How to play Solitaire
Here’s how to play Solitaire, in its classic Klondike form, also known as Patience. By sorting the seven columns on the table, move all 52 cards onto four foundation piles, building each suit up from Ace to King. It’s free to play online, with undo and hints.
Beat Pete deals Draw 3 for everyone, so scores on the leaderboards are directly comparable. Like the real thing, not every deal can be won, but you can undo as often as you like.
The basics
Klondike is the classic patience game. The goal: move all 52 cards onto the four foundations (top right), building each suit up from Ace to King.
The table
- Tableau — seven columns. Only the bottom card of each starts face up.
- Stock (top left) — tap it to turn cards onto the waste pile next to it. When it runs out, tap the empty space to turn the waste back over. You can go through as many times as you like.
- Cards are turned three at a time (Draw 3), and only the top one can be played.
Moving cards
- In the tableau, build down in alternating colours: a red 6 can go on a black 7.
- You can move a run of face-up cards together, as long as its top card fits.
- Only a King (or a run starting with a King) can fill an empty column.
- When a face-down card is uncovered, it turns over automatically.
- Foundations build up by suit: A, 2, 3 … K. You can bring a card back down from a foundation if you need it.
Controls
- Tap a card to send it to the best place — a foundation if it can go, otherwise a column. Tap it again straight away to try the next spot.
- Drag a card (and everything on top of it) to put it exactly where you want.
- Undo as often as you like. Hint shows a good move. Solve plays the rest out once every card is face up.
- Keyboard: Tab to a card and Enter to move it, Space stock, Z undo, H hint, N new game.
- Settings () has sounds, vibration, larger cards and four-colour suits.
Scoring
- +10 for each card to a foundation, +5 for waste to tableau, +5 for turning a card over.
- −15 for taking a card off a foundation; −20 for turning the waste back over.
- Finish in 30 seconds or more and you get a time bonus of 700,000 ÷ seconds.
Fair for everyone
- Everyone plays the same rules — Draw 3, shuffled at random — so scores on the leaderboards are directly comparable.
- Like the real thing, not every deal can be won. Starting a new game before you’ve finished counts as a loss.
Beginner tips
- Turn over face-down cards as soon as you can. Uncovering hidden cards matters more than tidying up, and each one you turn over scores 5 points.
- Don’t rush cards up to the foundations. You can bring one back down if you need it, but it costs 15 points.
- Only a King, or a run starting with a King, can fill an empty column, so think twice before emptying a column unless a King is ready. Stuck? Tap Hint to see a good move.
Frequently asked questions
How do you win at Solitaire?
Move all 52 cards onto the four foundations, building each suit up from Ace to King.
What does Draw 3 mean in Solitaire?
Cards are turned over three at a time from the stock onto the waste pile, and only the top one can be played. When the stock runs out, tap the empty space to turn the waste back over; you can go through as many times as you like.
Can you win every game of Solitaire?
No. Like the real thing, not every deal can be won, and starting a new game before you’ve finished counts as a loss.
How is Solitaire scored?
You get +10 for each card to a foundation, +5 for waste to tableau and +5 for turning a card over. Taking a card off a foundation costs 15, turning the waste back over costs 20, and a fast finish earns a time bonus.
Is it free to play Solitaire?
Yes. Solitaire is free to play in your browser, with nothing to download. It is a solo game, so it’s just you against the deck, with leaderboards to compare scores.
Ready to play Solitaire?
It’s free and works in your browser — no download. Start against Trevor, the friendliest opponent, and sign up free to climb the ladder of ten computer players all the way to Pete.
Play Solitaire now