Thoughtful Solitaire is Klondike played with every card face up, including the stock. The name, used by mathematician Persi Diaconis, describes a version where nothing is hidden. Because you see all cards from the start, every move is a matter of planning, not luck. The setup uses a real deck and the normal deal. Researchers study it to measure solvability, and play changes completely when nothing stays hidden.
What is Thoughtful Solitaire?
Thoughtful Solitaire uses the normal Klondike rules and deal but every card, including the stock order, is visible. The deal is still 28 tableau cards in 7 columns and 24 cards in the stock. The difference is that you see the face of every card at all times. Plan your entire game from the first move. The term "thoughtful" comes from the fact that you must think carefully, because there is no hidden information to fall back on. This variant is also called open Klondike or face up solitaire, and it is the standard way to study whether a deal is winnable.
How to Set Up Thoughtful Solitaire with a Real Deck
Setting up Thoughtful Solitaire with a physical deck is straightforward. Follow the normal Klondike deal, but show every card.
- Shuffle the deck thoroughly.
- Deal the tableau face up: place one card face up in the first column, then two cards face up in the second column, and so on, up to seven cards face up in the seventh column. Overlap each column so you can see all cards.
- Place the remaining 24 cards face up in a single pile, keeping them in the same order as dealt. This is the stock. Spread them in a row or fan them so all are visible.
- Play follows normal Klondike rules: build descending sequences alternating colors, move cards between columns, and turn the stock one card at a time (or three at a time, depending on your rules). Only a King may fill an empty column, exactly as in normal Klondike.
Because everything is visible, you can see the entire stock order and plan which cards to use and when.
Why Thoughtful Solitaire is Used to Measure Solvability
Researchers Bjarnason, Fern and Tadepalli reported in 2007 that roughly 82% to 91% of Thoughtful Solitaire deals are winnable. This range comes from computer simulations that play the game perfectly. Because nothing is hidden, a lost Thoughtful game is a planning error or a truly impossible deal, never bad luck mid-game. This makes it the ideal version for studying how many deals can be won. The percentage is higher than for standard Klondike, where hidden cards often cause losses even with good play.
How the Win Rate Is Determined
The win rate is calculated by running many deals through a solver that tries every possible sequence of moves. The solver does not rely on luck, only on the visible cards. The range of 82% to 91% reflects different rule variations, such as whether you turn one or three cards from the stock at a time.
This research answers the question how many thoughtful solitaire games are winnable, giving players a target to aim for. If you lose, you know either you made a mistake or the deal is truly impossible.
How Play Changes When Nothing is Hidden
When every card is visible, the game shifts from luck to planning. You can see all cards in the tableau and the stock, so you can map out entire sequences. Leave a column empty to reserve it for a specific King. Hold back a card in the stock because you know a better card is coming. The usual guesswork of Klondike disappears.
Common Strategies in Thoughtful Solitaire
- Look for bottlenecks: if a needed card is buried deep in the stock, plan moves that use other cards first.
- Use empty columns wisely: only a King may fill an empty column, so save empty columns for Kings that free a cascade of other cards.
- Check the stock order before moving tableau cards: you might avoid moving a card if a better one is coming.
Because you have full information, you can also backtrack mentally. If a move leads to a dead end, try a different path. Thoughtful Solitaire is a pure puzzle of planning.
Thoughtful Solitaire Vs. Standard Klondike
In standard Klondike, you do not know the order of the stock or the face down cards in the tableau. The game is partly about guessing. In Thoughtful Solitaire, you know everything from the start. The name "thoughtful" captures this difference: you must think through each move. A lost game in standard Klondike could be due to bad luck. A lost game in Thoughtful Solitaire is either a mistake or a truly impossible deal. It is a stricter test of skill.
Use it to practice planning or test your ability to see all possibilities. It also helps you improve at standard Klondike because you learn to think ahead.
Tips for Playing Thoughtful Solitaire
Because you see all cards, use these practical tactics:
- Scan the stock first to know which cards are coming and in what order.
- Prioritize moves that free face down cards in the tableau, even if they seem small.
- If you get stuck, re evaluate your earlier moves. A different choice might open up new sequences.
- Remember that empty columns are valuable. Only a King can fill them, so do not waste them on low value Kings.
With practice, you can learn to spot impossible deals early and save time. To play online, klondikesolitaire.info offers classic Klondike solitaire free, with no download or signup required.