To select a card for discard or play:
A card can be also selected with hard keyboard, if available, using Left and Right arrow keys. To confirm selection press Up or Space key.
To get game menu click soft Menu(☰) button at top right corner,
or tap central area of the board (where deal number is shown). As an alternative, press
Game menu allows to view Game Chart, list of Previous Tricks and Information pages, as well as change Settings. Unless List active cards cheat option is enabled, the full list of tricks is unavailable until the very last trick is played. Click an item or use numeric keys (1 to 4) on a hard keyboard to select an action.
Game menu can be used as Mute feature, since background music stops, when the menu appears.
To cancel a pause or temporarily disable dealing animation tap the board outside its centre, or press Space key on hard keyboard.
To postpone a game click soft Back(⇦) button at top left corner or press Esc key on hard keyboard. The game will be saved, if necessary.
When background music is played, soft buttons ⏭ (▶︎▶︎) ︎or ⏮ (◀︎◀︎), as well as key combinations ⇧ Shift+⇧ Right or ⇧ Shift+Left are used for switching to next or previous music track.
Context-sensitive help can be obtained by pressing ? button or typing ? key.
When text input is present, you need to hold ⌘ Command for using numeric and ? keys as shortcuts.
To select a card for discard or play:
With a mouse. Move mouse pointer along your cards until the required card is raised. Click left mouse button to confirm selection.
With a keyboard. Use Left and Right arrow keys to select required card. To confirm selection press Up or Space key.
To cancel a pause or temporarily disable dealing animation click the board, or press Space key.
To postpone a game click Back(⇦) button at top right corner or press Esc key. The game will be saved, if necessary.
Additional features are provided by Application (top) menu. It allows to view Game Chart (Navigate/Game Chart or 1 key) and list of Previous Tricks (Navigate/Tricks or pressing 2 key). Unless List active cards cheat option is enabled, the full list of tricks is unavailable until the very last trick is played. To modify Settings while in the game select King Solo/Settings, or press ⌘+, (comma).
When background music is played, window buttons ⏭ ︎or ⏮, as well as key combinations ⇧ Shift+Right or ⇧ Shift+Left are used for switching to next or previous music track. Similarly, buttons ⏸ and ▶️ buttons or corresponding key combinations ⇧ Shift+Up and ⇧ Shift+Down are used to pause and resume background music
The computer players were developed with the following assumptions:
The application collects some data available to computer players. Only Smart is guaranteed access to the data, Average has a limited access, while Novice never has access to the data. Note that the players themselves do not memorise data and each time have to re-query them.
The following data are collected:
Cards remaining in play. Computer sees similarly to what is shown in the list of active cards, when List Active Cards cheat is enabled. Access: Smart — always, Average — one case out of three, Novice — never.
Failures. A particular player did not follow suit, or didn't play trump, when rules oblige to do so, etc. Access: Smart — always, Average — 50% of cases, Novice — never.
Kitty content, when either Show taken kitty rule is enabled, or current player is the contractor. Access: Smart — always, Average — 50% of cases, Novice — never.
Given that this is not a 100% information game, like chess or draughts, we can't be absolutely certain about the best move. For that reason a computer player never takes the best move, it rather takes "one of the best moves".
The better is the computer skill, the more precise its selection. Thus Smart considers upper quarter (top 25% of the evaluation range), Average takes top 37.5%, Novice looks in the upper half (50%).
Similar approach applies to selecting game type, with one 'minor' exception: Novice never really thinks, it selects game by random! (This applies to game type itself, while selecting trump suit and misère, as well as discard, involves some reasoning.)
A network game can take place over either local area network (direct connection in particular), or the Internet using Apple Game Center multiplayer capability.
A local network game can operate over wired or wireless local area network, as well as using direct device-to-device connection. To use direct connection the devices must enable WiFi, but disconnect from any WiFi access point or a mobile network. Older iOS versions implement direct connection over Bluetooth, in which case Bluetooth must be enabled.
