Solitaire (Klondike) rules
The goal
Build four foundation piles, one for each suit, starting with the ace and going up in order to the king. You win when all 52 cards are on the foundations.
Setting up
Klondike uses one standard 52-card deck. Deal 28 cards into seven columns, called the tableau:
| Column | Cards | Face up |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | the top card |
| 2 | 2 | the top card |
| 3 | 3 | the top card |
| 4 | 4 | the top card |
| 5 | 5 | the top card |
| 6 | 6 | the top card |
| 7 | 7 | the top card |
The remaining 24 cards go face down as the stock, which you draw from during play.
How to play
Moving cards in the tableau
Build down in alternating colors: a red 6 can go on a black 7. You can move a single card, or a run of correctly ordered cards together.
Building the foundations
When an ace is free, move it to a foundation. Then build each foundation up in its own suit: ace, 2, 3 and so on to the king.
Using the stock
When you run out of moves, turn cards from the stock. Depending on the version you turn one card or three at a time, and the top card of the waste pile can be played to the tableau or a foundation.
Empty columns
An empty column can only be filled with a king, or a run that starts with a king. Empty columns are valuable because they let you rearrange the tableau.
Winning
You win when all four foundations are complete, each holding its suit from ace to king. If you run out of moves before that, the deal is lost. Not every deal can be won.
Tips for beginners
- Turn cards over
- Uncover face-down cards as early as you can. Every hidden card is a move you can’t see yet.
- Don’t rush the foundations
- Low cards in the tableau are often needed to hold the next card of the other color.
- Value empty columns
- Only empty a column when a king is ready to go into it.
- Think a move ahead
- Before moving, ask which card it will uncover and whether that helps.
Variations
- Draw one: turn one card at a time from the stock. The easier version.
- Draw three: turn three cards at a time and play only the top one. The classic, harder version.
- Vegas: a casino version with a limited number of passes through the stock and its own scoring.
On this site
You choose Draw one or Draw three before each deal, and you can go through the stock as many times as you like.
Ready to play?
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