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Download on Google Play- Deal all 52 cards face-up in a single row.
- Place a card on the card directly to its left or 3 positions to its left.
- Cards must match by suit or rank to be stacked.
- When a card moves, subsequent cards shift left to fill the gap.
- Win by compressing all cards into one pile.
- Win rate is less than 1%, so fewer piles is a partial success.
Rules
Accordion Solitaire is a deceptively simple patience game where the entire deck is dealt in a row and you must compress it into a single pile by stacking cards that match by suit or rank with their neighbor or the card three positions to the left.
Objective
Compress all 52 cards into a single pile.
Setup
- Players: 1 player.
- Deck: Standard 52-card deck.
- Layout: Deal all 52 cards face-up in a single row (or deal one at a time as you play).
Gameplay
- Matching: A card may be placed on top of the card directly to its left, or the card three positions to its left.
- Match Criteria: Cards must match by suit or rank to be stacked.
- Compression: When a card is moved, all subsequent cards shift left to fill the gap.
- Continue: Keep compressing until no more moves are possible.
Tips and Strategies
- Prioritize moves that jump 3 positions (longer compression) over adjacent moves when possible.
- Look for chain reactions — one move may create new opportunities.
- Winning is extremely rare, so aim to end with as few piles as possible.
Tips & Strategy
Three-position jumps compress more efficiently. Always check for them before settling for adjacent moves.
The order of moves matters enormously. A move that looks good now may block a better chain of moves later.
Trivia & Fun Facts
The probability of winning Accordion Solitaire with optimal play is estimated at less than 1%, making it one of the rarest victories in all solitaire games.
In Accordion Solitaire, how many positions apart can matching cards be to allow stacking?
History & Culture
Accordion Solitaire has been known since the 19th century and is one of the simplest patience games to set up but hardest to win.
Accordion Solitaire is appreciated by patience purists for its extreme simplicity in rules and extreme difficulty in execution.
Variations & House Rules
Some versions allow matching 1 or 3 positions to the right as well, doubling the available moves and increasing win chances significantly.
Allow bidirectional matching (left and right) for a more achievable experience. Count success as finishing with 5 or fewer piles.
