Solitaire
How to Play Klondike Solitaire
The goal is to move all 52 cards onto the four foundations, building each suit in order from Ace up to King. Here is the complete setup and rule set:- Setup: 28 cards are dealt into seven tableau columns. The first column holds one card, the second two, and so on up to seven cards in the last column. Only the top card of each column is face up; every card beneath it stays hidden.
- The remaining 24 cards form the stock (also called the talon). You draw from it whenever you run out of useful moves on the tableau.
- On the tableau, cards are placed in descending order with alternating colors: a red 7 goes on a black 8, a black Queen on a red King. You can move a single face-up card or an entire correctly ordered sequence from one column to another.
- When you move the last face-up card off a column, the face-down card underneath is turned over and becomes playable.
- Only a King, alone or leading a sequence, can be placed on an empty tableau column.
- Foundations are built up by suit, starting with the Ace, then 2, 3, and so on to the King. Once an Ace is available, you can send it to a foundation right away.
- Drawing: in Draw 1 mode you turn over one stock card at a time; in Draw 3 mode you turn over three at once and only the top card of the three is playable. When the stock runs out, the waste pile is turned over and reused.
- You win when all 52 cards have been moved to the foundations, each suit complete from Ace to King.
Features
- Two difficulty modes: Draw 1 card for a classic, easier deal, or Draw 3 cards for a harder game.
- Score tracking, with multipliers applied in the harder mode.
- An undo function, so you can step back and rethink a move instead of abandoning the deal.
- Clean, intuitive touch controls designed for playing on a phone or tablet.
- Full offline play: once loaded, the game works without any internet connection.
Scoring
Your score rewards progress rather than speed, so every card you uncover and bank counts:- +10 points each time you reveal a face-down tableau card.
- +15 points each time you move a card to a foundation.
- A 1.2x multiplier is applied to your score in Hard mode (Draw 3).
- A bonus multiplier grows as you chain wins, so winning streaks are worth protecting.
Strategy & Tips
Klondike rewards patience and planning far more than fast fingers. These habits will win you more deals:- Prioritize moves that flip face-down cards. Hidden cards are the real obstacle in Klondike, and every reveal gives you new options, so prefer a move that uncovers a card over one that merely rearranges face-up cards.
- Dig into the longest columns first. The columns on the right start with up to six buried cards, so uncovering them early matters more than working the short columns on the left.
- Play Aces and 2s to the foundations as soon as they appear; they are almost never useful on the tableau.
- Do not rush the foundations beyond that. A 5 or 6 sent up too early may be exactly the card you later need to hold a sequence on the tableau, so keep mid-rank cards in play until you are sure you will not need them.
- Think before emptying a column. An empty space is only valuable if you have a King ready to take it, and ideally a King whose color helps the Queens and Jacks you still need to place.
- Watch the red-black balance. Before building a long sequence, check that the cards you will need to continue it, in the opposite color, are actually reachable and not buried beneath it.
Did You Know?
The name Klondike comes from the Klondike region of Canada, and the game is widely believed to have spread during the Klondike Gold Rush of the late 1890s, when prospectors passed long hours playing cards. In British English, solitaire card games are traditionally called Patience, which is why you will still see Klondike listed under that name in many books and card game collections. Klondike's modern popularity owes a great deal to computers: a version of the game was included with Microsoft Windows 3.0 in 1990, putting it on millions of desktops and making it one of the most recognizable computer card games ever.Frequently Asked Questions
Can every game of Klondike Solitaire be won?
No. A significant share of Klondike deals cannot be won no matter how well you play, because the cards you need can end up permanently buried. Draw 1 games are winnable more often than Draw 3 games, and using the undo function to explore different lines improves your chances on difficult deals.
What is the difference between Draw 1 and Draw 3?
In Draw 1 mode you turn over one card at a time from the stock, so every stock card is reachable and the game is easier. In Draw 3 mode you turn over three cards at once and only the top one is playable, which limits your access to the stock and makes the game noticeably harder. This game lets you choose either mode, and Hard mode scores get a 1.2x multiplier.
Can I play this Solitaire game offline?
Yes. Once the game has loaded, it works entirely without an internet connection. You can play Klondike Solitaire on a plane, on the subway, or anywhere else without worrying about coverage.
What is the goal of Klondike Solitaire?
The goal is to move all 52 cards to the four foundation piles, building each suit in ascending order from Ace to King. You get there by arranging tableau cards in descending order with alternating colors, uncovering hidden cards, and drawing from the stock when you run out of moves.
Can I undo a move if I make a mistake?
Yes. The game includes an undo function, so you can step back and try a different line instead of restarting the whole deal. It is also a good way to learn: undoing a bad move and comparing alternatives teaches you which plays keep a deal alive.