Klondike Solitaire Rules: Setup, Moves, Scoring

Klondike is the solitaire most people simply call "Solitaire". The goal is to move all 52 cards to four foundation piles, one per suit, from Ace up to King. You get there by building down in alternating colours in seven columns and turning over the cards hidden underneath. Here are the full rules.

Setup

• Seven columns (the tableau). The first column has 1 card, the second 2, and so on up to 7: 28 cards in all. Only the top card of each column is face up.
• The stock: the other 24 cards, face down.
• The waste: where cards from the stock are turned face up.
• Four foundations: empty at the start; each will hold one suit from Ace to King.

Legal moves

1. Build down in alternating colours on the tableau: a red 6 on a black 7, a black 10 on a red Jack.
2. Move runs: you can move a face-up run of cards together, as long as it is in order and alternates colours.
3. Turn over hidden cards: when you move the last face-up card off a column, the card below it turns face up.
4. Empty columns take only a King (or a run starting with a King).
5. Foundations go up by suit: Ace, 2, 3 and so on to King.
6. Draw from the stock: turn cards onto the waste. The top waste card can go to the tableau or a foundation.
7. Recycle the stock: when it runs out, turn the waste back over to make a new stock.

Draw 1 or Draw 3?

• Draw 1 turns one card at a time. You see every card in the stock on each pass, so it is easier.
• Draw 3 turns three at a time and only the top one can be played. Cards hide behind each other, so you need more passes and more planning.

Scoring

Scoring varies by game. The standard method, used by Crayon Solitaire in Scored mode:

Win in over 30 seconds and you also get a time bonus of 700,000 divided by your seconds. Relaxed mode drops the score and makes undo free. There is also Vegas scoring, with a buy-in and a payout per card; a full explanation follows next month.

Can every game be won?

Not every random Klondike deal can be won, but most can with good play. Crayon Solitaire checks each deal with a solver before you see it, so there is always at least one winning line.

Your first game, step by step

1. Play any Aces and 2s straight to the foundations.
2. Make tableau moves that turn over hidden cards before drawing from the stock.
3. Prefer moves from the longest columns: they hide the most cards.
4. Don't empty a column unless a King is ready to fill it.
5. Draw from the stock when the tableau has nothing useful.
6. When every card is face up, the game is effectively won: Crayon Solitaire's Auto-finish sends the rest home.

Common rule variations

Klondike has been played for well over a century, so house rules differ. The ones you will meet most often:

• Passes through the stock. Some versions limit you to three passes in Draw 3 or one pass in Draw 1, especially with Vegas scoring. Most casual games allow unlimited passes.
• Moving cards back from the foundations. Many games allow it, usually with a penalty, because a low card can be the stepping stone you need.
• Partial runs. Almost every computer version lets you move part of a face-up run, starting at any card, as long as the cards you move are in order.
• Auto-play. Some games send cards to the foundations for you. Crayon Solitaire lets you tap a card to send it to its best spot, and finishes the game for you once every card is face up.

A few words you'll see

• Tableau: the seven columns.
• Stock and waste: the face-down pile and the face-up cards you turn from it.
• Foundation: the four piles built from Ace to King.
• Run: a face-up sequence in order and alternating colours.

Next up: tips and tricks to win more often, including how Draw 3 changes your choices.