How to Play Solitaire

Getting Started with Solitaire

If you have never played Solitaire before, you are in the right place. This step-by-step guide walks you through everything you need to know to play your first game of Klondike Solitaire — the classic version most people simply call "Solitaire."

What You Need

All you need is a standard 52-card deck (no jokers). Playing online is even simpler — just open a game and start clicking. No setup required.

Step 1: Understand the Layout

A Solitaire board has four main areas:

1. Tableau — Seven columns of cards in the center. This is where you do most of your work.
2. Foundations — Four empty slots (usually at the top right) where you build completed suits.
3. Stock — The remaining cards after the deal, face-down in a draw pile.
4. Waste — Cards drawn from the stock that you cannot play yet.

Step 2: Learn the Deal

The game starts by dealing cards into seven tableau columns:

• Column 1: 1 card (face-up)
• Column 2: 2 cards (1 face-down, 1 face-up)
• Column 3: 3 cards (2 face-down, 1 face-up)
• Column 4: 4 cards (3 face-down, 1 face-up)
• Column 5: 5 cards (4 face-down, 1 face-up)
• Column 6: 6 cards (5 face-down, 1 face-up)
• Column 7: 7 cards (6 face-down, 1 face-up)

That uses 28 cards. The remaining 24 go into the stock pile.

Step 3: Move Cards on the Tableau

The core mechanic is building descending sequences with alternating colors on the tableau. A black 9 can go on a red 10. A red Queen can go on a black King.

You can move a single card or an entire ordered sequence to another column. When you move a card and reveal a face-down card underneath, flip it face-up.

Key Rules

• Only Kings can fill an empty column
• Sequences must alternate colors (red-black-red or black-red-black)
• Cards must descend in rank (K, Q, J, 10, 9 ... 2, A)

Step 4: Use the Stock Pile

When you run out of moves on the tableau, draw from the stock. In most online versions, you can choose between:

• Draw 1 — Flip one card at a time (easier)
• Draw 3 — Flip three cards; only the top one is playable (harder)

If you go through the entire stock without finding a useful card, you can usually flip the waste pile back over and start drawing again.

Step 5: Build the Foundations

Whenever you uncover an Ace, move it to one of the four foundation slots. Then stack cards of the same suit in ascending order: A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K.

Your goal is to get all 52 cards onto the four foundations.

Step 6: Keep Going Until You Win (or Get Stuck)

Continue moving cards between the tableau, drawing from the stock, and building foundations. You win when all four foundations are complete. If you reach a point where no legal moves remain and the stock is exhausted, the game is over.

Beginner Tips

• Always play Aces and 2s to the foundations immediately — there is never a reason to keep them on the tableau.
• Uncover face-down cards first — prioritize moves that reveal hidden cards, since they open new possibilities.
• Do not rush to fill empty columns — an empty column is valuable, so only place a King there if it helps you access buried cards.
• Use undo freely — online Solitaire usually lets you undo moves. Use it to experiment with different strategies.
• Start with Draw 1 — once you are comfortable, switch to Draw 3 for a greater challenge.

Common Mistakes

• Moving cards to the foundations too eagerly — sometimes a card is more useful on the tableau for building sequences
• Ignoring the stock for too long — drawing regularly keeps your options open
• Filling empty columns with Kings that do not help uncover hidden cards

Further Reading

• Solitaire Rules: Complete Guide — the full rulebook with variations and scoring
• Solitaire Strategy & Tips — level up your game with expert tactics

Your First Game

Ready to try it yourself? Play Solitaire online for free — no account or download needed. The game deals the cards for you and highlights legal moves, so you can focus on learning the strategy.