For playing over Game Center network all participating players are expected to have an identifier from Apple and an account with Game Center
You also must allow Notifications from Games in System SettingsConfigurations in order to receive the invitations from Game Center. (This is allowed by default.)In case if you have problems authenticating with Game Center using the application, try using Game Center page from System Settingsadding (refreshing) your Game Center account at System Configurations - Internet Accounts.
macOS and iOS releases of the application are network-compatible, so one player may use a Mac computer, another — iPhone. This applies to both types of network connection.
For playing a full game session over the network, all participating players must have network authorisation. Network authorisation never expires. It stays after application upgrade and is transferrable to another compatible device.
One player starts the game while the other players connect to it. The tweaks are normally set up by the starting player.
A network game is saved at all participating devices and can be continued from any of those. Section to Resuming a saved game session contains the details.
Start a game and set type network for one or both opponents. This brings up Network Game page.
Select Local as network type and enter your name / alias, if necessary. By default, your name, specified at New Session page, or, if empty, the device name is used.
If Select automatically is enabled, the application automatically selects peers, as they become available. If the option is disabled, you need to select peers form the list.
Press Done (green button at bottom right corner) to start listening for the peers.
Other players need to start connecting to the game. Once the connecting devices are ready to receive invitations, they are identified and processed by the starting device. To change selected player tap corresponding window and select another player from the list.
Press Done to send invitations to selected players. After all the invitations are accepted, the game starts.
Start a game and set type network for one or both opponents. This brings up Network Game page.
Select Game Center as network type.
If Select automatically is enabled, the application attempts to pick up the opponents you had in the preceding game. If the option is disabled, you need to select peers form the list of your friends and previous opponents.
Press Done to start authentication with Game Center. After the authentication is complete, this list of your friends and recent opponents is processed. To change selected player tap corresponding window and select another player from the list.
Press Done to send invitations to selected players. After all the invitations are accepted, the game starts.
A Game Center connection allows selecting a random opponent instead of your friend.
If one random player (along with computer player) is selected, you will be connected to another player who also selected one random player. It is disallowed to combine a random and invited player in same game (it doesn't look like Game Center is meant to handle that, but if it were possible, one of the invitees would be terribly frustrated to remain without a game), however having two random players is permitted, in which case you are connected to players who also selected two random opponents.
Invitations are not used with a random player game. The tweaks are established by the player who started the connection earlier, so don't be surprised if the accepted tweaks are different from the ones assigned by you.
In general using random players (especially two random ones) is not recommended as you can wait for ages till the game starts. However one of devices may have troubles receiving Game Center invitations (this may happen if devices are running different iOS/macOS versions), while a random player game allows such a device to connect. (To be honest, that is the only reason why having two random players is allowed.)
For starting a network game consult Starting a local network game and Starting a game over Game Center network.
A Game Center invitation arrives as a notification. You must tap the notification to get the invitation recognised by the application. Tapping the notification starts the application, if necessary. If Auto-Accept invitations in Application Settings is enabled, starting the application automatically initiates connection with accepted invitation. Otherwise you need to connect manually as specified below.
A local network game requires starting connection manually. As a result of that you device can be recognised by the starting device.
Select Connect from the main page to bring up Connect page.
You may select one or both network types. If Connect automatically is enabled, the first available invitation will be accepted, otherwise you need to select an invitation from the list.
For a local network game you need to enter your name / alias. This is same as used for starting a game. The Game Center network requires authentication.
Press Done button to start receiving invitations. After the invitation is received and accepted, the game starts.
You can save unlimited number of game sessions, however keeping many saved games is not recommended, as it can slow down the performance.
To resume a game session select Continue from the main page. If there are several saved sessions, you get Continue Session page for selecting a game to resume. This page also allows to delete a game session: to do that apply long tap (i.e. tap for more that half a second)right or long click (i.e. click with a right mouse button or for more than half a second) to the corresponding line in the list.
When hard keyboard is available, select a game with vertical arrow keys, then press Enter to continue selected game session, or ⇧ Shift+Enter to delete the game.
If the saved game involves network players (such a session is highlighted in the list), they can be replaced by computers. If the game proceeds with network players, the application brings up Network Game page, used for starting a network game session.
