Chaoschemy

Card game · Solitaire

Klondike Solitaire: how to play, rules and tips

The classic solitaire card game, free in your browser: build four foundations from ace to king, with Draw 1 or Draw 3, undo, hints and one daily deal for everyone.

About 5 to 10 minutes a deal · Unlimited new deals and one daily dealFree · No account needed

Start a game

Play Klondike Solitaire

The page opens on a new deal, ready to play: drag a card or tap it to start, and the clock starts with your first move. New deal shuffles another one, Daily deal opens today’s deal, and Draw 1 or Draw 3 sets how many cards the stock turns over.

Klondike Solitaire cover art

Klondike Solitaire, the classic card game: build four foundations from ace to king, with Draw 1 or Draw 3, drag or tap controls, undo, hints and a daily deal.

How to play

  1. The goal is to move all 52 cards to the four foundations at the top right, one per suit, building each from ace up to king.
  2. Seven piles are dealt below, from one card on the left to seven on the right, with the top card of each face up. The other 24 cards wait face down in the stock at the top left.
  3. In the piles, build down in alternating colors: a red 7 goes on a black 8, a black 9 on a red 10. You can move a face-up card together with every card on top of it, as long as the bottom card of the run fits.
  4. When the last face-up card leaves a pile, the face-down card under it turns over. Only a king, with any cards on top of it, can go to an empty pile.
  5. Tap the stock to turn cards onto the waste: one at a time in Draw 1, three at a time in Draw 3, where only the top card can be played. When the stock is empty, tap it again to turn the waste back over. There is no limit on passes in either mode.
  6. Cards on a foundation can be moved back down to a pile if you need them. When every card is face up, the game plays the rest of the cards home for you.
  7. Not every deal can be won. New deals are random shuffles. The daily deal is the same for everyone each UTC day, and the game’s solver checks that it can be won with Draw 1 before it is dealt.

Controls

Touch
Drag a card or a run to another pile, or tap it and then tap where it goes. Double-tap a card to send it to its foundation, and tap the stock to draw.
Mouse
Drag cards, or click a card and then the pile it goes to. Double-click a card to send it home, and click the stock to draw.
Keyboard
Tab or the arrow keys move between piles. Enter picks up the top card (press it again on the same pile to pick up more of its run), then Enter on another pile places it. F sends the top card home, D draws, H shows a hint, U or Ctrl+Z undoes, N deals a new game, P pauses and Esc drops the pick.

Score and progress

Every draw and every card moved counts as one move, and the clock runs from your first move until the last card goes home, stopping while the game is paused. Undo takes moves back one at a time, Hint shows one useful move, and Restart deal plays the same cards from the start. Games played, games won and your best time for each draw mode stay on this device.

Tips

Questions before you play

How do you play Klondike Solitaire?

Move all 52 cards to the four foundations, one per suit, building each from ace up to king. In the seven piles below, build down in alternating colors, such as a red 7 on a black 8, and move a face-up card together with the cards on top of it. Only a king can start an empty pile. Turn cards from the stock when you run out of moves.

What is the difference between Draw 1 and Draw 3?

Draw 1 turns one card from the stock at a time, so every stock card can be reached and more deals can be won. Draw 3 turns three at a time and only the top one can be played, which makes the game harder. Both modes let you turn the waste back over as many times as you like.

Can every deal be won?

No. Some Klondike deals cannot be won whatever you do. New deals are random shuffles and are not checked. The daily deal is the same for everyone each day, and the game's solver checks that it can be won with Draw 1 before it is dealt; the game says so when the check has passed.

Is there undo, a hint and auto-complete?

Yes. Undo takes moves back one at a time, Hint shows one useful move, and a double tap or double click sends a card to its foundation. When every card is face up, the game plays the rest home for you.

Is this solitaire free with no download?

Yes. Klondike Solitaire plays free in your browser on phones, tablets and computers, with touch, mouse or keyboard, and needs no account. Your games played, games won and best times are saved on this device.