Solitaire

Solitaire, also called Klondike or Patience, is a single-player card game where you move every card to four foundation piles. Each foundation holds one suit in ascending order, from Ace through King.

How Solitaire works

The tableau has seven columns. They contain 1 through 7 cards from left to right, with only the top card of each column face-up. The remaining cards form the face-down stock, while drawn cards go to the waste pile.

Build descending sequences on the tableau by alternating colors. A black 6 can go on a red 7, and you can move a whole face-up sequence when its highest card fits the destination. Removing a face-up card may reveal the hidden card beneath it, which is usually the move you want to create.

Only a King, or a sequence beginning with a King, can fill an empty tableau column. Move Aces to the foundations when available, then add cards of the same suit in order. Cards from the waste, tableau, and even foundations can be moved when the rules allow it.

Some Klondike games draw one stock card at a time, while others draw three. Drawing three makes planning tighter because only the visible waste card is available for play.

Practical Solitaire strategy

Focus on exposing face-down tableau cards before sending every possible card to a foundation. A middle-ranked card may be more useful in a tableau sequence if it helps uncover another hidden card.

Check the tableau and the available waste card before committing to a move. Start foundation piles with playable Aces and 2s, then prioritize moves from longer tableau columns because they hide more cards. Clear a column when possible so a King has somewhere to go.

Undo can help you test a different route, but it may count as an extra move in versions that track move totals.