How to Play Classic Solitaire: The Complete Rules Guide 🃏

Classic solitaire—also called Klondike solitaire—is the world's most recognizable card game. Whether you're learning for the first time or brushing up on the rules, this guide walks you through setup, gameplay, and winning strategy in plain language.

The Goal and Setup

The object of classic solitaire is simple: arrange all 52 cards into four piles (called foundations), one suit per pile, in order from Ace through King.

To set up:

• Shuffle a standard deck and lay out 28 cards face-down in seven columns: one card in the first column, two in the second, three in the third, and so on.
• Flip the top card in each column face-up. These seven face-up cards form your tableau (the main playing area).
• Set aside the remaining 24 cards to form your stock pile (draw pile).
• Leave space for four foundation piles—one for each suit—where you'll build your winning stacks.

How Play Works

On your turn, you can move cards or draw from the stock pile. Here's what's allowed:

Moving cards in the tableau:

• Place a card on another card if it's one rank lower and the opposite color. For example, a red 6 goes on a black 7.
• Move multiple face-up cards together if they follow this sequence.
• Place a King (face-up or in a sequence) into an empty column.

Building the foundations:

• As Aces appear, move them to a foundation pile.
• Build each foundation by suit, starting with Ace, then 2, 3, and so on up to King.
• Once a card is placed on a foundation, it cannot be moved back.

Drawing from the stock pile:

• Flip one card (or three cards, depending on the house rules you're using—see below).
• If you're drawing one at a time, you cycle through the entire pile once.
• If you're drawing three at a time, you typically get one or two passes through the pile, depending on difficulty level.

Key Rules to Know

Face-down cards: When you move a face-up card off a column, flip the face-down card beneath it. This reveals new cards and creates more opportunities.

Empty columns: Only Kings can be placed in empty tableau columns. This is a powerful move—use it strategically to uncover cards you need.

Stock pile rules: This varies by version. In one-card draw (easiest), flip one card at a time and can recycle through the pile. In three-card draw (harder), flip three cards, and you can only use the top card of those three.

No rewinding: In most versions, once you place a card on a foundation, you can't move it back. This makes each move permanent and requires careful planning.

Two Common Variations

The "difficulty" rating refers to general win rates across casual play—your own success depends on skill, luck, and the specific cards you're dealt.

Strategy Tips

• Expose face-down cards first. Flipping hidden cards often opens new moves.
• Hold off moving to foundations. Sometimes it's smarter to keep low cards in the tableau to build sequences.
• Use empty columns wisely. They're precious—move Kings and long sequences into them strategically.
• Don't rush the stock pile. Explore all tableau moves before drawing new cards.

When You Win (and When You Don't)

You've won when all four foundation piles are complete—each suit stacked Ace through King. If no more moves are possible and you can't draw from the stock pile, the game is over. Not every deal is winnable, even with perfect play—solitaire has an element of chance built into the shuffle.

The beauty of classic solitaire is that it's simple enough to teach in five minutes but offers enough variety to stay interesting across hundreds of hands. Once you know these rules, you're ready to play—either with a physical deck or on a device.