How to play Klondike Solitaire
Klondike is the classic game of solitaire, also called patience. You build columns of cards downwards in alternating colours, turning over hidden cards as you go. The aim is to move every card to four foundation piles, one for each suit, from Ace up to King.
Step by step
Deal seven columns
Deal 28 cards into seven columns of 1 to 7 cards. Only the bottom card of each column is face up.
Build down in alternating colours
Move a card onto one that is one higher and the opposite colour, such as a red 6 onto a black 7.
Turn over hidden cards
When you move the face-up cards off a column, turn over the next hidden card.
Fill spaces with Kings
An empty column may only be filled with a King, or a run of cards headed by a King.
Use the stock
When you run out of moves, turn cards from the stock onto the waste pile and play the top one if you can.
Send cards home
Move Aces to the foundations, then build each suit up from Ace to King.
Win the game
You win when all 52 cards are on the four foundations.
The full rules
What you need
You need one standard pack of 52 cards, with no jokers. Hearts and diamonds are red; clubs and spades are black.
Setting up
Deal 28 cards into seven columns, from left to right. This area is called the tableau.
- The first column has 1 card.
- The second has 2 cards, the third has 3, and so on up to 7 cards in the last column.
- Only the bottom card of each column is face up. The rest are face down.
The remaining 24 cards are placed face down as the stock. Leave room above the columns for four foundation piles, one for each suit.
Building in the columns
You can move a face-up card onto another face-up card in the columns if it is:
- one rank lower, and
- the opposite colour.
For example, a red 9 can go on a black 10, and a black Jack can go on a red Queen. Aces are low, so the order is King, Queen, Jack, 10, down to 2.
You can also move a whole run of face-up cards together, as long as the top card of the run fits where you are placing it.
When you move away the last face-up card in a column, turn over the face-down card beneath it.
Empty columns
When a column is completely empty, you may fill it only with a King, or a run that starts with a King.
The stock and the waste
When you need more cards, turn cards over from the stock onto a face-up waste pile. You can play the top card of the waste pile onto a column or a foundation.
When the stock runs out, turn the waste pile over to make a new stock, and go through it again.
There are two common ways to play:
- Draw one: turn one card at a time. This is easier.
- Draw three: turn three cards at a time, and only the top one can be played. This is harder.
The foundations
As soon as an Ace is available, you may move it to a foundation. Then build each foundation up in its own suit: Ace, 2, 3 and so on, up to King.
Winning
You win when all 52 cards are on the four foundations. If you run out of moves, the game is lost, and you can deal again.
Scoring
Many computer versions add a score, giving points for moving cards to the foundations and turning over hidden cards. A common style, sometimes called Vegas scoring, treats each deal like a bet. Scoring is optional; most people simply play to win.
Tips for beginners
- Turn over hidden cards first. Your best move is usually one that reveals a face-down card.
- Work on the tallest columns. They hide the most cards, so freeing them opens up the game.
- Do not empty a column without a King to put there. An empty space is only useful when you have a King ready.
- Do not rush cards to the foundations. A low card in a column can still be useful for holding a card of the other colour.
- Think before using the stock. Make all the useful moves in the columns first.
Common questions
Is Klondike the same as Solitaire?
Klondike is the game most people mean when they say solitaire, or patience in Britain. There are many other solitaire games, such as FreeCell and Spider.
What is the difference between draw one and draw three?
In draw one, you turn one card at a time from the stock. In draw three, you turn three at a time and can only play the top one, which makes the game much harder.
Can every game of Klondike be won?
No. Some deals cannot be won however well you play. With careful play, a good share of draw-one games can be won.
Can I move a card back from the foundations?
In most computer versions, yes. Moving a card back down to a column can sometimes help you free another card.
How many times can I go through the stock?
In the most relaxed rules there is no limit. Some versions allow only one or three passes through the stock, especially when scoring.
Where it comes from
Klondike is thought to take its name from the Klondike gold rush in Canada at the end of the nineteenth century, though its exact origins are uncertain. Patience games became popular in Europe during the nineteenth century. Klondike became one of the best-known card games in the world after it was included on home computers, and it is widely played on phones today.
