How to Play Solitaire: Klondike Rules, Scoring and Winning Tips
Solitaire, officially called Klondike, is the most played card game on computers, made famous by its inclusion in Windows from 1990 onward. It is a one-player game where you sort a shuffled deck into four neat piles, one per suit, from Ace to King. This guide explains the setup, every rule, how scoring usually works and the strategies that turn more deals into wins.
The Setup
Klondike uses a standard 52-card deck with no jokers. The cards are arranged into four areas:
- Tableau: seven columns of cards. The first column has 1 card, the second 2, and so on up to 7 cards in the seventh column. Only the top card of each column is face up. That uses 28 cards.
- Stock: the remaining 24 cards, face down. You draw from here when you are stuck.
- Waste: where cards from the stock are turned face up.
- Foundations: four empty spaces, one for each suit. This is where you build your final piles.
The Rules
Goal
Move all 52 cards to the four foundations, each built up by suit from Ace to King (A, 2, 3 ... 10, J, Q, K).
Building on the Tableau
- Cards in the tableau are built down in alternating colours. You can place a red 6 on a black 7, or a black 9 on a red 10.
- You can move a single face-up card, or a whole run of face-up cards in correct order, from one column to another.
- When you move the last face-up card off a column, flip the face-down card underneath so it becomes playable.
- Only a King (or a run starting with a King) can be placed in an empty column.
Building the Foundations
- Each foundation starts with an Ace.
- Add cards of the same suit in rising order: Ace of hearts, then 2 of hearts, then 3 of hearts, and so on.
- Most versions also let you move a card back from a foundation to the tableau if it helps.
Using the Stock
When you have no useful moves, draw from the stock onto the waste pile. The top card of the waste can be played to the tableau or foundations. When the stock runs out, you can turn the waste pile over to form a new stock. Some scoring modes limit how many times you can do this.
Draw 1 vs Draw 3
| Draw 1 | Draw 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cards turned per draw | One | Three, but only the top one is playable |
| Difficulty | Easier, every card is reachable | Harder, many cards stay buried |
| Best for | Beginners and relaxed play | Players who want a challenge |
In Draw 3, the order of cards in the stock changes each time you play a card from the waste, so playing a card can reveal a whole new set of options on the next pass.
How Scoring Works
Many solitaire games use the classic Windows-style standard scoring, roughly like this:
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Waste to tableau | +5 |
| Waste or tableau card to foundation | +10 |
| Turning over a face-down tableau card | +5 |
| Foundation card back to tableau | -15 |
Timed games often add a bonus for finishing quickly and may take away points as time passes or when you recycle the stock. The exact numbers differ between versions, but the idea is always the same: progress toward the foundations earns points, and undoing it costs points.
Winning Strategies
1. Uncover Face-Down Cards First
Hidden cards are the main obstacle in Klondike. When choosing between moves, prefer the one that flips a face-down card. Focus especially on the longer columns on the right, which hide the most cards.
2. Always Play Aces and Twos Right Away
Aces and 2s have no use in the tableau, so move them to the foundations immediately.
3. Do Not Rush Other Cards to the Foundations
Moving a 6 to the foundation may feel like progress, but you might need it later to hold a 5 of the other colour. A safe rule: move a card to the foundation when both cards of the opposite colour one rank lower are already there, or when it clearly frees something useful.
4. Do Not Empty a Column Without a King Ready
An empty column can only take a King. If no King is available, an empty column is wasted. Clear a column when you have a King (ideally one blocking hidden cards) ready to move in.
5. Choose Your Kings Carefully
If you have a choice between a red King and a black King for an empty column, look at which Queens and Jacks are available. Pick the King that lets you continue building.
6. Use the Stock Thoughtfully
Look at all tableau moves before drawing. In Draw 3, think about how a play from the waste changes which cards appear on the next pass.
7. Keep Your Runs Flexible
When two cards could move to the same spot, move the one that unlocks more cards. For example, if both a red 8 from a short column and a red 8 hiding three face-down cards could go on a black 9, move the one with hidden cards underneath.
FAQ
Can every game of Solitaire be won?
No. Some deals cannot be won however well you play. Studies estimate that a large majority of Klondike deals are winnable in theory, but in practice, without undo, players win far less often, especially in Draw 3.
Is Solitaire the same as Klondike?
In everyday use, yes. "Solitaire" usually means Klondike, though there are many other solitaire games such as Spider and FreeCell.
What can go in an empty column?
Only a King, or a sequence of cards that starts with a King.
Should I play Draw 1 or Draw 3?
Start with Draw 1 to learn the game. Move to Draw 3 when you win Draw 1 regularly and want more challenge.
Shuffle up and deal: play Solitaire free on GameChakra in your browser, no download needed. For another calm puzzle that rewards planning, try our Ball Sort Puzzle tips.
