How to play Klondike solitaire
Klondike is the classic patience game most people simply call "solitaire". One standard 52-card deck is dealt into seven tableau columns: the first column has one card, the last has seven, and only the top card of each column is face up. The rest of the cards form the stock in the top-left corner.
Your goal is to move all 52 cards to the four foundations at the top right. Each foundation starts with an Ace and is built up in the same suit: A, 2, 3 and so on up to the King.
- In the tableau, build down in alternating colours: a red 7 goes on a black 8, a black 7 on a red 8.
- You can move a whole ordered run of face-up cards together.
- Only a King (or a run starting with a King) can go into an empty column.
- When you move away the last face-up card of a column, the card below turns over.
- Click the stock to turn cards onto the waste pile. When the stock is empty, click it again to recycle the waste.
Draw 1 vs Draw 3
In Draw 1 you turn one card at a time, so every card in the stock is reachable on every pass. It is the relaxed mode and most deals can be won. In Draw 3 three cards are turned at once and only the top one is playable, which makes the order of the stock matter and the game noticeably harder. Wins are counted separately for each mode.
Controls
Drag a card or a run to the column or foundation you want. On a phone it is often faster to just tap: a tapped card goes to a foundation if it can, otherwise to the first column where it fits. Undo is unlimited, Hint highlights a useful move, and when every card is face up the Auto-complete button finishes the game for you.
Strategy tips
Turning over face-down cards is the most important thing in Klondike, so prefer moves that free a hidden card. Work on the longest columns first, because they hide the most cards. Do not rush every card to the foundations: low cards like 2s and 3s are useful in the tableau to hold other cards. Only empty a column when you have a King ready to fill it, and in Draw 3 think about how a move changes which card comes up next from the stock.
Scoring
This version uses simple standard-style scoring: +10 for a card on a foundation, +5 for moving a waste card to the tableau, +5 for turning a card face up, and −15 for taking a card back off a foundation. In Draw 1, recycling the stock costs 100 points. Your number of wins and best time are stored only in your browser.
FAQ
Is this solitaire game free?
Yes. It is free with no sign-up, no download and no ads inside the game.
Can every game of Klondike be won?
No. Some deals cannot be solved whatever you do, and Draw 3 games are lost more often than Draw 1 games. Undo lets you try different lines.
Does it work offline and on mobile?
Yes. After your first visit the page is cached, so it opens without internet. It works with touch on Android and iPhone and with a mouse on PC.
What is the difference between Klondike and Spider?
Klondike uses one deck and builds in alternating colours. Spider uses two decks and builds full same-suit runs from King to Ace.
Where are my wins saved?
Only in your own browser (localStorage). Nothing is sent to a server.