In Klondike Solitaire, cards are dealt into seven tableau columns with the top card face-up. Your goal is to move all cards to four foundation piles, one per suit, building each from Ace up to King. On the tableau, stack cards in descending order with alternating colors (e.g., a red 6 on a black 7). You can move groups of properly sequenced cards together. Draw cards from the stock pile when no moves are available.
What are the rules for Solitaire?
The key rules are: (1) Foundation piles build up by suit from Ace to King, (2) Tableau columns build down in alternating colors (red on black), (3) Only Kings can be placed on empty tableau columns, (4) You can flip cards from the stock pile to the waste pile and play the top waste card, (5) A face-down card is turned up when the card above it is moved. The game is won when all 52 cards are on the foundations.
What are some tips for winning at Solitaire?
Prioritize uncovering face-down cards, especially in columns with the most hidden cards. Always move Aces and Twos to the foundation immediately. Avoid emptying a tableau column unless you have a King to place there. Try to build evenly on foundations rather than building one suit way ahead. Look ahead before making moves, as some sequences can block future plays. Use undo when you realize a move was suboptimal.
What are the different versions of Solitaire?
The most popular version is Klondike Solitaire (the classic version played here). Other well-known variants include Spider Solitaire (uses multiple decks with tableau columns of 10), FreeCell (all cards face-up with four free cells for temporary storage), Pyramid Solitaire (remove pairs that add up to 13), and TriPeaks (clear three overlapping pyramids). Klondike is the version most people mean when they say Solitaire.
Can I play Solitaire on mobile devices?
Yes, this Solitaire game works on all mobile devices including phones and tablets. It uses touch-friendly drag and drop controls. Tap a card to auto-move it to the best available position, or drag it to a specific column or foundation. The interface scales to fit any screen size. No download or app install is required.
Klondike Solitaire became the world's most-played computer game when Microsoft bundled it with Windows 3.0 in 1990 to teach users how to drag and drop with a mouse. An estimated 35 million hours per week were spent playing it in offices during its peak popularity. Not every deal is winnable: roughly 79% of Klondike games can be solved with perfect play, which means some hands require you to accept defeat gracefully. The game trains patience, forward planning, and pattern recognition. The simple rules hide surprising strategic depth, from deciding when to draw from the stock pile versus uncovering hidden tableau cards, to knowing that moving an Ace immediately is almost always correct while emptying a column without a King waiting is almost always a mistake.
How to Play
Stack cards on the tableau in descending order, alternating red and black colors.
Move Aces to the four foundation piles and build each foundation up by suit from Ace to King.
Draw from the stock pile when no moves are available on the tableau.
Clear all 52 cards to the foundation piles to win the game.