Classic Klondike Solitaire Card Game

Free Cell Solitaire is one of those games that we have all played at some point regardless of our age or demographic. It has stood the test of time with many people foregoing the new and improved to instead spend their time playing this classic masterpiece.

What is Free Cell Solitaire?
If you have played conventional solitaire, then you will be relatively familiar with the objective of this game. The idea is to get the entire deck based on the suit on to your foundation piles where each pile can only hold one suit.
The difference between the traditional solitaire game and free cell solitaire is that all the cards are dealt facing upwards from the beginning of the game and almost all deals given by this game have a solution that players can discover if they make the correct moves.
The game is set up with a 52-card deck and there are usually four open cells and four open foundation cells although some variations of Free Cell might have between one and ten cells. The cards are dealt out into eight piles or cascades and four of these piles are made up of seven cards and the other four cascades are made up of six cards. Again, allow some room for variation on this as some games will use between four and ten cascades or piles.

Great Facts About the Game
Like most games on the market, Free Cell Solitaire has a list of fun and interesting facts that will appeal to the general knowledge whizz in all players that creates a deeper appreciation of the classic game. Let's have a look at a few.

1. You have a 0,0008 chance of losing
While most Free Cell Solitaire games are not about losing or winning, it is reassuring to know that only eight out of one million games are unsolvable. If you are playing game number 11982 and you cannot crack it, it should make you feel better to know that nobody can. This is the first unsolvable game followed by game numbers 146692, 186216, 512118, 781948, 495505, 455889, and 517776 which means that all other games played have a solution.

2. Free Cell Solitaire’s Rise to Fame
Free Cell solitaire became famous and well-played after it was included in the 1995 version of windows (the popular software operating system.) The game was written by Jim Horne and initially only contained 32000 games but this number was later increased to a million numbered games.

3. Jim Horne Did not create Free Cell Solitaire
Interestingly enough Jim Horne is not the creator of the game even though he wrote it for the Windows edition. Free Cell Solitaire was created by Paul Allfile who was a student at the University of Illinois at the time. He created the game on an educational computer system as this was before the invention of personal computers.

4. Free Cell Solitaire is an improved version of Baker’s Game
Baker’s game has long since been lost to the sands of time. Free Cell Solitaire is based on this game with minor changes that result in major differences in gameplay. Baker’s game’s cards are built down by suit and not colour, which means statistically speaking, there are far more unsolvable games. Jim Horne fixed this by building the cards down on colour instead, making it easier for players to complete the puzzle.

5. Winnable does not mean easy
Although there are only eight unsolvable games out of a million, some of the solvable games are not easy and might confuse you into thinking that there is no solution. Problem games have been identified as games numbered 178, 1941, and 18872. If you are looking for a free cell game to challenge you then you need not look further than the numbers listed above.

How to Play Free Cell Solitaire
No gaming platform can call itself the best online casino if it does not offer any classic game like this, simply because it is so easy to play. Keep in mind that in order to win you need to build the home cells up in ascending sequence starting with the Ace until you get to the King of that particular suit.
1. Empty free cells allow you to move a pack of cards whereas the rules only allow you to move one card at a time onto another filled cell.
2. You are only allowed to move the last exposed card, so consider your moves very carefully
3. Move the high cards around until you have them placed in the home cells in the correct order
4. Move the other cards that you do not presently need to the free cells to clear up space and get the cards that you need
5. Build each suit up or down according to the suit order
6. Once all the cards are placed correctly you have solved the game and therefore win

FAQs
- How popular is Free Cell Solitaire in Canada?
A software company has managed to earn about 6 thousand dollars in monthly revenue with their Free Cell Solitaire card game. The game had been downloaded a total of 90 thousand times which proves that this game is still popular in the Canadian market. Demographic-wise, it was not the younger generations that contributed hugely to these numbers but it shows that a classic game of this nature will always have avid fans.

- Do I need any special skills to play?
Free Cell Solitaire does not require you to have inherent skills but skills like organization and strategy can be developed while playing this game. If you are already naturally inclined that way, this game will be a breeze for you and you should try the more challenging games listed above.

- What do I need to play this game?
This is dependent on whether you are opting to play online or offline. Most Free Cell Solitaire games do not require the latest OS and will run with older versions especially if you are downloading the game itself. Offline versions don’t always require an internet connection; it just requires you have a relatively new device to support the minimalistic graphics. If you are choosing to play Free Cell Solitaire online then you would need an updated OS, Software on your device, a stable internet connection, and, in some cases, a membership.

- Can I play on my mobile?
This is dependent on what game you choose to play but usually yes. Most online platforms have a mobile site that would allow you to access Free Cell from wherever you are and if the game is on the mobile site, it has been adjusted to work on a range of devices. You would just need to ensure that you have a stable internet connection as well as an updated software. If you downloaded an offline game, then it would cause no issues to play it on-the-go.