How to Play Klondike Solitaire: A Clear Guide to the Rules 🃏

Klondike solitaire is the card game most people think of when they hear the word "solitaire"—it's the version built into Windows for decades and the one your grandmother probably played. If you're learning the game for the first time or brushing up on forgotten rules, this guide breaks down exactly how to play and win.

What You Need to Play

You'll need a standard 52-card deck with no jokers. The goal is simple: build four piles of cards (called foundations) in suit order, from ace through king, using the cards laid out on the table. The game is won when all 52 cards are stacked correctly on the foundations.

The Setup

Start by dealing 28 cards in a specific pattern called the tableau:

  • Deal 7 columns of cards, left to right
  • The first column gets 1 card face-up, with 6 cards face-down below it
  • The second column gets 1 card face-up on top of 5 face-down cards
  • Continue this pattern until the seventh column has 1 card face-up with no cards below it

The remaining 24 cards stay in your hand as the stock pile (your draw pile).

Understanding the Three Main Areas

The Tableau (the cards on the table): This is where most of the action happens. You can see all the face-up cards and use them to build sequences or move them to foundations. Cards are arranged in overlapping rows so you can see each card's suit and rank.

The Stock Pile (cards in your hand): When you run out of moves on the table, you draw from here. Traditional rules let you flip one card at a time; some versions allow you to flip three cards at once (which makes the game harder).

The Foundations (your goal piles): These four piles sit above or to the side of the tableau. Each one builds in suit from ace to king. You can only move a card to a foundation if it's the next card in sequence.

How Moves Work

Moving cards within the tableau: You can place a card on top of another card if it's one rank lower and the opposite color. For example, a black 6 goes on a red 7. When you move a face-down card to reveal another card beneath it, flip that card face-up—now you can use it.

Building sequences: If you have multiple cards in a valid sequence, you can move them all together as a group. For example, if you have a black 4 on a red 5, you can move both to a red 6.

Exposing hidden cards: Every time you move a card from the tableau, you expose what's underneath. This is critical—those hidden cards are often the key to winning.

Using the stock pile: When no moves are available in the tableau, draw from the stock pile. You either flip one card (classic rules) or three cards (harder variation). Use what you can; the rest stays in a waste pile. Once the stock pile is empty, you can often flip the waste pile back over to try again (the rules vary here—some versions allow this, others don't).

Moving Cards to the Foundations

This is how you actually win. Any ace can start a foundation pile. Once an ace is in place, only the two of that suit can go on top, then the three, and so on. You can move foundation cards back to the tableau if you need them to make other moves (in most versions), which can sometimes help you access blocked cards.

Key Strategy Tips

Look for moves that expose face-down cards—that's usually your top priority. Moving cards around aimlessly often leaves you stuck.

Think before you draw from the stock pile. Sometimes waiting to draw is smarter than using a visible card, because new cards from the stock might unlock better options.

Kings go on empty spaces—when you clear an entire column, only a king can start a new sequence there. Choose wisely which king you place, since it affects which cards can follow.

Variations That Change the Rules

Not all klondike games are identical. Some versions let you flip the waste pile multiple times; others limit you to one pass. Some draw one card at a time; others draw three. Some let you move any sequence of cards; others restrict movement. Before you play online or with a friend, clarify which rules apply—they genuinely affect whether a game is winnable.

The Bottom Line

Klondike is a game of luck and observation, not just strategy. Many hands simply can't be won—the cards aren't in a winning order no matter how well you play. That's part of the appeal: each game is different, and sometimes the best move is the one that reveals a card you needed all along.