Strategy
Solitaire strategy: how to win more Klondike games
Practical Klondike tips: where to look first, why an empty column is only useful with a king, when to hold cards back from the foundations, and how Draw 3 changes things.
3 min read
Solitaire
Classic Klondike Solitaire. Build four suits from ace to king, with Draw 1 or Draw 3, unlimited passes, undo and hints.
Deal
Time0:00
Moves0
Click a card to send it where it fits, or drag it. Click the stock to draw. Keys: arrows choose a pile, Enter picks up and drops, D draws, U undoes.Tap a card to send it where it fits, or drag it. Tap the stock to draw.
Use Left and Right to move between piles, and Up and Down to choose how many cards to take from a column. Enter picks up cards and Enter on another pile puts them down. A sends the chosen card where it fits. D draws from the stock, U undoes, H shows a hint and P pauses.
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About Solitaire
Solitaire, also called Klondike or Patience, is the classic one-player card game. Sort a shuffled deck into four piles, one for each suit, running from ace up to king.
Cards are dealt into seven columns, most of them face down. Move cards between columns in descending order and alternating colours to uncover them, and draw from the stock when you are stuck. Play right here in your browser, with undo, hints and your game saved if you leave.
How to play Solitaire
- Choose Draw 1 or Draw 3, then start moving cards. A new game is dealt automatically.
- Move any face-up card onto a card one rank higher of the opposite colour, such as a red 6 onto a black 7. You can move a whole run of cards together.
- Click or tap a card to send it to the best place it fits, or drag it where you want.
- Move aces up to the four foundations at the top, then build each one up in its suit: 2, 3 and so on to the king.
- When you run out of moves, click the stock to draw. You win when all 52 cards are on the foundations.
Solitaire controls
| Move a card where it fits | Click it (or drag it to a pile) |
|---|---|
| Draw from the stock | Click the stock, or press D |
| Choose a pile | Left and Right arrows |
| Choose how many cards to take | Up and Down arrows |
| Pick up and put down | Enter or Space, then Enter on the new pile |
| Undo / hint | U (or Ctrl+Z) / H |
| Pause / sound | P / M |
| Move a card where it fits | Tap it |
|---|---|
| Move a card somewhere else | Drag it to the pile you want |
| Draw from the stock | Tap the stock |
| Undo, hint or new game | The buttons above the table |
Solitaire rules
The deal
Seven columns get 1 to 7 cards, with only the top card of each face up. The other 24 cards form the stock in the top-left corner.
Building columns
A card can go on a face-up card one rank higher of the opposite colour. Runs built this way move together. When a face-down card is uncovered, it turns over. Only a king, or a run starting with a king, can go into an empty column.
Foundations
Each foundation starts with an ace and builds up in the same suit to the king. Cards can also be moved back down from a foundation onto a column when that helps.
The stock
Draw 1 turns over one card at a time; Draw 3 turns over three, and only the top one can be played. When the stock runs out, click it again to turn the waste pile back over. You can go through the stock as many times as you like.
Winning
You win when all four foundations reach the king. Once the stock is used up and every card is face up, the remaining cards move to the foundations on their own. Not every deal can be won, so do not worry if one beats you.
Time, moves and saving
The clock starts with your first move and stops while the game is paused. Your game in progress, best time and wins for each draw setting are saved in this browser.
Tips and strategy
- Turn over face-down cards whenever you can. Uncovering them matters more than tidying face-up cards.
- Work on the columns with the most face-down cards first.
- Do not rush to empty a column unless you have a king ready to move into it.
- Hold back from moving low cards to the foundations if you still need them to place cards of the other colour.
- In Draw 3, think about how a move changes which cards will come up next time through the stock.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the same as Klondike?
Yes. Klondike is the most common form of Solitaire: seven columns, a stock and four foundations, with Draw 1 and Draw 3 options.
Can every Solitaire game be won?
No. Deals are random, and some cannot be won whatever you do. Undo lets you try different lines, and hints point out a useful move when there is one.
What is the difference between Draw 1 and Draw 3?
Draw 1 turns over one card from the stock at a time, so every card is reachable on each pass. Draw 3 turns over three and only the top one can be played, which makes the game much harder.
Is there a limit on passes through the stock?
No. You can turn the waste pile back into the stock as many times as you like.
Will I lose my game if I close the page?
No. Your game, moves and time are saved in this browser as you play, and continue when you come back on the same device.
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