An overview of all articles, and other resources used to compile the Solitaire Bibliography and the history of solitaire from a Gambling perspective.
Topics of the Times published in The New York Times – Friday, November 25, 1955 A 1955 New York Times article on Solitaire provides some unique insights about Solitaire from the era. Richard Canfield is said to have never played the game. “Canfield was named for Dick Canfield who operated casinos in New York Saratoga. … Read more
Goodbye to SaratogaQuiet Springs Turned Into Gambling Hell-or-Paradise by two men, by John Lardner “$50 for Solitaire Deck – Ironically, Canfield’s name is best known to the rank and file today for a game of Solitaire. You could always play that game in Canfield’s house. Although Solitaire was a by-product. As Banked by the old … Read more
YOU CAN’T WIN, by Frank Emery – ARTICLE I In 1934, Frank Emery released a six-part series on gambling titled You Can’t Win, a Series of articles on Gambling from Faro to Bridge. The articles were published weekly in The Brooklyn Daily, each week containing a different topic in which Canfield was the main subject. … Read more
Unbeatable Odds -Chattanooga Daily Times (Chattanooga, Tennessee) Friday 10 August 1934 An old newspaper article states that Canfield invented the Solitaire game played in his gambling house. I do not consider this source to be necessarily reliable as there are some inaccuracies in the article and it seems more likely that the author copied this … Read more
A Gambler’s gift to Art – By George H. Kennedy Jr. in The Billings Gazette (Billings Montana), New York A huge newspaper article in The Billings Gazette from 1933 was about the friendship between Canfield and James McNeill Whistler, a very famous artist at the time. Here, George Kennedy Jr. refers to the Canfield Solitaire … Read more
Former Gambler Proves Sucker hasn’t Chance by Dale BurgessThe Muncie Evening Press was published in Muncie, Indiana, Monday, June 20, 1932 It’s the first time I’ve come across any evidence that Klondike Solitaire was also played in gambling houses. There were of course many indications in books, but never as concrete as to how it … Read more
The life and works of Richard A. Canfield – Familiar of Millionaires and Patron of the arts as well as a gamester A large newspaper article devoted to Richard Canfield following the publication of Alexander Gardiner’s Book “Canfield: The True Story of the Greatest Gambler,” where Canfield Solitaire is discussed. Although Alexander Gardiner wrote only … Read more
Phantoms of past still haunt Spa – Modern Saratoga recalls days when Canfield entertained millionaires at a garden spot Historic newspaper article about the Canfield Casino published by Fitchburg Sentinel (Fitchburg, Massachusetts). It is suggested in this article that Solitaire would have been played at the Saratoga Club. “It was here in the same old … Read more
Newspaper Article about Canfield’s death Although the article is about his sudden death, a large part of the article is also devoted to Canfield’s Solitaire. The article gives a clear picture of the fame of the Solitaire game which is said to have been invented by Canfield or was named after him. For example, in … Read more
Richard Canfield’s death This article about Richard Canfield’s death on December 12, 1914, contains much information about his life as a gambler. However, there is no mention of a Solitaire game named after him. It is clear from the article that Canfield was a great gambler: