FreeCell Rules: Complete Guide

What Is FreeCell?

FreeCell is a single-player card game that belongs to the Solitaire family but stands apart in one crucial way: all 52 cards are dealt face-up. There are no hidden cards, no luck of the draw — every game is a pure test of strategy and planning. Nearly every FreeCell deal is winnable with perfect play, making it one of the fairest card games ever designed.

The Setup

A standard 52-card deck is dealt into eight tableau columns. The first four columns receive seven cards each, and the last four columns receive six cards each. Every card is face-up and visible from the start.

Key Areas of the Board

• Tableau — Eight columns of face-up cards. This is where the main action takes place.
• Free Cells — Four empty spaces in the upper left. Each can hold exactly one card as temporary storage.
• Foundations — Four empty piles in the upper right, one for each suit. Build each from Ace up to King.

How to Play

Moving Cards on the Tableau

You may move the top card of any tableau column to:

• Another tableau column, placing it on a card of the next higher rank and opposite color (e.g., a red 5 on a black 6)
• An empty free cell (if one is available)
• A foundation pile (if it is the next card in sequence)

Using the Free Cells

The four free cells are your most important resource. Each cell holds one card at a time. Use them to temporarily move cards out of the way so you can access cards buried deeper in the columns. Managing your free cells wisely is the key to winning.

Moving Multiple Cards

Strictly speaking, FreeCell only allows you to move one card at a time. However, most digital versions let you move an ordered sequence of cards as a single action — this is a shortcut for what would otherwise be a series of single-card moves using free cells and empty columns.

The number of cards you can move in a sequence depends on:

• Empty free cells: Each free cell adds one card to your move capacity
• Empty tableau columns: Each empty column doubles your move capacity

Formula: Maximum cards you can move = (1 + empty free cells) × 2^(empty columns)

For example, with 2 empty free cells and 1 empty column, you can move (1 + 2) × 2 = 6 cards at once.

Building the Foundations

Move Aces to the foundations when they are available. Then build each foundation up in suit order: A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K. The game is won when all 52 cards have been moved to the four foundations.

Empty Columns

When a tableau column is completely empty, any card may be placed there — unlike Klondike Solitaire, where only Kings can fill empty columns. Empty columns are extremely valuable because they function like extra free cells.

Winning the Game

You win when all four foundation piles are complete, each containing 13 cards of the same suit ordered from Ace to King. Unlike Klondike, where roughly 80% of deals are winnable, over 99.99% of FreeCell deals are solvable. Only a handful of the original 32,000 numbered deals in Microsoft FreeCell are known to be unsolvable (most famously, deal #11982).

Key Differences from Klondike Solitaire

| Feature | FreeCell | Klondike | |---|---|---| | Hidden cards | None — all face-up | Many face-down cards | | Columns | 8 | 7 | | Free cells | 4 temporary storage spaces | None | | Empty column rule | Any card | Kings only | | Stock/draw pile | None | Yes | | Win rate | Over 99% | About 25-30% | | Primary skill | Planning and sequencing | Card management and luck |

Variations

• Relaxed FreeCell — Allows any card in empty columns (standard in most digital versions)
• ForeCell — Four cards are pre-dealt to the free cells at the start
• Eight Off — Eight free cells instead of four, but only Kings may fill empty columns
• Baker's Game — Same as FreeCell but tableau building is by same suit instead of alternating colors

Quick Reference

• Deck: Standard 52 cards, no jokers
• Players: 1
• Columns: 8 (first four get 7 cards, last four get 6 cards)
• Free cells: 4 (hold one card each)
• Tableau rule: Descending rank, alternating colors
• Foundation rule: Ascending rank, same suit (Ace to King)
• Empty column: Any card may be placed
• Goal: Move all 52 cards to the four foundations
• Win rate: Over 99% with optimal play

Further Reading

• How to Play FreeCell — a beginner-friendly step-by-step walkthrough
• Solitaire vs FreeCell — understand the differences between these classic games

Ready to Play?

Now that you know the rules, put them to the test. Play FreeCell right here in your browser — no download required.