National Solitaire Day Date in the current year: May 22, 2024

In a broad sense, the term “solitaire” refers to any tabletop game that one can play by oneself. Common types of solitaire games are card solitaire (patience), mahjong solitaire, and peg solitaire. In a narrow sense, it means Klondike, the most popular card solitaire that has been adapted into a computer game.

Card solitaire is thought to have originated in Germany or Scandinavia in the late 18th century. It became popular in France in the first half of the 19th century and reached Britain and America in the latter half of the century.

A type of card solitaire named Klondike became popular in the late 19th century. It is believed to have been named after the region in Yukon, Canada where the Klondike Gold Rush happened. The game was also known as Canefield, probably after the Canfield Casino in Saratoga Springs, New York.

The classic version of Klondike is played with a standard deck of 52 cards, without Jokers. The aim of the game is to create four stacks of cards of the same suit, starting with Ace and ending with King, by moving cards between seven piles following a number of rules.

Microsoft first included a computer game based on Klondike it its third major release of Microsoft Windows in 1990 under the name Solitaire. It was intended to familiarize users with the graphical user interface of the operating system and help them master the use of the mouse and practice the drag-and-drop technique by moving cards.

Solitaire has been included in every major release of Microsoft Windows since the game’s introduction. From Windows 8 onward, it has been part of Microsoft Solitaire Collection that includes Solitaire, FreeCell, Spider Solitaire, TriPeaks, and Pyramid. In addition to being included with Windows, Microsoft Solitaire Collection is available for iOS and Android devices.

In 2015, Microsoft hosted a Solitaire tournament on the company’s campus to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the game; the event was broadcast on Twitch. National Solitaire Day has been celebrated every May 22 since 2018. Microsoft introduced the holiday to honor the game that has been providing entertainment to hundreds of millions users worldwide for several decades. The holiday’s date is the release anniversary of Windows 3.0 and, by extension, Solitaire.

The next year, Microsoft Solitaire was introduced to the World Video Game Hall of Fame at The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York. By the time Solitaire celebrated its 30th anniversary, it was estimated to have 35 million active monthly players from over 200 countries, playing Microsoft Solitaire in 65 different languages.

The best way to celebrate National Solitaire Day is, of course, to play some Solitaire on your computer, laptop, phone or tablet. You can even “go retro” and play a game or two of Klondike using real cards. And don’t forget to spread the word about the holiday on social media using the hashtag #NationalSolitaireDay!