How to Play Classic Solitaire

Classic Solitaire, also known as Klondike Solitaire or simply "Solitaire," is the most popular single-player card game in the world. The goal is to build four foundation piles (one for each suit) in ascending order from Ace to King.

Game Setup

• The game uses a standard 52-card deck shuffled at the start
• Seven tableau piles are dealt: 1 card in the first pile, 2 in the second, up to 7 in the seventh pile
• The top card of each tableau pile starts face-up; all others are face-down
• The remaining 24 cards form the stock pile (face-down)
• Four empty foundation piles await cards, one for each suit (♥ ♦ ♣ ♠)

How to Win

Move all 52 cards to the four foundation piles, building each suit from Ace to King in order: A-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-J-Q-K.

Detailed Game Rules

• Tableau Building: Cards in the tableau must be stacked in descending order (King down to Ace) and must alternate colors. A red card can only be placed on a black card of the next higher rank, and vice versa (e.g., red 6 on black 7).
• Moving Cards: Click a face-up card to select it, then click where you want to move it. You can move single cards or entire sequences of properly stacked cards together.
• Empty Tableau Columns: Only Kings (or sequences starting with a King) can be placed in empty tableau columns. This rule is crucial for strategy.
• Foundation Piles: Build these in ascending order (Ace to King) by suit. Only cards of the same suit can be added. Aces must be played first to start each foundation.
• Draw Modes: Choose between Turn 1 (draw 1 card at a time) or Turn 3 (draw 3 cards at a time). Turn 1 is easier for beginners, while Turn 3 is the classic, more challenging mode.
• Stock Pile (Turn 1): Click the stock pile to draw one card at a time to the waste pile. You can play the top card from the waste pile to the tableau or foundations.
• Stock Pile (Turn 3): Click the stock pile to draw three cards at a time. Only the top card of the three is playable, but once played, the card beneath becomes available.
• Face-down Cards: When you remove the last face-up card from atop a face-down card in the tableau, the face-down card automatically flips face-up.
• Recycling Stock: When the stock pile is empty, click the empty stock slot to flip the waste pile back into the stock (unlimited times).

Winning Strategies

• Expose Face-down Cards First: Always prioritize moves that reveal face-down cards. More visible cards give you more options and better chances to win.
• Empty Columns Are Powerful: Try to create an empty tableau column as early as possible. These spaces provide crucial flexibility for rearranging cards.
• Don't Rush to Foundations: While it's tempting to move cards to foundations immediately, sometimes keeping lower-ranked cards (like 2s and 3s) in the tableau provides more building options.
• Build Evenly Across Piles: Try to build all tableau piles evenly rather than focusing on just one or two. This prevents creating very tall piles that block access to cards.
• Choose Kings Carefully: When you have an empty column and multiple Kings available, think carefully about which King to place there. Consider which King gives you the best access to face-down cards.
• Think Several Moves Ahead: Before making a move, consider how it affects your future options. Will it block access to needed cards? Will it reveal a face-down card?
• Aces and Twos Go Up Immediately: Generally, Aces and Twos can be moved to foundations right away—they rarely help in tableau building and might as well start the foundations.
• Work the Stock Pile Strategically: Don't just click through the stock pile mindlessly. Think about what cards you need before drawing, and remember what you've seen.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Moving Cards to Foundations Too Quickly: Mid-rank cards (5-9) might be more useful in the tableau for building sequences
• Ignoring Empty Columns: Don't fill empty columns immediately—save them for strategic King placements
• Not Planning Ahead: Random clicking without strategy significantly reduces your chances of winning
• Forgetting About Color Alternation: You must alternate red and black cards in the tableau—this is not optional
• Blocking Important Cards: Be careful not to bury cards you'll need soon under longer sequences

Tips for Beginners

• Take your time—Solitaire rewards patience and careful planning over speed
• Use the Undo button freely while learning the game—it's there to help
• Not every game is winnable—even experts only win about 80% of games with perfect play
• Focus on revealing face-down cards rather than building foundations early
• Practice recognizing patterns—you'll start to see which moves lead to better outcomes
• Don't get discouraged by losses—each game teaches you something new

Scoring System

• Move to Foundation: +10 points each time you move a card to a foundation pile
• Reveal Face-down Card: +5 points when you flip a face-down card face-up
• Time Bonus: Faster completion times earn bonus points
• Win Bonus: Complete the game to earn a substantial completion bonus
• Efficiency Matters: Fewer moves and less time result in higher scores