Klondike Solitaire Rules and Tips
Klondike is the solitaire most people know, the one that came with Windows. Here are the complete rules and the habits that win more games.
Quick steps
- Deal 28 cards into seven columns: one card in the first column, up to seven in the last, with only the top card of each column face up.
- Put the remaining 24 cards face down as the stock.
- Build each column down in alternating colors, such as a red 9 on a black 10. Move a face-up run of cards together.
- Put a King, or a run starting with a King, into an empty column.
- Turn over the stock one or three cards at a time and play the top card when you can.
- Move Aces to the four foundations and build each suit up to the King. You win when all 52 cards are on the foundations.
The layout
Klondike uses one standard 52-card deck. 28 cards are dealt into seven columns, the tableau: the first column has 1 card, the second 2, and so on up to 7. Only the top card of each column is face up. The other 24 cards form the stock. Above the tableau are four empty foundations, one for each suit.
The goal and the moves
- Foundations are built up by suit from Ace to King: A♥, 2♥, 3♥ and so on.
- Tableau columns are built down in alternating colors: a black 8 on a red 9, then a red 7 on the black 8.
- You can move a single card or a whole face-up run to another column, as long as the top card of the run fits.
- When you uncover a face-down card, turn it over.
- An empty column can only be filled with a King or a run that starts with a King.
- Turn cards from the stock to the waste. When the stock is empty, turn the waste over to make a new stock.
Draw 1, Draw 3 and scoring
In Draw 1 you turn one card at a time. In Draw 3 you turn three and can only play the top one, which is much harder. See Draw 1 vs Draw 3. Standard scoring gives points for moving cards to the foundations and turning over cards. Vegas scoring starts at −52 (as if you paid $52 for the deck) and pays $5 for every card on a foundation. Our game has both, switched off by default.
Tips to win more often
- Turn over face-down cards first. Moves that reveal a hidden card are almost always best, especially in the columns with the most hidden cards.
- Play Aces and Twos to the foundations straight away. Be a little slower with higher cards: you may still need them in the tableau to hold other cards.
- Do not empty a column without a King ready. An empty column is only useful for a King.
- Choose between equal moves carefully. If two black 8s can take a red 7, use the one that unblocks more.
- Use the stock wisely. In Draw 3, think about how playing a card changes the next groups of three.
Can every game be won?
No. Some random Klondike deals cannot be won at all. That is why our game offers winnable deals, checked by a computer, on by default. Practise with large cards or try today's Daily Deal.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Klondike and Solitaire?
Solitaire is the family of one-player card games. Klondike is the most famous of them, so most people simply call it Solitaire.
Can you move cards back from the foundations?
In most versions, including ours, yes. You can move the top card of a foundation back onto a column when it fits.
How many times can I go through the deck?
In our game, as many times as you like, in both Draw 1 and Draw 3.