Solitaire Laboratory

I have been studying and playing solitaire avidly since 1992.   During that time I have played most of the hundreds of computer solitaires which have appeared, acquired and read dozens of books on the subject, played thousands of games in hundreds of different variants, and researched many games to work out the win rates and to correct discrepancies in the rules.   I have databases of nearly a thousand games (including some folk games which have never appeared in print), around 200 computer programs, and over 50 books (plus assorted magazine articles) on the subject.    I am the coordinator of a circle of about two dozen solitaire programmers, inventors, and other enthusiasts who have uncovered many interesting facts about various solitaires, as well as inventing many new and interesting games.     I have also acted as a consultant to a number of different computer solitaire packages.

Since 1998 I have maintained a site (a successor to sites run by Dave Ring and Wilson Callan) devoted to FreeCell, the most popular form of card solitaire in the computer world.    I have written an extensive FAQ on the game, and maintained an irregular mailing list to update FreeCell enthusiasts on the latest developments in the game.

Autumn Leaves -- a solitaire game by Toby Ord

Icelandic Oratorios, or How I learned to play (the) Accordion

Accordion Virtuoso -- a program to play the many variants of Accordion

A Glossary of Solitaire

FreeCell -- general information and solutions, FAQ, difficult deal lists, and an illustrated tutorial for the popular card solitaire

Giza -- a solitaire based on Pyramid

Tutenkhamen's Curse, or Pyramid Puzzlements -- Why Pyramid Must Have The Top of The Stock Available

Fourteen Out -- an open solitaire

Mount Olympus -- a detective story of sorts

What game was played at Canfield's Casino?

A Clock Conundrum

Why Abacus Doesn't Work

How to Win At Fortress

Golf and its Variations

Aces Up and its Variations

I am also interested in other types of games and puzzles:

Other Card Games

Super Crazy Eights for Two -- a four-handed card game for two players

Board Games
The Game of the Amazons -- an abstract board game from Argentina
Forge -- an abstract board game by Michael Howe

Dice Games
Can't Stop?  Try the Rule of 28

What is WGR? A brief history of the magazine that cannot be named

Puzzle Laboratory

Solitaire Arcade (solitaire adventures and other casual games)

Putrid Slime From Pluto (a science fiction puzzle adventure -- coming soon)


This page was revised on February 27, 2009.   All contents copyright ©2008, 2009 by Michael Keller.  All rights reserved.