There is an option to use a different network type, in which case the peers have to be selected manually. If the same network type is used and Select automatically is enabled, the application will attempt to select peers from the resumed game.
Random players cannot be selected for a continued game.
The other players connect to the game, as has been discussed in the previous chapter.
🎤
Microphone OFF |
◉
Microphone ON |
Voice chat is available only over Game Center network. It can be enabled in Sound tab of Application settings, as discussed here.
Press microphone button (at upper leftright corner) to turn the microphone on. The image turns into green circle indicating the microphone is operating. Press the button again to turn off the microphone.
Music during voice chat option specifies whether or not background music is played during voice chatBackground music is never played during voice chat.
![]() Clear Summaries |
Statistics (summary) as well as High Score tables are kept separately by duration of session (full or short) and opponent skill value (average, smart or network) giving six possible tables for summary and high scores. Up to five best positive results are stored in each high score table. A summary table can be cleared by tapping the last line of corresponding table All summaries can be cleared by pressing Clear Summaries button.
The skill is 'network' for a network game. Otherwise, if one computer opponent is 'average' another is 'smart' the skill is attributed randomly. A session involving 'novice' player(-s) or having 'No score' or 'Play face up' in Tweaks is disregarded.
The application keeps game chart for each recorded score. To view it, select corresponding line in the score list.
As opposed to statistics and score tables, a single set of achievements is kept. Some of achievements are immediate (obtained at once), the others are incremental (obtained in certain number of steps). Along with achievement name and description the list contains either date when the achievement was unlocked, or the progress information: value and percentage of accomplishment.
Hidden achievements are actually Contrachievements, awarded for a silly mistake in play. Once a contrachievement is received, it becomes visible. Contrachievements are listed in red colour.
![]() Submit |
![]() View online |
High score totals for non-network games can be kept online. The availability of online score tables is specified by Scores online option in application settings. If the tables are used, it is recommended before starting a game to check that Game Center is enabled in System Settings the application will prompt to add a 'Game Center' account, if it doesn't exist yet. A 'Game Center' account can also be added using system tools. To do that select Internet Accounts from System Preferences. If necessary, the click Add other account... to get 'Game Center account' in the list of account types.
A score is usually submitted as soon as it has been upgraded, otherwise the local high score page contains Submit button that allows to re-attempt submission the lines corresponding to non-submitted scores are marked with envelope (✉) sign. Click such a line with the right mouse button, or ⇧ Shift key pressed to re-attempt the submission. Submit scores button sends all non-submitted scores.
To view online scores, share results etc, press View online button local high score page.
Game Center connection error disables access to it. The access is re-enabled after re-login to Game Center from System Settingsresetting 'Game Center' account using system tools. (Well, it's rather inconvenient, but unfortunately the best, we can suggest.)
Achievements can be also kept online using Game Center, so you can share your achievements and restore them when switching to another compatible device. Keeping achievements online can be disabled by Achievements online option in the application settings.
To view the achievements stored online select View online from local achievements page.
To synchronise achievements select Submit button from local achievements page. After synchronisation is complete, you may need to wait for up to several minutes for the list of achievements online to be updated.
Data source | ||
🖥️ Computer |
📱 Device |
☁️ iCloud |
iCloud can be used for backing up summaries and/or local score tables. Alternatively, iCloud can be selected as the only storage for the tables, which is especially convenient when you play the game at several compatible devices, as any update is immediately accessible from each device. iCloud data are shared between iPhone and iMac releases.
To access iCloud you need to sign in with Apple using System Configuration (System Preferences), enable iCloud drive and tick 'King Solo' in iCloud options.
To manage iCloud data the Performance page features iCloud button, which shows 📱🖥️, when the data are accessed from the device storage, or ☁️, if iCloud is used as the source of data.
When data come from the device storage, the following options are available:
Unlike scores, the summaries aren't quite merged: if summaries of same skill value are found in both locations, the record with maximum number of games is used, another one is discarded. If records have same number of games, they are left unmodified. Therefore, if when switch to a new device, merging summaries is recommended before playing.
The following options are available when the tables are stored in iCloud:
In both cases the application switches to device storage as the source of data.