How to play Solitaire

What is the goal?

Build four foundation piles, one for each suit, from Ace up to King. You win when all 52 cards are on the foundations.

How a game starts

• Seven columns are dealt from left to right, with 1 card in the first column up to 7 cards in the seventh. Only the top card of each column is face up.
• The remaining 24 cards form the stock, face down at the top left. Next to it is the waste, where drawn cards land.
• Four empty spaces at the top right are the foundations, one for each suit.
• In Solitide you can pick Draw 1 (one card at a time) or Draw 3 (three cards at a time) for Klondike.

How to play, step by step

1. Look at the face-up cards at the bottom of the seven columns. Move any Ace to a foundation straight away.
2. Build down on the table: place a card on one that is a rank higher and the opposite colour, for example a red 6 on a black 7.
3. You can move a whole run of face-up cards together, as long as it is in order and alternates colours.
4. When you move the last face-up card from a column, turn the next face-down card face up.
5. If you run out of useful moves, tap the stock to draw a card onto the waste. The top waste card can be played.
6. When the stock is empty, turn the waste back over to make a new stock and go through it again.
7. Move cards to the foundations in order, Ace, 2, 3 and so on, one suit per pile. You may also move a card back down if it helps.
8. Only a King can go into an empty column. Empty a column on purpose to give a King a home.
9. Win when all four foundations reach King.

What are the rules of Klondike solitaire?

In Klondike you build four foundations up from Ace to King, one suit each. On the seven table columns you build down in alternating red and black. Only a King can start an empty column. You draw cards from the stock when you have no other move, and you win when all cards are on the foundations.

How many cards do you deal in Klondike solitaire?

You deal 28 cards to the table in seven columns, with 1 card in the first column up to 7 cards in the last. Only the top card of each column is face up. The other 24 cards stay in the stock and are drawn one or three at a time.

What can you put on an empty column in solitaire?

In Klondike only a King, or a King with the cards on it, can go into an empty column. This rule is why you should not empty a column unless you have a King ready. In FreeCell any card can start an empty column, and in Spider any card can too.

What is the difference between Draw 1 and Draw 3?

In Draw 1 you turn over one card from the stock at a time, and in Draw 3 you turn over three, but you can only play the top one. Draw 3 is harder because cards under the top one stay buried until you play the ones above.

How do you play Spider solitaire?

Spider uses two decks, 104 cards, in ten columns. You build down in rank, and you finish a suit by making a run from King down to Ace in the same suit, which is then removed. A different-suit card can sit on any card one rank higher, but only a same-suit run moves together. Clear all eight runs to win.

How do you deal new cards in Spider solitaire?

Tap the stock to deal one new card onto every column. You can only deal when no column is empty, so fill any empty column first. The stock holds five deals of ten cards, so use them when you have run out of useful moves.

How do you play FreeCell?

FreeCell uses one deck dealt face up in eight columns, so you see every card from the start. Build the four foundations from Ace to King. On the table, build down in alternating colours. Four free cells each hold one card as temporary storage, and any card can start an empty column.

How do you win and score?

Solitide shows a score, a timer and a move count at the top of the table. The score depends on how quickly you win and on the moves, undos and hints you used. For a quieter game, you can hide the timer. You can also switch on Vegas scoring for Klondike, which costs $52 for each deal and pays $5 for every card you place on a foundation. In the Journey you earn up to three stars on a level.

Common beginner mistakes

• Emptying a column when you have no King to put in it, which wastes the space.
• Moving a card to a foundation too early, when you still need it to build down on the table.
• Drawing from the stock again and again before checking every move on the table.
• Ignoring face-down cards. Open the column with the most hidden cards first.
• In Spider, dealing a new row while a long column is still blocked, which buries your runs.

Tips and strategy

• Turn face-down cards over first, especially in the columns with the most hidden cards.
• Always move Aces and 2s to the foundations at once. They are not useful on the table.
• Before you draw, check every face-up card for a move. Drawing too early can bury a card you need.
• Keep the colours balanced. Do not put a red 6 on a black 7 if a different red 6 would unlock more cards.
• Empty a column only when you have a King ready to move into it.
• In Spider, build in one suit whenever you can. Mixed-suit runs cannot be moved together.
• In FreeCell, plan several moves ahead and keep free cells empty as long as you can. The more free cells and empty columns, the longer the run you can move.
• If you are stuck, use undo. In Solitide undo and hints are unlimited.

Words to know

Foundation

One of four piles where you build a suit from Ace up to King.

Tableau

The columns of cards on the table where you build down in alternating colours.

Stock

The face-down pile you draw new cards from.

Waste

The pile of cards you have drawn from the stock. Only the top card can be played.

Run

A group of cards in order, such as 7, 6, 5, that can be moved together.

Free cell

A space in FreeCell that holds one card as temporary storage.

Playing Solitaire in Solitide

Solitide is classic solitaire made fair: every deal is checked by a solver, so a win is always possible. Play Klondike with Draw 1 or Draw 3, Spider with 1, 2 or 4 suits, or FreeCell. Hints and undo are free and unlimited, and a short coach explains your first deal. If you are stuck, choose Show me how to win and watch the winning line. There is a Daily Deal, a 300-level Journey, and offline play.