Solitaire

Klondike Solitaire — move all cards to the foundations!

Moves: 0

About Solitaire (Klondike)

Klondike Solitaire is the world's most-played card game. It became famous as a pre-installed game on every Microsoft Windows computer from Windows 3.0 (1990) through Windows 7, where it was used to teach users how to use a mouse — drag-and-drop on cards was the perfect way to learn the new interaction model. By the time Windows 8 removed it from the default install, billions of people had played it.

The game dates back to 19th-century North America. "Klondike" refers to the Klondike Gold Rush region of Canada's Yukon territory — the same era card game variants spread across prospector camps. The objective is to build four "foundation" piles, one per suit, from Ace to King. Cards in the main tableau (the seven columns) are organized in descending order and alternating colors to make them movable and useful.

Interestingly, not every Klondike deal is winnable — statisticians estimate that about 79% of games are theoretically solvable, but players only solve roughly 43% in practice because the optimal sequence of moves is not obvious.

How to Play Solitaire

  • Click a card to select it (it glows gold), then click a valid destination to move it
  • In the tableau (7 columns): stack cards in descending order, alternating red/black (e.g., black 7 on red 8)
  • In the foundations (top 4 piles): build each suit from Ace → 2 → … → King
  • Empty columns can only be filled with a King (or a stack starting with a King)
  • Click the stock pile (top-left) to draw new cards; click the ↺ icon to recycle
  • Win by moving all 52 cards to the four foundation piles

Winning Strategy Tips

  • Uncover face-down cards first: Revealing hidden cards in long tableau columns is top priority
  • Empty columns are power: Create empty columns to move Kings and free up stacks
  • Don't rush foundations: Sometimes keeping an Ace or 2 in the tableau longer gives you more flexibility
  • Think 2 moves ahead: Moving a card might block the card underneath — check before committing
  • Stock pile timing: Cycle through the stock pile systematically — don't draw randomly hoping for luck

Common Mistakes

  • Moving cards to foundations too early: An Ace in a foundation can't be moved back to the tableau if needed
  • Ignoring tableau coverage: Stacking all cards in one column leaves others dead and unworkable
  • Giving up too early: Many games that look stuck have a hidden sequence of moves — look carefully before declaring a loss
  • Not using empty spaces: An empty column is valuable — use it as a temporary holding space for partial stacks