Klondike Solitaire – how to play

Klondike is the best-known solitaire game in the world. You play with one deck of 52 cards. The goal is to put all the cards on four piles, from Ace to King, one pile for each suit.

How to play, step by step

Step 1

The cards on the table

At the top left is the stock: the cards you have not seen yet. Next to it is the waste, where cards from the stock land face up. At the top right are 4 empty places for the foundations. Below are 7 columns with 1 to 7 cards; only the last card of each column is face up.

Stock Waste Foundations 7 columns Face-down cards

1. 1 Stock
2. 2 Waste
3. 3 Foundations
4. 4 7 columns
5. 5 Face-down cards

Step 2

Build down in alternating colors

Put a card on a card one rank higher and of the other color: red on black, black on red. For example, the red 9 of hearts goes on the black 10 of spades. When you move the last face-up card off a column, the card under it turns face up.

Red 9 on black 10 This card turns up

1. 1 Red 9 on black 10
2. 2 This card turns up

Step 3

Move a run of cards

You can move a whole group of face-up cards at once. Grab the top card of the group and the cards on it come along. The card you grab must fit where you drop it: here the black 10 goes on the red Jack.

Move the whole run Black 10 on red Jack

1. 1 Move the whole run
2. 2 Black 10 on red Jack

Step 4

Fill an empty column with a King

When a column is empty, only a King can go there. You can move a King alone or with the cards on it. Do not empty a column too early if you have no King to put there.

Empty column Only a King

1. 1 Empty column
2. 2 Only a King

Step 5

Turn cards from the stock

Click the stock to turn a card onto the waste. Only the top card of the waste can be played. Here the 6 of clubs can go on the red 7 in a column.

Click the stock Play the top card

1. 1 Click the stock
2. 2 Play the top card

Step 6

Turn three

In the turn three version, each click turns three cards at once. Only the card on the right can be played. When you play it, the card under it becomes free.

3 cards turned Only this card plays

1. 1 3 cards turned
2. 2 Only this card plays

Step 7

Go through the stock again

When the stock is empty, click its empty place. All the waste cards go back to the stock, face down, and the first card turns over right away. You can do this as many times as you like, and it costs no points.

Click to start again Waste goes back

1. 1 Click to start again
2. 2 Waste goes back

Step 8

Build the foundations

Start each foundation with an Ace. Then add the 2, the 3 and so on up to the King, all of the same suit. Drag a card there, or double-click it (on a phone, tap it) and it goes up by itself.

3 on 2, same suit Start with an Ace

1. 1 3 on 2, same suit
2. 2 Start with an Ace

Turn one or turn three?

• Turn one: each click on the stock turns one card. You see every card of the stock, so the game is easier. A good choice to start with.
• Turn three: each click turns three cards, and only the top one can be played. The cards under it come free only after you play it. This version is much harder.

Scoring

With timed scoring (the default) you lose 2 points for every 10 seconds of play, and a quick win earns a time bonus. You can switch to standard scoring in the Options.

Tips

• Turn over the face-down cards in the longest columns first. Most hidden cards are there.
• Do not empty a column unless you have a King to put in it.
• Do not rush every card to the foundations. A low card in a column can still hold another card.
• Stuck? Use Undo, or play the same deal again with Retry game.

Rules of other solitaire games

• Double klondike – rules
• Spider – rules
• Forty Thieves – rules