How many games of solitaire are winnable?

FreeCardGamesHow many gamesof solitaireare winnable?Most in easy games, far fewer in hard ones

Most of them in the easy games, and far from all in the hard ones. FreeCell gives the cleanest count: its first Windows version used a fixed set of 32,000 numbered deals, and volunteers eventually solved every one except deal #11982, so 31,999 are winnable.

Klondike has no fixed deal set, so it is measured as a rate instead: about 90% of turn-1 deals and 82% of turn-3 deals can be won with perfect play. Golf and Pyramid are stingier. In our own run of 500 deals each, 228 Golf games and at least 303 Pyramid games were winnable. Deals are never screened first, so some simply cannot be won.

Winnable games by game

GameWinnableBasis
FreeCell31,999 of 32,000the original numbered Windows deals
Klondikeabout 90% (draw 1), 82% (draw 3)published research, perfect play
Golf228 of 500our own solve
Pyramidat least 303 of 500our own solve
Play FreeCellPlay KlondikePlay Golf Solitaire