How to Play
Klondike Solitaire
Here's an illustrated guide to playing Klondike Solitaire
What is the goal of Klondike?
The primary goal of Klondike Solitaire, the most popular and widely played version, is to methodically organize the entire deck into four foundation piles. Each pile should be built in ascending order, starting with Aces and ending all the way with Kings, and also sorted by suit. Example: Ace of Spades, 2 of Spades, 3 of Spades and so on.
Victory in Klondike Solitaire is achieved when all cards are successfully arranged into four foundation piles, completing the sequence for each suit.
How to Play Klondike
Mastering Klondike Solitaire requires a good understanding of the rules and setup. Aces are considered the lowest value cards, while the Kings are the highest. Becoming familiar with the game's terminology is crucial to understanding how to play. Here are the 4 biggest terms you should know:
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Tableau: This refers to the seven piles laid out on the bottom. You maneuver cards in the tableau in decreasing order and in alternating colors. As you move cards around the tableau you can strategically uncover and utilize the hidden, face down cards.
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Foundations: These are the 4 top target piles where your ultimate goal is to build sequences of each suit starting with an Ace and going all the way to King which is contrary to the Tableau as you are building these piles in an ascending order.
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Stock: Also known as the hand pile, this is where all the remaining undealt cards you have left over after setting up the Tableau are placed.
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Waste: While maybe not the best name for this pile, it’s also known as the talon. This is the pile where the cards from the Stock pile go as you turn them over. As you place cards into the Waste pile you can use them to create sequences in both the tableau and foundations.
Understanding these elements will help you understand the rest of the information on this page.
Setting up the tableau is the first step in Klondike Solitaire. Begin by arranging seven piles to form the tableau. Here's how to do it:
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Creating the Tableau:
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Start on the left side.
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Place the first card face-up in the first pile.
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For the remaining six piles, deal one card face-down for each.
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Building the Piles:
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Move to the second pile. Place one card face-up on this pile and deal one card face-down to the remaining five piles.
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Continue this pattern: In the third pile, place one card face-up and deal one face-down card to the next four piles.
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As you deal, ensure that the cards in the tableau are staggered or cascading. This arrangement allows you to see all the cards laid out in each pile.
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Completing the Layout:
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Continue this process until you reach the seventh pile, which should have six face-down cards and one face-up card on top.
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The setup should result in an increasing number of cards in each pile from left to right: the first pile will have one face-up card; the second pile will have one face-down card and one face-up card; the third pile will have two face-down cards and one face-up card; and so on, until the seventh pile.
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Preparing the Stock and Waste Piles:
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The remaining cards in the deck form the stockpile, placed face down.
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At the start, the waste pile and the foundations are empty and will be filled as the game progresses.
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Here is an illustrated look at what you should have,
Setup for Klondike
Your primary goal during gameplay is to organize the cards within the tableau - the seven piles that form the main play area. You do this by placing cards in descending order. Here's how:
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Order of the Cards:
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Build your sequence with the highest card in each pile. Remember its King first, and then downwards in order (Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and finally Ace).
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Each card in a sequence must be one lower than the card it’s placed upon. For example, a Jack can be placed on top of a Queen, a 10 on a Jack, and so forth.
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Color Alternation:
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As you arrange these cards, you must alternate their colors. A red card (either hearts or diamonds) should be placed on a black card (spades or clubs), and a black card should only be placed on a red card.
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This alternating pattern is not just for looks; its a key element in the game’s strategy, allowing more movement and combination options within the tableau.
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This is the heart of Klondike Solitaire's gameplay. As you move cards within the tableau you will will gradually uncover hidden, face down cards and move closer to winning the game.
As you see below the Jack of Diamonds is descending in rank to the Queen of Spades and is also an alternating color. You can move the Jack over top of the Queen.
Gameplay: Building Sequences
Once you move a card that is facing up, leaving a card face down you can then turn that face down card over.
If there is an empty spot in one of the 7 tableau spots ONLY the King can be moved into that spot.
Similarly, the only card that can go into the foundation piles first is the Ace.
The game is won when you are able to move all the cards into the foundation piles ascending from Ace all the way to Kings in their respective suits. Note that some games are not winnable based on the how the cards are dispersed at the start of the game.
Some mobile games will have the option to only give players winnable hands as not all hands are winnable in solitaire.
Once you get to the point where you can no longer make any moves in the Tableau you can turn over a card from the stock pile. Keep turning cards over one at a time until you can make a move bringing the card down to the Tableau or over to the foundation.
If you turn over all the cards in the stock pile you then will take all the cards in the waste pile and turn them all face down again into the stock pile and start turning them over one at a time again. Usually there are new moves to be made based on previous moves you made.
