Solitaire is a centuries-old card game with a global fanbase. Initially designed for solitary play, this card game brings a world of entertainment to players. Plus, it taps into our cognitive abilities and fine-tunes our skills, sharpens our senses, and improves memory. These are certainly bold assertions; luckily, they are rooted in results.
Psychology Today author Mark D. Griffiths, PhD. penned an article on the popularity of Solitaire, particularly the MS version, which entertains hundreds of millions of people worldwide and has been doing so for over 30 years. The universal appeal of this game is such that it’s only natural to consider why so many people enjoy it.
What skills are required to play Solitaire?
A partial answer can be found in the question. Solitaire is a solitary game by design, requiring a certain mindset. Players must be able to block outside noise and focus exclusively on the tasks at hand. Concentration.
A narrow focus on a singular task is increasingly important in a world buzzing with micro-blogging sites, breaking news, terabytes of data every split second, and more distractions than the human mind can comprehend. Concentration equates with mental focus. Solitaire is a card game that warrants focus. Players rely solely on the action unfolding in real-time, whether in person or online.
Attention to detail is sacrosanct. There’s no escaping it in Solitaire since mistakes cost time and lose games. Every game of Solitaire – there are dozens of variants – is predicated upon a set of rules. This framework provides the basis for gameplay and winning. Play by the rules within a set timeframe to win a prize.
The reward can take many forms, including game completion, points, or cash on the odd occasion. Concentration and attention to detail are central skills in playing Solitaire. But beyond the basics, Solitaire has a calming effect on players. Granted, frustration invariably creeps in if the game cannot be solved, but there’s always a new game on the next deal.
Cognitive skills are increasingly important as we grow older. Evidence suggests that Solitaire is one of a handful of games that boost cognitive ability, including chess, checkers, bingo, word puzzles, and the like. It is mind over matter with Solitaire. Another useful skill engendered by the game of Solitaire is decision-making.
With so little time available on the clock, it’s imperative to quickly shuffle the cards around to achieve the best possible outcome. Decision-making is a skill that transfers well beyond the gaming realm into real life. Sound decision-making skills form the bedrock of all successful outcomes. Granted, luck is an intractable component of Solitaire – some games simply cannot be solved.
There is also a skill known as delayed gratification. This is something every astute solitaire player understands all too well. The game begins with piles of cards aligned on a specific border. The goal is simple: create an ordered assemblage of red and black cards.
The game requires you to build a sequential deck using all four suits, from Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King. You will notice alternating red and black cards in sequential order, but it doesn’t matter whether they are spades and clubs or diamonds and hearts. Once all four suits are ordered completely, the game concludes, and a new round of play begins.
Can you develop skills you don’t have by playing Solitaire?
Absolutely! Solitaire is a game of patience, concentration, rules, and general skills development. The more you play the game, the better you become. It is relatively simple to understand, and patterns begin to emerge. Once you can identify the proverbial lie of the land, it’s easier to order the cards on the playing field.
Again, not every solitaire game is solvable, but every game is challenging. The tableau – the setup – includes seven piles of cards, with varying numbers of cards per pile.
Other key components of the game include the stock, waste, and the foundation. Each of these is easily researched and understood. In the tableau, pile #1 features one face-up card, #2 features one face-up card and one facedown card, #3 features one face-up card and more facedown cards, etcetera.
The rest of the cards are in the stock (the pile of unused cards). As cards are turned over, they are used or disposed of in the waste pile. Players can shift course between any of the seven piles and reduce/increase the number of piles accordingly.
While mathematics isn’t a required skill for Solitaire, it’s undoubtedly helpful in determining how best to solve the ‘puzzle.’ Points are awarded along the way, and bonus points are gifted for completing the games within a specific timeframe. The longer you play beyond the timeframe, the more points are deducted. So it is a race against the clock, with accuracy, attention to detail, focus, and concentration as the main skills required.
