Baker's Game is the same-suit predecessor to FreeCell. If you know FreeCell, you know Baker's Game—the only difference is that tableau stacking must be by the same suit rather than alternating colors. This single rule change makes the game significantly more challenging.
The layout is identical to FreeCell: all 52 cards are dealt face-up into 8 tableau columns (the first 4 columns get 7 cards, the last 4 get 6 cards). You have 4 empty free cells for temporary card storage and 4 foundation piles to build.
In FreeCell, you can place a red 8 on a black 9 (alternating colors). In Baker's Game, you can only place the 8♥ on the 9♥ (same suit). This restriction dramatically reduces your options and requires more careful planning.
You win when all 52 cards are moved to the four foundation piles. Because of the same-suit restriction, not all deals are winnable—expect to win roughly 75% of games with optimal play.
Baker's Game is a member of the FreeCell family of solitaire games. These games share the defining characteristic of using temporary holding cells (called "free cells" or "reserve cells") that allow players to temporarily store cards while maneuvering the tableau.
All FreeCell-type games deal cards face-up from the start, making them games of pure skill with no hidden information. Baker's Game uses the classic 4 free cells and 8 tableau columns layout that defines the family.
Other games in the FreeCell family include FreeCell (alternating colors), Penguin (7 cells with wrapping), Eight Off (8 cells), and Seahaven Towers (10 columns).
Baker's Game holds a special place in solitaire history as the direct ancestor of FreeCell. The game is named after C.L. Baker, who taught it to mathematician and Scientific American columnist Martin Gardner.
In 1968, Gardner described Baker's Game in his famous "Mathematical Games" column, bringing it to the attention of puzzle enthusiasts and mathematicians. The game's combination of complete information (all cards visible) and strategic depth made it a favorite among logical thinkers.
A decade later, in 1978, medical student Paul Alfille implemented Baker's Game on the PLATO educational computer system. Finding the same-suit rule too restrictive, he changed it to alternating colors, creating what he named "FreeCell." This seemingly small change transformed the game from a challenging puzzle into a nearly-always-solvable logic exercise, leading to FreeCell's massive popularity when Microsoft included it in Windows 95.
Today, Baker's Game is appreciated by players who want the FreeCell experience with greater challenge. The same-suit requirement tests your planning skills and makes each victory more satisfying.
Success in Baker's Game requires more careful planning than FreeCell. Here are key strategies:
Baker's Game sits in the middle of the FreeCell family in terms of difficulty:
| Feature | FreeCell | Baker's Game | Eight Off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Cells | 4 (empty) | 4 (empty) | 8 (4 filled) |
| Tableau Stacking | Alternating colors | Same suit | Same suit |
| Empty Column Rule | Any card | Any card | Kings only |
| Win Rate | ~99.999% | ~75% | ~85-90% |
| Difficulty | Beginner | Hard | Hard |
Baker's Game offers the same layout flexibility as FreeCell (any card in empty columns) but with the same-suit challenge of Eight Off. If you find FreeCell too easy but Eight Off's Kings-only rule too restrictive, Baker's Game is the perfect middle ground.
Experience Baker's Game the way it should be played—clean, fast, and completely free:
Our implementation includes automatic supermove calculation, unlimited undo, helpful hints, and smooth animations—everything you need to tackle this challenging variant.
Race against friends in real-time or send asynchronous challenges. Same shuffled deck, fastest solver wins. Create a room and share the code to start competing!
Love Baker's Game? Try these other solitaire variants on Solitaire Scramble:
The easier variant with alternating-color stacking. Nearly 100% winnable.
Same-suit stacking with 8 reserve cells. Kings only in empty columns.
10 columns with same-suit stacking and 4 reserve cells.
Learn about all the FreeCell-style solitaire games.
Baker's Game is a solitaire card game and the direct predecessor to FreeCell. It was described by Martin Gardner in his 1968 Scientific American column. It has the same layout as FreeCell—8 tableau columns, 4 free cells, and 4 foundations—but uses same-suit stacking instead of alternating colors.
The only difference is the tableau stacking rule. In FreeCell, you stack cards in alternating colors (red 8 on black 9). In Baker's Game, you must stack cards of the same suit (8♠ on 9♠). This single change makes Baker's Game significantly harder to win.
Yes, Baker's Game is considerably harder. FreeCell has a ~99.999% win rate because alternating colors gives you flexibility. Baker's Game requires same-suit sequences, which is much more restrictive, resulting in a win rate around 75%.
Baker's Game is named after C.L. Baker, who taught the game to Martin Gardner. Gardner described it in his 'Mathematical Games' column in Scientific American in 1968. Paul Alfille later created FreeCell in 1978 by modifying Baker's Game to use alternating colors.
In 1978, Paul Alfille was a medical student at the University of Illinois. He implemented Baker's Game on the PLATO computer system but changed the same-suit rule to alternating colors. This made the game much more accessible while keeping the strategic depth, and he named it FreeCell.
Yes, just like in FreeCell, any card can be placed in an empty tableau column. This is different from Eight Off and Seahaven Towers, which only allow Kings in empty columns.
Build all four foundation piles from Ace to King by suit. Focus on exposing Aces early, use free cells sparingly, and try to create same-suit sequences in the tableau. Planning ahead is crucial since the same-suit restriction limits your options.
Yes! Solitaire Scramble offers completely free Baker's Game with no ads, no download, and no account required. Just open the page and start playing.