Meet the Women Dominating America’s Next Big E-Sport: Solitaire

When you picture an E‑Sports tournament, you probably imagine young men locked into games like Madden or Call of Duty, fueled by energy drinks and trash talk. But a very different kind of competitor is now stepping into the spotlight and dominating it.

The game that’s taking America by storm? It’s actually one you probably grew up playing on a clunky desktop in your parents’ kitchen — solitaire.

Solitaire Finds New Life

That’s right, the game so many people think of as a solitary hobby has given rise to a massive community of competitive players. At the first‑ever World Solitaire Championship in Miami — where 400 of the world’s best players gathered after competing in global qualifiers — a stunning 82 percent of competitors were women. These players came from all walks of life, and few would ever think of themselves as “gamers,” yet what united them was a shared desire to connect, compete, and master a game they’ve quietly loved for years.

But before we meet some of the wonder women redefining competitive Solitaire, it’s worth pausing to understand how this moment came to be. And that story starts with a company trying to reinvent what play means for adults.

Making Adult Play for Real

For many adults, play is something we quietly phase out, something reserved for childhood, not the chaos of grown‑up life. PAPAYA is challenging that idea head‑on with a simple yet radical belief: play isn’t an escape from adulthood; it’s one of the healthiest parts of it. That philosophy became real at the World Solitaire Championship, where half a million players competed virtually, and the top 400 were flown to Miami to crown the first‑ever world champion.

Meet the Women of the WSC

And among those hundreds of competitors were everyday women with extraordinary stories — women who found connection, calm, confidence, or even healing in this deceptively simple game. Here are just a few of the players rewriting what it means to be a “player.”

Susan Francis — Victoria, Texas

As a homeschool mom of five, Susan is used to juggling chaos with calm, whether she’s coordinating football carpools, leading American Heritage Girls, or keeping her busy household humming. Solitaire became her quiet pocket of peace, something she squeezes in during coffee breaks in the kitchen, on long road trips back to Colorado, or in those rare moments when the kids are on their own screens. Her journey to the WSC reflects exactly what this new era of play represents: a chance for everyday women to carve out joy, challenge themselves, and surprise everyone, including themselves, with what they can achieve.

Bridget O’Brien — Shakopee, Minnesota

Bridget may spend her days guiding students as an admissions rep and her nights dealing blackjack, but she still finds time to sharpen her competitive edge with a can of Fresca, Dateline in the background, and her dog Finn curled up beside her. A lifelong card lover, she grew up battling cousins in marathon SPEED tournaments and later joined a cribbage league before turning cards into a career. At the WSC, her mix of discipline, instinct, and pure card‑slinging joy made her one of the most compelling competitors to watch.

BreAnn Clark — Tyler, Texas

BreAnn spends her nights supporting people through their darkest moments as a crisis worker for the 988 hotline, making her understanding of the need for healthy outlets deeply personal. Solitaire Cash became her ritual for unwinding after long shifts, a calm, grounding space where she could reset and refocus. Her journey to the WSC is a testament to how play can offer exactly what we need: connection, relief, and a surprising path to excellence.