Play Free Online Klondike Solitaire

Klondike Solitaire is the gold standard of single-player card games. When most people talk about playing "Solitaire" or "Patience," Klondike is the version they are thinking of. It became a worldwide phenomenon after being included in early PC operating systems, and it remains the most played card game in the world today.

Whether you are looking for a relaxing way to pass the time or a brain-teasing puzzle to keep your mind sharp, you can play unlimited, 100% free Klondike Solitaire online right here on your phone, tablet, or desktop.

The Objective of the Game

The goal of Klondike Solitaire is to move all 52 cards from the main playing area into four empty foundation piles located at the top of the board. You must organize these foundation piles by suit (Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs, Spades) in strict ascending order. Every foundation pile must begin with an Ace and build sequentially all the way up to a King.

Klondike Solitaire Board Setup

The game uses a standard 52-card deck (without jokers) divided into four specific zones:

• The Tableau: The main playing field. It consists of 7 columns made up of 28 cards. The first column on the left gets one card, the second gets two, and so on, until the seventh column gets seven cards. Only the top card of each column is placed face-up; the rest are dealt face-down.

• The Stockpile: The remaining 24 cards form the stockpile. These are placed face-down in the upper left corner. You will draw from this pile when you run out of moves on the tableau.

• The Waste Pile: As you draw cards from the stockpile, they are flipped face-up into the waste pile. You can play the top visible card from this pile into the game.

• The Foundation Piles: These are the four empty slots in the upper right corner where you will build your completed suits to win the game.

Rules: How to Play Klondike

To conquer the board and build your foundations, you must follow these core movement rules:

• Alternating Colors on the Tableau: You can only place a face-up card onto another tableau column if it is one rank lower and of the opposite color. For example, a red 5 of Diamonds can only be placed on a black 6 of Spades or Clubs.

• Moving Sequences: You can move entire stacks of face-up cards at once. The highest-ranking card in the stack you are moving must simply follow the alternating color/descending rank rule when it lands on its new column.

• Revealing Hidden Cards: Once you move a face-up card off a tableau column, the face-down card underneath it is exposed. Click or tap it to flip it face-up, making it available for play.

• Building Foundations: As soon as an Ace is revealed, move it to an empty foundation pile. You can then stack the 2, 3, 4, etc., of that exact same suit on top of it.

• Placing Kings in Empty Columns: If a tableau column becomes completely empty, only a King (or a sequence of cards with a King at the bottom) can be moved into that open space.

• Using the Stockpile: If you are stuck, click the stockpile to deal cards into the waste pile. Once the stockpile is empty, simply click the empty space to redeal the waste pile back into the stockpile.

Top Strategies to Win Klondike Solitaire

While the cards are shuffled randomly, applying the right strategies will dramatically increase your chances of winning:

• Focus on the Largest Columns First: The columns on the far right have the most face-down cards. Whenever you have a choice, prioritize making moves that help you dig into these deeper columns to expose hidden cards.

• Play Aces and Twos Immediately: There is absolutely no strategic advantage to keeping Aces and Twos on the tableau. Send them to the foundation piles right away.

• Don't Empty Columns Without a King: An empty column is useless unless you have a King to put in it. Try to avoid clearing a column completely until a King is available to take its place.

• Think Twice Before Building Foundations: It’s tempting to move a 5, 6, or 7 to the foundation, but you might need those cards on the tableau to help move opposite-colored cards around. Keep mid-level cards on the board until you are sure you don't need them for sequencing.

• Check the First Stockpile Card Early: Before you make your very first move on the tableau, click the stockpile once. Seeing that first extra card gives you more information and might change your opening strategy.

Difficulty Levels: Turn 1 vs. Turn 3

Klondike Solitaire is generally considered easy to medium in difficulty, but the exact challenge level depends on how you draw cards from the stockpile:

• Turn 1 (Draw 1): One card is turned over from the stockpile at a time. This is the easier, more relaxed version of the game, boasting an average win rate of about 33%. You get to see and potentially use every card sequentially.

• Turn 3 (Draw 3): Three cards are turned over at once, but you can only play the top card of the trio. If you play the top card, the one beneath it becomes available. This requires much more forward-thinking and patience, dropping the average win rate down to roughly 11%.