A strange little side quest
The mechanics around Real Solitaire have roots that stretch far beyond modern browsers. Modern chess traces back to the Indian game chaturanga, recorded around the sixth century and built around pieces representing parts of an army. There is another connection worth keeping in the same mental pocket: Atari's Gran Trak 10 from 1974 is recognized as the first arcade racing video game. So a round of Real Solitaire is not just a quick distraction; it is a tiny stop on a much longer strategy games timeline.
