Clock Patience

Clock Patience is an enjoyable card game for one player that depends on chance more than skill!

Age: All ages

No. of players: 1

Equipment: One standard deck of cards (remove the jokers)

Time: 10 minutes+

Aim: To uncover all your other cards before the fourth King is turned over.

1. Shuffle the deck and deal twelve cards face down in a circle at the positions of the twelve hours on a clock face. Then place one card face down in the centre of the circle. Continue dealing the 12+1 cards in the same way another three times until all the cards are dealt.

2. Turn over the top card in the centre pile and slide it face up under the pile which corresponds to the clock position of the card's value, with Jacks at 11 o'clock, Queens at 12 o'clock and Kings under the centre pile. For example, 3♦ would go under the pile which is at 3 o'clock.

3. Take the top card off that pile and place it face up under its clock position, and so on.

4. The aim is to have all of your other cards uncovered (face up) before the fourth King is turned over.

Note: The chance of winning is only one-in-thirteen and depends entirely on the luck of the deal, but it does happen!