History TabletopGame / Freecell

** The Vista and 7 versions are fully compatible with UsefulNotes/Xbox360 controllers, a feature that isn't described anywhere in help files.

* HouseRules:
** One can change the number of columns and freecells, by hand, or with an option in freecell.net. "Standard" or 8x4 has 8 columns, 4 freecells. The easier "Nine to Five" or 9x5 has 9 columns, 5 freecells.
** The [=FreeCell=] FAQ discusses the "ephemeral freecell". It can hold a card, but it disappears when the card leaves it. One might mix ephemeral and regular freecells in the same game.
** A common mistake is to play "relaxed [=FreeCell=]" by allowing long sequences of cards to be moved between columns. This goes against the nature of Freecell, where you're only allowed to move one card at a time - part of Freecell's strategy is finding ways to move all the cards you need. In standard [=FreeCell=], one can only move sequences if there are enough free cells and empty columns to do the same thing by moving one card at a time.
** Another mistake is to allow only kings in empty columns -- a common restriction in other solitaires such as Klondike, but not in [=FreeCell=], where empty columns act like additional free cells. Finding ways to get empty columns is an important part of the strategy.
** xpat2 allows one to cheat by moving cards from home back to the columns or freecells.

* SelfImposedChallenge: The most obvious one is reducing the number of free cells, sometimes even to zero (69 out of the original Microsoft 32000 can be solved with no freecells). Some software implementations will have this as an option. Another is to make the biggest "flourish" when cards automatically go to the home row at the end of the game. There are a few games where it is possible to set up a 52-card flourish, taking the home row from empty to full in one move flat.

* There are four "free cells", which the player can use as a temporary holding area for cards.

** A common mistake is to play "relaxed [=FreeCell=]" by moving long sequences of cards between columns. The correct rule is to move only one card at a time. In standard [=FreeCell=], one can only move sequences if there are enough free cells and empty columns to do the same thing by moving one card at a time.
** Another mistake is to allow only kings in empty columns. That rule is for Klondike or Seahaven Towers, not [=FreeCell=].

Have you played Freecell lately? No? You've been [[JustForFun/TVTropesWillRuinYourLife reading TV Tropes]]? Well then, I'll tell you about Freecell.

It's one of those TabletopGame/{{solitaire}} card games. You can play it by hand with real cards, but most folks know it as a computer game. Paul Alfille programmed the original Free Cell in 1978 for the PLATO system. Later, Jim Horne of Microsoft wrote a version for DOS, and then [[UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows Windows]]. This got bundled with Windows 95, and soon almost everyone was wasting hours in Microsoft [=FreeCell=] (when not playing VideoGame/{{Minesweeper}}).

The game deals all 52 cards to 8 columns. You can see all the cards. You have to move them into stacks for each suit, in order from Ace to King. There are 4 "free cells" where you may temporarily store up to four cards. You can move cards to other columns, but you must play down in alternating colors, like black 9, red 8, black 7. The puzzle is to use the free cells to reach the Aces, 2s, 3s and so on. If you stick cards in all 4 free cells and can't move them out, you have lost the game.

Why is this so interesting? With these rules, ''almost every game can be won''. The convenient and helpful [[http://www.solitairelaboratory.com/fcfaq.html FreeCell FAQ]] puts the win rate at "almost 99.999%" with perfect play. Yet some deals are super easy, while some are almost impossible.

You can play Freecell right now. Every system from Windows 95 to Windows 7 already has it, unless your admin disabled the game. There are versions for other systems. You don't even need to install anything. Take your web browser to http://www.freecell.net and you can play online.

* UnintentionallyUnwinnable: Almost 99.999% of the possible Freecell deals are solvable. Of the 32,000 standard games from Windows [=FreeCell=], exactly one (#11982) is impossible to solve. XP and onward have 1,000,000 deals. Out of those million, 8 are unsolvable.

Have you played Freecell lately? No? You've been [[TVTropesWillRuinYourLife reading TV Tropes]]? Well then, I'll tell you about Freecell.

Have you played Freecell lately? No? You've been [[TVTropesWillRuinYourLife reading TV tropes]]? Well then, I'll tell you about Freecell.

* TagLine: freecell.net -- "...draining workplace productivity since 1996"

* UnwinnableByMistake: Almost 99.999% of the possible Freecell deals are solvable. Of the 32,000 standard games from Windows [=FreeCell=], exactly one (#11982) is impossible to solve. XP and onward have 1,000,000 deals. Out of those million, 8 are unsolvable.

* UnwinnableByDesign: Almost 99.999% of the possible Freecell deals are solvable. Of the 32,000 standard games from Windows [=FreeCell=], exactly one (#11982) is impossible to solve. XP and onward have 1,000,000 deals. Out of those million, 8 are unsolvable.

* EasterEgg: In Windows [=FreeCell=], entering game number -1 or -2 results in an UnwinnableJokeGame, while (in Vista) entering -3 or -4 yields a deal that can be instantly won.

It's one of those TabletopGame/{{solitaire}} card games. You can play it by hand with real cards, but most folks know it as a computer game. Paul Alfille programmed the original Free Cell in 1978 for the PLATO system. Later, Jim Horne of Microsoft wrote a version for DOS, and then [[MicrosoftWindows Windows]]. This got bundled with Windows 95, and soon almost everyone was wasting hours in Microsoft [=FreeCell=] (when not playing VideoGame/{{Minesweeper}}).

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