Addiction Solitaire

Addiction Solitaire is a new card game that is bound to make players… addicted. The premise of the game is very simple. All you have to do is arrange the cards in ascending order, starting with the deuces on the left and ending with the Kings. But in its simplicity lies the difficulty. Although it is a straightforward game, mindlessly shifting the cards will get you nowhere. You need to plan all your moves ahead or you risk locking the game and making it impossible to win.

The game setting

Addiction Solitaire uses a standard 52-card deck. After shuffling the deck, all the cards are dealt to form 4 rows on the tableau, each with 13 cards (the equivalent of all the cards in a suit). Once the tableau is set, the aces are removed from the game, leaving 4 spaces amidst the rows.

The players can use those spaces to shift the cards around, following certain rules. The goal is to rearrange the cards by suit and in ascending order. To win the game, each row must contain only cards of a single suit, and they must be in value order, starting with the deuces on the left and ending with the Kings on the right.

Rules and how to play Addiction Solitaire

To rearrange the cards by their value, the players must use the spaces left by the aces on the tableau. However, they cannot move the cards randomly.

A card can only fill an empty space if it is of the same suit and one rank higher than the card immediately to the left. The card to the right of the space is irrelevant. For example, a space between a 7 of spades and a 5 of diamonds can only be filled with an 8 of spades.

Since there are no cards with a rank higher than Kings, a space immediately to the right of them cannot be filled and becomes unavailable. Likewise, the spaces at the beginning of each row can only be filled with deuces.

The players can shuffle the cards on the tableau up to three times. Partial sequences that are already set in the right order on the left side of each row will not be shuffled. This means that all the deuces that are already at the beginning of the rows will stay in place as well as the complete or partial sequences following them.

The players win the game if they organize the deck by suit and in the right order successfully and they will lose when they still have cards to be rearranged but the empty spaces are all to the right of Kings.

Tips to win at Addiction Solitaire

Balance your sequences

Although it may be tempting to complete a row right away or even to try to rearrange the tableau one row at a time, it is counterproductive.

In practice, you would be concentrating the empty slots on the right side of the tableau and, most importantly, to the right side of the Kings. By doing so, you would be left with fewer options to move the remaining cards around and to get them to their right position.

Ideally, you should try to balance the sequences on each row to keep as many options available as possible.

Avoid concentrating the empty slots to the right of a King

A space to the right of a king cannot be filled with any card and becomes useless. Therefore, there is no gain in emptying more slots following the first empty one. In fact, it will only reduce your options to move the cards around and increase the chance that you will have to use one of the available shuffles before you intended to.

For example, if you have a King followed by an empty slot and then a 3 of hearts, avoid removing the three from that position. If you keep it there, it might become useful to eventually place a 4 of hearts in front of it. However, if you remove it, you will then have two empty slots in front of a King leaving you with only 2 spaces available on the whole tableau to shift the cards around.

Think carefully about which deuce to choose

In a game of Addiction Solitaire, the deuces are the cards that begin the sequences and the only ones that can occupy a slot at the beginning of a row. 

If you want to increase your chances of winning you should not pick one randomly to start a row whenever you have the opportunity. Try to think several moves ahead to see which of the four would help you progress the most in the game.

Let's say you have one row starting with a 3 of hearts and another one starting with two empty slots. You could fill those two slots with the deuce and the 3 of spades, for example. However, if you fill the first one with the deuce of hearts, you can place the 3 of hearts next to it, unlocking another empty slot for a deuce in a different row.

Addiction Solitaire vs Other Solitaire Games

Addiction Solitaire offers a very different experience from most traditional solitaire card games. While popular games such as Klondike, FreeCell, Spider Solitaire, and Pyramid Solitaire focus on building foundations or clearing cards from the tableau, Addiction Solitaire is more of a puzzle-solving challenge. Every move changes the position of the empty spaces, requiring players to think several steps ahead and carefully manage the layout.

Compared to Klondike Solitaire, the world's most popular solitaire variant, Addiction Solitaire contains no hidden cards and no foundation piles. All cards are visible from the start, making success depend less on uncovering cards and more on strategic planning.

FreeCell also displays every card face up, but its gameplay revolves around using free cells as temporary storage. Addiction Solitaire instead uses four moving gaps that constantly change position, creating a unique puzzle dynamic that many players find more tactical and challenging.

Spider Solitaire focuses on building descending sequences and managing multiple tableau columns, while Addiction Solitaire asks players to organize cards into perfectly ordered suit sequences from 2 through King. The result is a game that rewards planning and precision rather than card management alone.

Addiction Solitaire is also closely related to Gaps Solitaire and Montana Solitaire. In fact, these names are often used interchangeably because they share the same core mechanics of arranging cards by suit using empty spaces left by removed Aces. Some versions differ only in the number of reshuffles allowed or minor rule variations.

If you enjoy strategic card games and want to explore more solitaire variants, visit our complete collection of Solitaire games. You'll find classic favorites as well as unique challenges similar to Addiction Solitaire.

Frequently Asked Questions About Addiction Solitaire

What is Addiction Solitaire?

Addiction Solitaire is a single-player card game played with a standard 52-card deck. The objective is to arrange all cards into four suit sequences from 2 through King. Unlike Klondike Solitaire, there are no foundation piles. Instead, players use empty spaces to move cards and build ordered rows.

Is Addiction Solitaire the same as Gaps Solitaire?

Yes. Addiction Solitaire is often called Gaps Solitaire. Some versions are also known as Montana Solitaire or Spaces Solitaire, although minor rule variations may exist between different implementations.

How do you win Addiction Solitaire?

You win by arranging each row into a complete sequence of cards from 2 to King in the same suit. Once all four rows are correctly organized, the game is successfully completed.

Can any card be moved into an empty space?

No. A card can only be moved into a gap if it is one rank higher and of the same suit as the card immediately to the left. If the gap is at the start of a row, only a 2 can be placed there.

Why can't I place a card after a King?

Kings are the highest-ranking cards in the deck. Since no card can legally follow a King, any gap that appears immediately after a King becomes unusable until a reshuffle occurs.

How many reshuffles are allowed in Addiction Solitaire?

Most versions allow up to three reshuffles. During a reshuffle, cards that are not already part of correctly ordered sequences are collected, shuffled, and redealt to create new opportunities.

Is Addiction Solitaire based on skill or luck?

The game combines both skill and luck. While the initial deal influences the difficulty of a game, strategic planning and efficient gap management play a major role in achieving a win.

What is the best strategy for Addiction Solitaire?

A good strategy is to keep multiple gaps available across the tableau and avoid trapping empty spaces behind Kings. Planning several moves ahead can significantly increase your chances of success.

Should I complete one row before working on others?

Not always. Focusing exclusively on a single row can limit future moves. Many experienced players prefer to develop several suit sequences simultaneously to maintain flexibility.

Is Addiction Solitaire harder than Klondike Solitaire?

Many players consider Addiction Solitaire more strategic than Klondike because every move affects future card positions. Although the rules are simple, winning often requires careful planning.

Can every game of Addiction Solitaire be won?

No. Some deals are unwinnable due to the initial card arrangement. However, using effective strategies can improve your overall win rate and help you solve more games.

Can I play Addiction Solitaire online for free?

Yes. You can play Addiction Solitaire online for free directly in your browser without downloading software or creating an account.