Solitaire

The peg game, not the card game

Search for solitaire and most of what comes back is the card game that ships free with a computer. This is the other one, and it is much older. It is usually called peg solitaire or solo noble, it has been played in Europe since at least the seventeenth century, and it is a puzzle rather than a shuffle: the same starting position every time, no luck in it anywhere, and a solution that either works or does not.

How to play

Every hole on the board is filled except the one in the centre. A move means jumping one piece over an adjacent piece into the empty hole directly beyond it, in a straight line, and removing the piece that was jumped. Every move therefore takes one piece off the board. The game ends when no jump is available anywhere.

You have solved it when a single piece is left, standing in the centre hole. Finishing with one piece somewhere else is close. Finishing with four pieces stranded in separate corners is what happens on the first few attempts.

Why it is harder than it looks

There is one rule and it takes about ten seconds to explain, which is exactly what makes the game deceptive. The board thins as you play, so every capture removes not just a piece but the jumps that piece would have enabled later. It is easy to clear most of the board quickly and then find the survivors marooned with no jump between them. Getting to one piece in the centre needs planning several moves ahead, and that is the part people come back for.

Choosing between the two variants

The Dal Rossi Solitaire Set uses the same 22cm round timber board in a warm dark stain either way, with recessed holes that hold the pieces steady during play rather than letting them roll. The natural wooden balls give a pale contrast against the dark board and a traditional look. The dark marbles are the near monochrome option, and they carry more weight in the hand. They play identically, so the choice is entirely how you want it to look on the table.

Who it suits

It is rated from around age seven and up, it needs no opponent and no setup beyond filling the holes, and it takes up about as much table as a dinner plate. That combination makes it one of the few games that genuinely earns a permanent place on a side table or a desk corner rather than a shelf in a cupboard. It also travels well, and it makes a straightforward gift for someone who likes a puzzle more than a contest.

Other classic games in the same vein sit in traditional games and in checkers, and the rest of this maker's range is in the Dal Rossi collection. Australian stock, 100 day free returns and a 12 month warranty.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the card game called solitaire?

No. This is peg solitaire, a single player board puzzle played with pegs or marbles in a holed board. No cards are involved and there is no shuffling or dealing.

How do you win at solitaire?

Jump pieces over their neighbours into empty holes, removing each jumped piece, until you cannot jump again. The full solution finishes with one piece left in the centre hole.

How many players is it for?

One. That is the point of the name. Two people can take turns attempting it, but the game itself is solo.

What age is it suitable for?

Around seven and up. The rule is simple enough for a child to follow immediately, and the puzzle stays hard enough that adults do not solve it on the first sitting.

What is the difference between the wooden balls and the marbles?

Nothing in play. Both use the same 22cm round board and the same rule. The wooden balls read pale and traditional against the dark stain; the marbles read dark and contemporary, and feel heavier to lift.

Can pieces be replaced if one is lost?

Contact our team rather than substituting a different size, since the recessed holes are cut to suit the pieces supplied. Every product carries a 12 month limited manufacturer warranty and returns stay open for 100 days.