Solitaire Rules

There are four main types of solitaire, a game which has become popular both as a table top card game as well as online. These four games include spider solitaire, freecell solitaire, pyramid solitaire, and Klondike solitaire which is perhaps the most well known and played.

In spider solitaire, the player uses two decks and deals out fifty four cards into ten piles placed in tableau format with the top card being placed face up. 6 cards are placed within four piles with the other six piles containing five cards apiece.

The game is played by using the top cards in the pile to build a sequence of cards regardless of their suit from King to Ace. If all of the cards in a tableau have been removed, then any grouping of cards can be moved to that spot. Only one card can be moved at a time unless there is a grouping of sequenced cards, which can also be moved.

If there are no possible moves that can be made from the face up cards, the left over cards can be dealt onto each pile. After all of the cards are dealt, no redeal is possible. The game is finished when there are either no plays available once all of the cards have been dealt or the player wins by making 8 complete sequences.

Freecell solitaire, the second form of the game, was invented by Paul Alfille and is played with one full deck. The entire deck is dealt into 8 piles in tableau form with four foundation piles and four cells being placed above the piles. If the top card of the tableau is able to be moved to the foundation, that play should be made.

Unlike in spider solitaire, only one card can be moved at a time with only one card being allowed in each of the cells. Cards can be moved from the tableaus to the cells at will and cards in the cell can be transferred back to the tableaus or placed into the foundations. The foundation piles are built in alternating colors from Ace to King and the game is won by building all four suits in the foundation piles.

The third type of solitaire, pyramid solitaire, is also played with one deck. Twenty eight cards are dealt into seven rows in pyramid form. The cards which are uncovered in the pyramid are available for play as well as the ones which have been dealt into the waste from the deck. The player selects two cards, the sum of which is thirteen. Once these two cards have been selected, they will be discarded into the discard pile.

Kings are able to be selected on their own as their value is thirteen for the sake of the game. If there are no available plays left in the pyramid, cards can be dealt and played from the available deck. The player can redeal two times. The game ends when no more plays are available or when the player wins by pairing all of the cards to the sum of thirteen.

The fourth main type of solitaire is Klondike solitaire which is perhaps the most well known. Similar to pyramid and freecell solitaire, Klondike solitaire is played using a single deck. Twenty eight of the cards are dealt into seven different rows with one card being placed in the first, two in the second, three in the third, fourth in the fourth row and so on. The top card of each pile is placed face up.

The face up card on each of the tableau piles is available to be played along with the card which is located in the waste. As is the case with pyramid solitaire, the piles in Klondike solitaire are built in order of alternating color. Single cards or those which are already grouped into the appropriate sequence can be moved.

Once a card is removed from the tableau pile, the next card is uncovered and can then be played. An empty tableau can be filled with a single King or with a group of sequenced cards which start with a King. When there are no available plays left in the tableaus, cards can be dealt from the stock deck. Three cards become available with every use of the stock.

Only the card which is on the end is open to be played. The cards can be moved during play from the tableaus to the foundations and from the stock to the tableaus and the stock to the foundations. Once all of the cards in the stock have been used, two redeals are allowed. The game is over when there are no more possible moves or the player wins by building up the foundations starting with Aces and finishing with Kings.

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