Top 10 Solitaire Tips & Strategies to Win More Games

Solitaire is more than just a game of luck—skilled players consistently achieve higher win rates through smart strategies and tactical decision-making. Whether you're playing classic Klondike Solitaire during work breaks or challenging yourself to beat your best time, these top 10 solitaire tips will dramatically improve your game and help you win more often.

From beginner-friendly advice to advanced tactics used by competitive players, this guide covers the essential strategies every Solitaire player should know. Let's transform your game from random clicking to strategic mastery!

1. Always Play Aces and Twos Immediately

This is the golden rule of Solitaire: always move Aces and Twos (Deuces) to the foundations as soon as they become available.

This applies to all variants of Solitaire. Unlike higher cards that you might want to keep in play temporarily for tactical purposes, low cards belong in the foundations right away.

2. Prioritize Moves That Reveal Face-Down Cards

The face-down cards in the tableau are your biggest unknowns. Revealing them should be your primary tactical priority.

When choosing between moves, always prefer the one that flips a face-down card. Here's why:

• Reveals new options and possibilities
• Provides more information for strategic planning
• Can unlock entire columns of cards
• Often creates new matches and opportunities

3. Empty Tableau Columns Are Gold—Use Them Wisely

An empty tableau column is the most powerful resource in Solitaire. Only Kings can fill empty columns, so save these spaces for Kings and the long sequences they lead.

Strategies for empty columns:

• Don't fill immediately: Just because you can place a King doesn't mean you should—wait for the right opportunity
• Look for buried Kings: Sometimes it's worth working to reveal a King that's currently face-down
• Consider the sequence: A King with many cards built on it provides more value than a lone King
• Create tactical space: Sometimes leaving a column empty temporarily gives you maneuverability

4. Think Twice Before Moving Cards to Foundations

This advice surprises many players: don't rush to move cards to foundations. While the goal is filling foundations, cards sometimes provide more value staying in the tableau temporarily.

Keep cards in play when:

• You might need them to build sequences in the tableau
• They're helping hold important sequences together
• Moving them would limit your tactical options
• You're not sure what cards are still hidden

Of course, this doesn't apply to Aces and Twos (see Tip #1), and as the game progresses, moving cards to foundations becomes safer. The key is staying flexible rather than automatically moving every possible card to foundations.

5. Build Tableau Stacks Evenly

Avoid creating one very long stack while leaving other columns short. Balanced tableau columns provide more flexibility and options.

Why even stacks matter:

• Prevents getting locked into limited moves
• Provides multiple pathways to solve problems
• Makes it easier to reveal face-down cards across all columns
• Reduces risk of dead ends

If one column is getting significantly longer than others, look for opportunities to build on the shorter columns instead.

6. Plan Several Moves Ahead

Good Solitaire players don't just make the obvious move—they think 2-3 moves ahead before clicking.

This forward-thinking approach dramatically increases your win rate. Many losses in Solitaire result from hasty moves that seemed fine at the moment but created unwinnable positions three moves later.

7. Work the Stock Pile Strategically

How you use the stock pile (the deck you draw from) significantly impacts your chances of winning.

Key stock pile strategies:

• Don't rush through it: Before drawing a new card, make sure you've exhausted all possible moves in the tableau
• Track what you've seen: Pay attention to which cards have appeared, especially Kings and other high-value cards
• In 3-card draw: Remember the cards in each group of three—this helps you plan when you'll be able to access specific cards
• Don't give up too early: Sometimes you need to cycle through the stock multiple times, creating new opportunities each pass

8. Avoid Burying Lower Cards Under Higher Ones

Try not to place lower-ranked cards underneath higher-ranked cards of the same color. This creates problems because you can't later move the higher cards onto the lower ones (Solitaire requires alternating colors).

Example of what to avoid:

• Placing a Black 5 on a Red 6, then later placing a Black 3 on a Red 4 in the same column
• You've now buried the Black 3 under the Black 5, and you can't build them in sequence

While not always avoidable, being aware of this principle helps you make better decisions about which tableau builds to create.

9. Use the Undo Feature to Learn (But Don't Abuse It)

Modern digital Solitaire includes an undo feature. Use it as a learning tool, not a crutch.

Good uses of undo:

• Exploring whether a move leads to a dead end
• Learning from mistakes immediately
• Understanding why a sequence of moves failed
• Recovering from accidental misclicks

However, constantly undoing every move you make prevents you from developing the forward-thinking skills that make you a better player. Use undo to learn, but challenge yourself to think ahead instead of relying on trial-and-error.

10. Know When a Game Is Unwinnable

Not every Solitaire deal is winnable. Learning to recognize unwinnable games saves time and frustration.

Signs a game might be unwinnable:

• All four copies of a needed rank are buried under higher cards with no way to access them
• You've cycled through the stock multiple times with no new moves appearing
• Critical cards (especially Kings) are stuck with no way to reach them
• The tableau is completely blocked with no legal moves

Knowing when to restart allows you to spend time on winnable games rather than struggling with impossible situations. However, make sure you've truly exhausted all possibilities—sometimes the winning move isn't obvious!

Bonus Tips for Advanced Players

Master the Opening

The first few moves often determine the game's outcome. Experienced players develop opening strategies that maximize early reveals and create balanced tableaus.

Count Cards

Track which cards have appeared, especially in 3-card draw. Knowing that all the red 7s have shown up, for example, helps you make better decisions about building sequences.

Develop Pattern Recognition

Over time, you'll recognize common patterns and configurations. This allows you to spot opportunities and problems instantly without consciously analyzing every possibility.

Practice Different Variants

Playing Spider Solitaire, FreeCell, and other variants develops transferable skills and strategic thinking that improves your overall Solitaire game.

Common Solitaire Mistakes to Avoid

• Moving too fast: Slow down and analyze before clicking
• Ignoring face-down cards: Revealing these should be a priority
• Filling empty columns carelessly: Save them for valuable King sequences
• Not planning ahead: Think several moves in advance
• Giving up too early: Sometimes the winning move appears after multiple stock cycles

Conclusion: From Beginner to Solitaire Master

Mastering Solitaire comes down to understanding these fundamental principles and applying them consistently. While luck plays a role in the initial deal, skilled players win significantly more often by making strategic decisions, planning ahead, and avoiding common mistakes.

Remember the essentials:

• Always play Aces and Twos immediately
• Prioritize revealing face-down cards
• Save empty columns for Kings
• Think before moving cards to foundations
• Plan multiple moves ahead

The best way to improve is practice with purpose. Each game is an opportunity to apply these strategies and refine your skills. Start implementing these tips today, and you'll see your win rate improve dramatically!