Klondike Solitaire Rules
Objective:
The objective in Klondike solitaire is to move all of the cards to the foundation.
Setup:
After shuffling, cards are dealt face-down to each of the seven columns in the tableau, with one card in the first column, two cards in the second, and so on, up to seven cards in the last column. The topmost card in each column of the tableau is always turned face up. Next, to start you off, a single card is dealt face-up to the waste pile. The remaining cards are placed face-down onto the stock.
Moves:
- Move a card from stock to waste pile: Taking a card from the stock, place it face up onto the waste pile. When the stock is depleted, you can replenish it with all of the waste pile cards.
- Move a card to the foundation: Each foundation pile is built up in one suit, in ascending order from Ace, two, and so on up to King.
- Move a card to the tableau: Tableau columns are built down in descending order from King, Queen, down to Ace, in alternating colors. Any single, upturned card can be moved on top of a column in the tableau, as long as it is the next lower card of alternate color. Only Kings and runs starting with King can be placed on empty columns.
- Move a run of cards within the tableau: A run of cards ending (descending one by one, alternating red then black, ending in the top-most card of the column) can be moved from one tableau column to another. Again, an empty column can be filled with a run of cards, as long as the run starts with King.
Winning:
You win the game of Klondike when all cards have been moved to the foundation. This Klondike doesn't use scoring, only your time and number of moves whenever you win the game. Over time, your wins (with full score) will drown out any sense of score on lost games, and that is why this Klondike doesn't bother with scoring.
Strategy and Hints:
- Expose as many cards in the tableau as you can. This is the hot-path to winning the game.
- Prefer to use tableau cards to build runs and fill spaces in the tableau. This will help expose more cards in the tableau, getting you closer to your goal. The stock and waste-pile are infinitely recyclable; those cards can always be called upon when the tableau doesn't offer what you need in the moment.
- Work the cards to expose your next down-faced card in the tableau. For example, if you have a run of cards in the tableau starting with the 5♦ begging to uncover the next card in that column, while the other red 5♥ is ready to be moved to the foundation, move that 5♥, then move the run of cards to where that 5♥ was, exposing the next card.
