After a rough losing streak, it's easy to think the game is out to get you. So where do those deals actually come from? Are they truly random? Let's pull back the curtain on how solitaire deals are made and whether they're fair.
- Deals come from a shuffle powered by a random number generator inside the software.
- A good shuffle gives every card an equal chance to land in any spot.
- Most trusted sites deal fair, fully random games and don't peek at your cards.
- "Winnable only" modes exist, but they make the game easier, not harder.
The random number generator
Every shuffle needs a source of randomness. Computers get theirs from a tool called a random number generator, or RNG for short. It spits out numbers that have no clear pattern, which the game uses to mix the deck.
Here's the funny part. Most RNGs aren't truly random. They follow a hidden math formula, so they're called pseudo-random. But a good one is so mixed up that no player could ever guess the next number. For a card game, that's random enough.
The RNG usually starts from a seed, which is just a starting number. Feed it the same seed and you get the same shuffle every time. That trick is how daily challenges work, and we'll come back to it.
How a fair shuffle works
A fair shuffle has one job: give every card the same chance to end up in any position. If some cards were more likely to land on top, the game would be biased.
Most software uses a well-known method called the Fisher-Yates shuffle. In plain words, it works like this:
- Start with the deck in order.
- Pick a random card from the whole deck and swap it into the last spot.
- Pick a random card from the ones still left and swap it into the next-to-last spot.
- Keep going until every card has been placed.
Done right, this gives a perfectly even mix. Every one of those 52-factorial possible orders is equally likely. So the deal you get for Klondike is as fair as a real shuffle by hand, maybe fairer, since human hands are sloppy.
Winnable-only deals
Some sites offer a "winnable only" or "solvable deals" mode. This is where fairness gets interesting.
In this mode, the game still shuffles randomly, but then it runs a solver in the background to check the deal. If the deal can't be won, it's tossed out and a new one is dealt. So you only ever see deals that have a path to victory.
This does not stack the deck against you. It does the opposite. It removes the impossible deals, which raises your odds. If you've ever wondered why your win rate is higher on one site than another, this setting might be the reason. Our post on whether all solitaire games are winnable explains those impossible deals in depth.
Are deals ever rigged against you?
Let's answer the big worry head on. Can a game secretly deal you bad cards on purpose, or peek at your hand and block your moves?
For a trusted free site, no. There's no reason to. The game deals a random shuffle and then leaves you alone. The cards don't move behind your back. Your losing streak is normal math, not a plot.
If you feel like you lose too much, the fix isn't a new site. It's usually the deal rules. Turn-3 Klondike is just harder than turn-1, as our turn 3 versus turn 1 post shows. That's difficulty, not cheating.
How daily and seeded deals work
Remember the seed from earlier? That's the secret behind daily challenges and shared games. The site picks one seed for the day, and everyone who plays gets the exact same shuffle.
This is why you and a friend can compare scores on the same daily challenge. You're both solving one identical deal. It's fair because nobody gets a different, easier version. The seed locks the shuffle in place for the whole world.
| Deal type | How it's made |
|---|---|
| Normal game | Fresh random seed each time you deal |
| Daily challenge | One shared seed for the day |
| Winnable-only | Random deal, checked by a solver first |
| Replay a deal | Reuses the same saved seed |
How solitaire deals are generated and whether they're fair
So here's the honest wrap. Deals start with a random number generator, get mixed by a fair shuffle like Fisher-Yates, and land on your screen with every card in a spot it earned by pure chance. A trusted free game doesn't peek at your cards or stack the deck. If anything, "winnable only" modes tip the odds in your favor by dropping the deals that can't be won.
Fairness, then, is real. The randomness is genuine, the shuffle is even, and your wins and losses come from the deal and your own moves. If you want more wins, don't blame the generator. Pick an easier variant, try FreeCell where every card shows, and sharpen your play. That's the true story of how solitaire deals are generated and whether they're fair.