When selecting hidden cards to expose, it's wise to target columns with large stacks behind their current face cards. By quickly reducing these columns of hidden cards, you'll increase your chances of revealing useful cards to build revealed card piles.
Tips & Tricks
Prioritize Exposing Larger Stacks First
Resist the temptation to shuffle cards between piles without a clear benefit, as this can lock valuable cards of varying colors behind lower cards. Only move cards when there's a clear advantage or to reveal a hidden card.
Don't Move Cards Without Purpose
It might seem natural to try and move the cards into the foundation as quickly as you can but moving cards to the upper Ace foundations can cause problems if those cards are needed to maneuver piles below. Think carefully before building Ace stacks, as once cards are moved, they cannot always be recovered and may lead to a loss.
Don't Always Move to the Foundation
Whenever an Ace or Two is revealed from the stockpile, play them immediately. Aces can be placed in the foundation, and the Two will likely follow soon after. This is considered an advantageous move in the game.
Choosing a red or black King to fill an empty spot is an important decision, as it sets the color order for that pile. Carefully consider the available Queen and Jack cards to ensure smooth stacking.
Play the Ace or Two
Avoid the common mistake of emptying tableau spots or piles just to remove all the cards. Without a King to fill the empty spot, it will remain blocked until a King is revealed from other cards. This can hinder a column's play until a King is found.
Keep Color in Mind When Filling a Space
Always reveal the first hidden card in the upper deck as your first move. This provides additional options for foundation decks and building piles, increasing your overall flexibility.
Avoid Emptying Spots Without a King
Turn Up the First Deck Card First
While typically associated with digital versions of Klondike, scoring can add an extra layer of challenge and excitement for those who enjoy tracking their progress or competing against their own high scores.
Here's a breakdown of the standard scoring system:
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Moving Cards from the Waste to the Tableau:
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Each time you successfully move a card from the waste pile to the tableau, you earn 5 points.
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Moving Cards from Waste to Foundation:
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Each time you successfully move a card from the waste pile to the foundation, you earn 10 points.
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Transferring Cards from the Tableau to the Foundation:
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For every card moved from the tableau to one of the foundation piles, you gain 10 points.
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Turning Over a Tableau Card:
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When you flip a face-down card in the tableau, revealing it as face-up, you score 5 points.
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Moving Cards from the Foundation Back to the Tableau:
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If you need to move a card from the foundation back onto the tableau, it costs you 15 points. This penalty discourages moving cards away from the foundation unless absolutely necessary.
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Bonus Points for Timed Games:
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In timed game modes, players can earn a substantial bonus to their score. The formula for this is 700,000 divided by the total seconds played, which means quicker game completion results in higher scores. However, for every 10 seconds of game time, 2 points are deducted from this bonus, balancing the need for quick thinking with careful strategy.
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Special Scoring Tip:
In order to maximize your score you should try and move cards from the waste pile to the tableau first before moving them to the foundation. This will give you 15 points instead of the 10 points you'd get moving it directly from the waste to the foundation.
This scoring system gives the game a competitive nature and can be used in digital versions for leaderboards, tournaments and achievements.
Scoring
There is also an alternate way of playing Klondike that includes drawing 3 at once from the stock pile instead of 1. This is a lot more challenging and only allows the player to move the 3rd card first before being able to move any of the other cards underneath it.
Alternate Draw 3 Gameplay
The cards are randomly dealt but not all games are winnable. Its based a lot on luck but also just the way the cards are laid out, there are some hands that won't be winnable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are All Games Winnable?
The odds of winning Klondike Solitaire can vary significantly based on the version of the game played (1-draw or 3-draw) and the player's skill level. Also note that not all games are winnable due to the dealing of the cards.
Some digital games offer the ability to ONLY play winnable hands. It doesn't necessarily mean you will win as one wrong move can make the game unwinnable but at least you know there is a chance that you can win at the start.
1-Draw Klondike Solitaire: (where one card is turned over from the stockpile at a time), the odds of winning are generally higher. An average player might experience a win rate of about 70-80%. Skilled players who are adept at strategy and can foresee several moves ahead may achieve even higher win rates.
3-Draw Klondike Solitaire: (where three cards are turned over from the stockpile at a time and only the top card can be played) is more challenging. The average win rate for this version can drop to around 10-20% for most players. Again, those with more experience and strategic insight can achieve higher success rates, but it's still considerably more difficult than the 1-Draw version.
These estimates are generalizations and can vary based on the specific ruleset being used and the skill level of the player. Factors such as whether or not the player is using a version of the game that allows unlimited passes through the deck can also significantly affect win rates.