How to Play Solitaire
New to Solitaire? This guide teaches classic Klondike from zero: what the piles mean, which moves are legal, and how to think about your first games. When you are ready, open a free game of Klondike Solitaire and play along.
The Table Layout
A Klondike table has four areas. The tableau — seven columns of cards in the middle — is where almost all the action happens. The stock (top left) holds the undealt cards, and drawn cards land face up beside it on the waste. The four foundations (top right) start empty and are where the game is won: each collects one suit, from Ace up to King.
At the start, 28 cards sit in the tableau — column one has one card, column two has two, up to seven in column seven — and only the top card of each column is face up. The other 24 cards wait in the stock.
The Three Legal Moves
- Tableau to tableau: place a face-up card (with anything stacked on it) onto a card one rank higher of the opposite color — a red 9 onto a black 10.
- To a foundation: play an Ace to an empty foundation, then build the same suit upward — Ace, 2, 3 … King.
- From the stock: click the stock to turn over new cards; the top waste card can be played to the tableau or a foundation.
Your First Game, Step by Step
Start by scanning the seven face-up cards. Play any Aces (and safe Twos) to the foundations, then look for tableau moves — every card you move might flip a hidden card, and flipped cards are how you win. Prefer moves that uncover cards in the longest columns.
When no tableau moves remain, draw from the stock. In Turn 1 you may play every card you turn; in Turn 3 only the top of each group of three is available at first — beginners should start with Turn 1.
Empty columns are precious: only Kings can fill them, so before emptying a column, make sure a useful King is ready. And keep in mind you can move partial stacks — you don't have to move a whole sequence if splitting it uncovers the card you need.
Beginner Habits that Win Games
Flip face-down cards at every opportunity; that is the single strongest guideline in Klondike. Don't rush cards to the foundations — a 2 or 3 may still be needed in the tableau to hold sequences. Use Undo without guilt: exploring lines is how the game teaches you.
Once these habits feel natural, the strategy guide covers the deeper decisions, and the Daily Challenge gives you a fair benchmark against everyone else.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Solitaire game should a complete beginner learn first?
Klondike Turn 1. It teaches every core concept — building, suits, hidden cards, the stock — at a forgiving difficulty.
How long does a game of Solitaire take?
A typical Klondike game runs 5–10 minutes. Losses are often faster; careful winning play can take longer.
Do I have to move an entire stack of cards?
No. Any face-up card in a column can be picked up together with the cards on top of it — splitting stacks is often the winning move.