How to play solitaire: setup, rules and how to win

Solitaire, the classic Klondike game, is the most played card game in the world. Here’s how it works, and how to win more often.

How to set up solitaire

You need one standard 52-card deck with the jokers removed. Shuffle well, then deal the tableau (the seven columns) like this:

1. Deal one card face up, then six cards face down in a row to its right. That’s the first card of each of the seven columns.
2. Skip the first column. Deal one card face up on the second column, then one card face down on each of the five columns to its right.
3. Keep going: each round starts one column further right with a face-up card, and puts face-down cards on the columns after it.
4. When the seventh column gets its face-up card, you’re done: the columns hold 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 cards (28 in all), each with only its top card face up.

Put the remaining 24 cards face down above the tableau: that’s the stock. Leave room beside it for the waste pile, and room for four foundations (one per suit), empty at the start.

Setting up with real cards vs online

With a real deck, the dealing above is the slow part, and it’s easy to deal a column short. Playing online, the deal is done for you. The rules are the same either way.

The goal

Move every card to the foundations: one per suit, each built from Ace up to King.

The moves

• On the tableau, build columns down in alternating colors: a black 6 goes on a red 7, a red Queen on a black King.
• Move runs: you can move a whole run of face-up cards (for example red 9, black 8, red 7) onto a matching card.
• Turn up cards: when you move the top face-up card off a column, flip the face-down card under it.
• Empty columns can only be filled with a King, or a run starting with a King.
• Foundations: start each one with an Ace, then add the 2, 3 … of the same suit.
• The stock: when you have no useful move, turn a card from the stock to the waste pile. Its top card can be played to the tableau or a foundation. When the stock runs out, turn the waste over and go through it again.

Tips to win at solitaire

1. Free the face-down cards first. The biggest columns hide the most cards. Uncovering them gives you more choices than anything else.
2. Don’t empty a column without a King to put there. An empty column is only useful when a King can go in it.
3. Think before moving to the foundations. Moving a low card up early is usually good, but keep a card in the tableau if you might need it to hold another card (a red 5 that a black 4 could go on).
4. Choose which King to place. When a column empties, put in the King whose color matches the Queens you can reach.
5. Use the stock last. Make every tableau move you can before you draw.
6. Use undo to learn. Taking a move back and trying another path teaches you what works.

Play solitaire online

Kepo Solitaire is classic Klondike, free in your browser with no ads and no sign-up. It’s draw 1, you can go through the stock as many times as you like, and it has unlimited undo, hints, and auto-complete once every card is face up. Tap a card to send it to its best move, or drag it.