Bowling Solitaire is one of the most interesting and interactive card games, mixing the fun of bowling with the strategy involved in solitaire. Be you a card game enthusiast or just looking for a creative way to pass time, Bowling Solitaire is a great choice. The following guide will walk you through the rules, setup, and strategies to help you master the game.
Bowling Solitaire is a card game where the objective is to "knock down" all the pins represented by cards on the board. The game mimics the structure and scoring of a bowling game, making it a fun blend of luck and strategy.
To play Bowling Solitaire, you’ll need:
A score sheet (optional, but helpful).
Shuffle the deck well.
Lay out 10 cards in a face-up triangular stack, as if it were bowling pins setup:
1 card in the first/ front row.
2 cards in the second row.
3 cards in the third row.
4 cards in the fourth/ back row.
Take the remaining cards and place them face-down to form a draw pile.
The game goes through 10 frames, like in any game of bowling, whereby every frame offers you two chances to knock down the greatest number of pins possible.
Draw Two Cards:
At the start of your turn, draw two cards from the draw pile.
Calculate the Sum:
Add the values of the two cards together:
Number cards have values taken as their respective values.
Ace = 1 point
King, Queen, Jack = 10 points.
Match the Sum with Pins:
If the sum matches the value of any pin(s) on the board, you can knock them down (remove them from the board).
Second Chance:
If you can’t clear all pins on the first turn, draw two more cards and repeat.
Scoring in Bowling Solitaire follows traditional bowling rules:
Strike: If you hit down all 10 in your first turn, it is a strike. Add the value of the next two cards drawn to your score.
Open Frame: If you can’t clear all the pins in a frame, your score is the total of the knocked-down pins for that frame.
Play continues for 10 frames. The highest possible score is 300, achieved by getting a strike in every frame.
Plan Your Moves: Before removing pins, consider how your choices might affect the remaining cards.
Track Remaining Cards: Pay attention to which cards are left in the draw pile to anticipate future moves.
Clear the Back Row First: Conquer the back row first, as this will not limit your options later in the game.
or a fresh take on the game, try these variations:
Timed Play: Add a timer for each frame to increase the challenge.
Double Decker: The use of two decks of cards promotes a more demanding and longer gameplay.
Bowling Solitaire is just that kind of card game, or the test of strategic thinking and decisiveness. That simplicity and difficulty within at the same time make it quite suitable for everyone of every age. What's more, the added system of bowling scores gives it the creative touch.