How to play Klondike solitaire
Klondike is the solitaire most people know from their computer. You play alone with one standard deck of 52 cards.
The goal
Move all 52 cards onto the four foundation piles at the top — one pile for each suit (hearts, diamonds, clubs, spades), in order from Ace up to King.
The layout
- Tableau: seven columns of cards. The first column has one card, the second has two, and so on up to seven. Only the bottom card of each column starts face up.
- Stock: the face-down pile of leftover cards.
- Waste: where cards from the stock are turned face up.
- Foundations: four empty spaces for building each suit from Ace to King.
The rules
- In the tableau, stack cards down by one and in alternating colors — for example, a red 7 on a black 8.
- You can move a single card, or a whole run of face-up cards, as long as the top card of the run fits.
- When you uncover a face-down card, it turns face up.
- Only a King (or a run starting with a King) can go into an empty column.
- Tap the stock to turn over cards. With Draw 1 you turn one card at a time; with Draw 3 you turn three and can play only the top one. When the stock runs out, the waste turns over to become the stock again.
- Aces go to the foundations as soon as they are free, followed by 2, 3 and so on in the same suit.
In Calm Solitaire
- Tap a card and it moves to the best place it can go. You can also drag cards.
- Every deal can be won. We only deal hands that have been solved first.
- Undo as many times as you like. Hint shows a good next move.
- If you get stuck, Go back to a winnable point takes you back to a position that can still be won.
- Once every card is face up, Finish for me completes the game.
- Choose Draw 1 or Draw 3 in Settings. Draw 1 is easier.
- Each deal has a number, so you and a friend can play the same one.
More: Solitaire tips · History of Solitaire