Solitaire is the classic card game for one player. Its proper name is Klondike, and in Britain it's called Patience. Deal seven piles, then build every card onto four foundations, ace to king.
It's the version that came with Windows, and the one most people mean by Solitaire.
The video covers the rules, then plays one full game, from the deal to a win.
At a glance
- Players: 1. Double Solitaire is for two.
- Deck: One standard 52-card deck, no jokers
- Time: 5 to 15 minutes a game
- Goal: All 52 cards on the four foundations
The cards above are from The Alpine Edition.
Setup
Shuffle and deal 28 cards into seven piles in a row. The first pile has one card, the next two, and so on up to seven.
Turn the top card of each pile face up. The cards under it stay face down.
The 24 cards left over are the stock. Put them face down above the piles. Leave room beside them for four foundations.
How to play
Move cards between the piles to uncover the face-down ones. A card can go on the next higher card of the other color. A red six goes on a black seven.
A run of face-up cards moves together, as one unit.
When a pile's last face-up card moves away, turn up the face-down card beneath it.
Only a king, or a run headed by a king, can fill an empty space.
The stock
When you're stuck, turn three cards from the stock onto a waste pile, face up. Only the top one is in play. Play it, and the card under it comes free.
When the stock runs out, turn the waste pile over to make a new stock. Go through it as many times as you like.
The foundations
When an ace comes free, move it above the piles to start a foundation. Each suit gets its own.
Build each foundation up in its suit, from ace to king. Cards can go up from the piles or the waste.
Scoring
The basic game has no score. You either get every card onto the foundations, or you get stuck.
To keep score, use Vegas or Windows scoring. Both are under Variations.
How to win
You win when all 52 cards are on the foundations, ace to king.
If no move is left and the stock gives nothing new, the game is lost. Shuffle and deal again.
Tips
- Turn up the face-down cards first. A move that frees a hidden card is usually the right one.
- Work on the longest piles early. They hide the most cards.
- Don't empty a space unless a king is ready to fill it.
- Don't rush low cards onto the foundations. The piles may still need them to build on.
- Look for every move in the piles before you turn the stock.
Variations
- Turn one. Turn the stock one card at a time. It's the easier game, and many apps play it this way.
- Limited passes. Go through the stock only three times. Some players allow just one pass.
- Vegas. Turn one card at a time and go through the stock once. Start each game at minus 52. Each card on a foundation scores 5.
- Windows scoring. A card from the waste to the piles scores 5. A card to a foundation scores 10. Turning up a card in the piles scores 5. Moving a card back off a foundation costs 15. In turn one, turning the waste over costs 100.
- Thoughtful Solitaire. Deal every card face up, so you can plan the whole game.
- Double Solitaire, for two. Each player lays out a game from their own deck, with different backs. The foundations in the middle are shared. Either player can build on any of them. Take turns, or play at once as a race. The first to play out every card wins. If both get stuck, whoever has more cards on the foundations wins.
Where these rules come from
These rules follow Bicycle's Klondike, checked against Wikipedia's Klondike article. Bicycle turns the stock three at a time and sets no limit on passes. The scoring systems and other names come from Wikipedia. Double Solitaire follows the common rules, as in GameRules.com's Double Solitaire.
Common questions
Is Solitaire the same as Klondike?
Yes. Klondike is the game's proper name. Solitaire also means any card game for one, like Spider or FreeCell.
Is it the same as Patience?
Yes. In Britain, Klondike is often just called Patience. There, Patience also means any card game for one.
Should I turn one card or three?
Three is the classic rule and the harder game. Turning one at a time wins more often.
How many times can I go through the stock?
As many as you like, in the standard game. Vegas allows only one pass.
Can I move part of a run?
Bicycle moves all of a pile's face-up cards together. Most apps let you move any part of a run that's in order.
Can I move a card back off a foundation?
Most players and apps allow it, when the piles need that card to build on. Bicycle's rules don't say.
Can any card go in an empty space?
No. Only a king, or a run headed by a king.
How often can you win Solitaire?
Nobody knows exactly. If every card were known, about 82 percent of turn-three deals could be won. Real games, with hidden cards, are won less often.
Can two people play Solitaire?
Yes, as Double Solitaire. Each player needs a deck. See Variations.
More games
War is a game of pure luck for two. Hearts is a trick-taking game for four. Six-Card Golf is a draw-and-discard game for two to four.
Cheat sheet
Download the Solitaire cheat sheet, a one-page PDF to print.