Free Classic Klondike Solitaire Online

Solitaire Play is a free, no-download version of Klondike, the card game most people simply call “Solitaire”. It runs in any modern browser on your phone, tablet or computer, with no sign-up, no installs and no intrusive pop-ups. Deal a fresh hand, take a break, and come back whenever you like.

How to Play Classic Solitaire (Klondike Rules)

Klondike uses a standard 52-card deck and one player. The goal is to move all 52 cards onto four foundation piles, one for each suit, building each from Ace up to King.

The layout

• Tableau: seven columns at the bottom. Column one starts with one card, column two with two, and so on up to seven. Only the top card of each column starts face up.
• Foundations: four piles at the top right. Each begins with an Ace and grows in order: Ace, 2, 3 and so on through King, all of the same suit.
• Stock: the 24 cards left over after the deal, face down at the top left.
• Waste: the pile beside the stock where drawn cards land face up. Only its top card can be played.

Building on the tableau

On the tableau you build downward in alternating colors. A red 7 can go on a black 8, and a black 6 can go on that red 7. You may move a single card or an entire face-up run of correctly ordered cards at once. When you move the last face-up card from a column, flip the next card over. An empty column can only be filled by a King, together with any cards stacked on it.

Drawing from the stock

When no useful tableau move is left, draw from the stock. The drawn card can be played onto the tableau or a foundation, otherwise it stays on the waste pile. When the stock runs out, turn the waste pile back over to form a new stock and keep going. You win when every card sits on a foundation.

Turn 1 vs. Turn 3 Modes

The two common variants differ only in how many cards you draw at a time. In Turn 1 you flip a single card, so every card in the stock eventually becomes available and you can plan around the whole pile. It is relaxed, forgiving, and the best way to learn the game. In Turn 3 you flip three cards at once and may play only the top one. Cards beneath it stay locked until the top card is used or you cycle through the stock again, so the order of the deck matters a great deal. Turn 3 wins less often and rewards careful memory of what is buried in the waste. This preview currently deals in Turn 1 style; Turn 3 is on the way.

Pro Winning Strategies

• Uncover hidden cards first. Prefer the move that flips a face-down card, and when you have a choice, work on the column with the most face-down cards. Hidden cards are the real obstacle.
• Don’t rush low cards to the foundations. Aces and 2s should go up right away, but a 5 or 6 is often more useful on the tableau, where it can host a card of the opposite color. Send cards up only when they are not needed as landing spots.
• Be deliberate with empty columns. Do not empty a column unless a King is ready to fill it. An empty space with no King available is wasted potential, while a King placed early can anchor a long, well-ordered run.
• Keep your colors balanced. When you can place a card on two possible parents, think about which one frees up a more valuable card underneath.
• Look before you draw. Scan the tableau for every available move before you touch the stock, because drawing changes what you can see.
• Don’t be afraid to start over. Some deals cannot be won. If you are completely stuck early, a New Deal costs nothing.

Frequently Asked Questions