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Black Hole Solitaire: fifty-one cards, one hole
Black Hole is a rare and unusually pure solitaire. Every card is face up from the start and there is no stock: the whole game is a single chain of fifty-one moves, and every one of them is a choice. It was invented by David Parlett and is one of the few solitaires where the entire outcome is decided by planning alone.
Black Hole with every card face up — a puzzle, not a gamble. Free to download; daily game limit without Premium.
Scan with your phone to installRules of Black Hole
The layout. One card starts in the hole in the middle of the table (in Parlett's original game it is always the ace of spades; in Decks it is a random card each deal). The other fifty-one lie face up in seventeen fans of three cards each.
Moves. Take the top card of any fan into the hole if its rank is one above or one below the card currently in the hole, regardless of suit. King and ace are neighbours.
No stock. There is nothing to draw. Every move is final — except by undo.
Winning. Draw all fifty-one cards into the hole.
Are Black Hole deals winnable?
About 87% of random deals can be won: Politaire's solver won 869,979 of 1,000,000 deals (87.0%) in Parlett's original game, which starts with the ace of spades in the hole; Shlomi Fish's solver reported 86.9%. The deals that fail usually jam right at the start or at the very end. In Decks the card in the hole at the start is chosen at random each deal; in Parlett's original it is always the ace of spades. The published figure above is for the original game. Numbers for the other games: Is every solitaire deal winnable?.
Strategy
- Read the whole table before the first move. Everything is visible. The game is a puzzle, not a gamble, and it is solved on the table before it is played.
- Deep cards first. Each fan hides two cards under the top one. A move that exposes a card you will need is worth more than a move that merely continues the chain.
- Watch the parity of the chain. Up, down, up, down: a long chain in one direction runs out of ranks fast. Plan to reverse.
- Keep options open. When two fans offer the same rank, take from the fan whose next card is more useful.
- Undo is part of the game. With no chance element, exploring a line and taking it back is the honest way to play; Decks does not penalise it.
Black Hole in Decks
A rules page one tap away, undo without penalty, and a history of every round with its deal code. No ads, no account, works offline. Free to download; daily game limit without Premium.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play Black Hole Solitaire? Move the top card of any fan into the hole if it is one rank up or down from the card there; king and ace connect. Empty the fans to win.
Is there a stock in Black Hole? No. Fifty-one moves, no drawing.
How many Black Hole deals are winnable? About 87% in published solver studies (Politaire: 87.0% of 1,000,000 deals, with the ace of spades starting the hole).
Who invented Black Hole Solitaire? David Parlett, the card game historian.
Black Hole with every card face up — a puzzle, not a gamble. Free to download; daily game limit without Premium.
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