How to play Solitaire
Klondike Solitaire is the card game most people simply call “Solitaire”. Sort a shuffled deck onto four foundations, one per suit, from Ace up to King.
Play Draw 1 for a relaxed game or Draw 3 for a real challenge, with unlimited undo either way.
Rules
- Seven columns are dealt with only the top card face up. The rest of the deck is the stock.
- In the columns, build down in alternating colours (a red 6 on a black 7). You can move a whole face-up run at once.
- Only a King can be placed in an empty column.
- Click the stock to turn over 1 or 3 cards. When it runs out, flip the waste pile back over and go again — or turn on “No redeal” for the strict Vegas limit.
- Scoring follows Windows rules: +10 for a card to a foundation, +5 for a waste card to a column, +5 for turning a card face up.
- Your win rate, fastest win and streaks are tracked for each variant.
Controls
- Drag
- Move a card or a run of cards
- Click / tap a card
- Send it to the best spot automatically
- Space / D
- Draw from the stock
- U / Ctrl+Z
- Undo
- A
- Auto-finish when every card is face up
- N
- New deal
- T / R
- Toggle Draw 3 / No redeal
Tips
- Turning over face-down cards is the top priority. Prefer moves that free a hidden card.
- Don’t empty a column unless you have a King ready to fill it.
- Don’t rush every card to the foundations. Low cards are often needed in the columns to move others.
- Use undo to look ahead: try a line of play, and step back if it leads nowhere.
About Solitaire
Klondike is the patience game most people simply call Solitaire. It was played with real cards in the 1890s and is probably named after the Yukon gold rush, but it owes its fame to Wes Cherry, a Microsoft intern who wrote the version bundled with Windows 3.0 in 1990 — partly to teach people how to drag and drop. He was never paid royalties.
This remake follows those Windows rules, scoring included, and keeps the unlimited undo. We added a tap-to-auto-move shortcut, Draw 3 and No-redeal options for a stricter game, and win rates and streaks for each variant.
Questions
Can I undo in Solitaire?
Yes, as many times as you like: press U or Ctrl+Z. It is a good way to test a line of play and step back if the hidden card you turned over turns out to be useless.
What is the difference between Draw 1 and Draw 3?
Draw 1 turns one card from the stock at a time and is the relaxed game. Draw 3 turns three and only the top one is playable, which makes planning matter. Press T to switch, and R to turn No redeal on for the strict Vegas-style limit.
How does the scoring work?
Windows-style: +10 for a card moved to a foundation, +5 for a waste card moved to a column, and +5 for turning a face-down card face up.
How do I play Solitaire on a phone?
Drag cards or runs of cards, or simply tap a card to send it to the best available spot. Tap the stock to draw.