Baker's Dozen: Why Can't I Fill an Empty Column?

If you came here wondering why a card will not go into an empty column in Baker's Dozen, it is not a bug. It is the rule of the game, and it is what makes the game hard. Here are the rules that surprise new players.

The rules that surprise new players

• Empty columns stay empty. Once a column is empty, no card, not even a King, can be placed there.
• Kings start at the bottom. The deal puts every King at the bottom of its column, so it can never cover another card.
• Suit does not matter in columns. A card goes on a card exactly one rank higher, of any suit. Suits matter only on the foundations.
• One card at a time. Only the bottom card of a column can move.

All 52 cards are face up in thirteen columns of four, and there is no stock and no free cell.

Tips for playing it

Look for the Aces and 2s first, since a low card under four others decides how the game goes. Do not bury a low card under a high one that has to leave soon. Count the Kings: a column with a King at the bottom empties last. With no free space to park a card, every move is committed, so use Undo to test ideas. The deal is lost when no card can move to a column or a foundation.

More in the Baker's Dozen guide. Ready to try? Play Baker's Dozen.

Frequently asked questions