

Gere Mullican · Post by **Gere Mullican** » 28 Nov 2004 3:43 pm

Try to find "PYSOL". It has a whole bunch of versions of solitaire including the normal "klondike". And you can right click on the card and it will go where it belongs with out dragging and dropping.
Gere

Bill Llewellyn · Post by **Bill Llewellyn** » 28 Nov 2004 6:36 pm

30?

Jon, I'm horrible at games. I took up chess in my teens and gave up on it in my teens. But our daughter has already beaten her laptop computer at chess, and we haven't even shown her how to play it. Gadzooks.

Will Holtz · Post by **Will Holtz** » 28 Nov 2004 7:35 pm

All hands are definately not winnable, as their exist hands for which no moves can be made. I did a quick literature search for this topic, and it appears the winnable percentage of games is not yet know. Estimates range from 10-50%.

Michael Haselman · Post by **Michael Haselman** » 28 Nov 2004 8:01 pm

If you play Freecell, every game is winnable.

------------------
Marrs D-10, Webb 6-14E

Dan Dowd · Post by **Dan Dowd** » 29 Nov 2004 6:36 am

Hey Jim try Free Cell. I think it's much better than Solitare and it is up to your skill to win, not just turning cards over. It also teaches you how to look for moves that are there right in front of you. It also keeps score as to how many you win and loose. Solitare seems to be geared to let you win every 8 or 10 games. I have never won 2 in a row.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 29 Nov 2004 6:40 am

Thanks for the input, guys. As for Freecell, my wife likes to play that a lot. I've tried to get into it, but without much success so far. I think the basic problem is that by the time I'm ready to unwind with a little "mindless entertainment", Freecell requires more brainpower than I have available. Solitaire is better for those wee hours...

I tried Freecell last night, in fact, and really couldn't make much headway with it; must be doing something wrong, or really not understanding the strategy involved. What's your strategy advice?
Thx,
jc

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 29 Nov 2004 7:14 am

I'm not a game player, but my wife is, and one of her more frequent <strike>time wasters</strike> oops, I meant games, is playing Solitaire on her Windows computer. So, I asked her about her experience with Solitaire.

She says her win/loss record when playing computer solitaire is about 4 wins out of 10, which she says is about the same as when she plays solitaire with real cards.

www.genejones.com

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 29 Nov 2004 7:39 am

I enjoy the "Spider Solitaire" that comes with Windows XP. I don't don't play anything other than the "easy" version though. I leave the "medium and hard" to the grandkids.
Erv

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 29 Nov 2004 7:59 am

Well fancy that Erv

i play that spider solitaire as well
try usin' yer right hand on the mouse, it'll get the left side of yer brain workin' & then you'll make it up to medium
and one more lutefisk fer Erv and a sardine for his kitty
(yeah yeah, i know - i should be practicin' instead...)[This message was edited by CrowBear Schmitt on 29 November 2004 at 08:00 AM.]

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 29 Nov 2004 8:31 am

Gene, 4 out of 10 is an awesome record. She should get tested for MENSA.

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 29 Nov 2004 9:32 am

Jim,m she has, and she passed!

Mel Culbreath · Post by **Mel Culbreath** » 29 Nov 2004 1:40 pm

Jim,

If you want to win about 5 out of 10, do it my way by dumbing down the game.

In OPTIONS check only DRAW ONE and NONE for scoring. Don't check any other boxes. This allows you to go through the deck as many times as you like. When all the cards have been uncovered you have won, no matter how many cards are still left in the deck. Once that is done you declare yourself the winner since there is no need to go any further because even Sol can't stop you from filling all the suites at that point.

Mel

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 29 Nov 2004 2:14 pm

CrowBear,
A lot of times when I should be practicing the steel, I will put on a Gaither CD and fire up the computer and spend waaaaay to much time playing spider solitaire. When you get as long in the tooth as old Ervie, it doesn't take much to keep us entertained!

Erv

Dan Dowd · Post by **Dan Dowd** » 29 Nov 2004 5:28 pm

Jim, I move the cards around to get the Aces up first. The more cards you have in the upper left spaces the fewer cards you can move. If all the spaces are free you can move 5 cards. Also try to free up the rows by adding cards from them to other rows. Its easier to show someone than it is to try to explain it. [This message was edited by Dan Dowd on 29 November 2004 at 05:32 PM.][This message was edited by Dan Dowd on 29 November 2004 at 05:53 PM.]

erik · Post by **erik** » 30 Nov 2004 2:14 pm

I find solitare boring. I used to be addicted to Freecell and had to permanently quit and remove it from my computer. I DO play online cards at MSN Zone and it is great fun, requires much strategy, and in the case of Spades, an equally good partner. You can spend many hours at Zone and not get bored... which i guess you can call an addiction.

-johnson