How to Play Solitaire

This is Klondike, the solitaire most people mean by the name. Your goal is to build four foundation piles, one per suit, from ace up to king. When the page opens, you choose a level and the game starts a numbered deal.

In the seven columns, cards build down in alternating colors, so a red six goes on a black seven. You can move a whole face-up run at once, and only a king can fill an empty column. Tap the stock to turn cards over onto the waste pile, where only the top card is playable. When the stock runs out, tap it again to turn the waste back over, as long as your level allows a redeal.

To move a card, drag it, or tap it and then tap its destination. A single tap sends a card straight to a foundation when it fits there. The keyboard works too: Space draws from the stock, H shows a hint, U or Ctrl+Z undoes a move, and R restarts the same deal. When the game is decided, a Finish button sends the rest home.

Levels, Suits and Scoring

Three levels change how the stock works.

Relaxed draws one card at a time with unlimited redeals.
Standard draws three cards at a time, also with unlimited redeals.
Strict draws three and lets you turn the waste back into the stock only once.

You can also deal from one, two or four suits. One suit uses spades only, so rank alone decides what stacks. Two suits uses spades and hearts, and the colors still alternate. Easier settings earn lower score multipliers.

Points come from cards sent to a foundation, cards turned over and cards played from the waste, and productive moves in a row build a streak multiplier of up to ×3. An undo costs 25 points and a hint costs 50. Finishing fast, in few moves and without hints or undos earns bonuses. Scores and statistics stay in your browser on this device, and a deal you leave after moving counts as a loss.

Solitaire Tips and Strategy

Uncover face-down cards first. A move that flips a hidden card is usually worth more than one that only rearranges what you can see, and the built-in hint favors those moves. Given a choice, dig into the column with more hidden cards.
Do not empty a column unless a king is ready to fill it, because nothing else can go there.
Send aces and twos home right away, but think before you tap a higher card. A tap moves it to the foundation, and it may still be needed to hold a card of the other color.
In the draw-three levels, play the top waste card whenever you can. It exposes the card underneath.
Learn on Relaxed, or with one suit, then move up. Undo is unlimited, so use it to test an idea.

Once Klondike feels easy, try Spider Solitaire, which uses two decks, or FreeCell, where every card starts face up. More are in the board and card games category.

Solitaire FAQ

How do you set up solitaire?

Deal seven columns: one card in the first, two in the second, and so on up to seven in the last. Only the top card of each column faces up. The 24 remaining cards form the stock, and four empty foundation piles wait for the aces. The game does all of this for you.

Can I play solitaire online without downloading anything?

Yes. It is free, runs in your browser and needs no download or account.

What is the difference between draw one and draw three?

Draw one turns over a single card from the stock each time. Draw three turns over three at a time, and only the top one can be played, so you reach the others after playing the ones above them.

Can you win every game of solitaire?

No. Some deals cannot be won however well you play. When nothing useful is left, the game says “No moves left” and you can undo a few moves or take a new deal.