Klondike Solitaire Guide to Win Online

How to Play Klondike Solitaire

While Klondike Solitaire is a popular game, you still need to understand the rules. Here’s how it works:

The Game Objective

Your goal is simple — to place all cards in the available four foundation piles. These piles are the empty areas (4) at the top of the game. You must do this in order of suit and ascending fashion. That means the Ace leads the way building up to the King. And since there are four foundation piles, you need one for hearts, another for spades, then diamonds, and clubs. Not the most difficult job, right?

The Setup: Tableau, Stock, Waste, and Foundations

Before getting into the game, it’s important to know the play area:

• Tableau columns: You have a total of 7 columns of overlapping cards. Only the top card in each column faces up. Note that these columns are those in row 2 of the game. Remember, the tableau comprises 28 cards. As the game starts, the first tableau column has one card, the second has two, and so on to seven.
• Stockpile: In the first row, you’ll spot one card facing down. But it’s not just one, you have 24 cards in this section. This is the stockpile, and it’s where you’ll draw new cards.
• Wastepile: As you flip through the stockpile looking for a suitable card to play, those you don’t need will move to an adjacent space known as a wastepile. After sifting through the stockpile, you can redeal the cards by tapping the 'Redeal' button when you are tapping the stockpile section.
• Foundations: In the first row, you will see four empty spaces. These are the foundations where you must build suit stacks starting from Ace to King.

Card Movement Rules and Building Sequences

So how do you play? What are the valid moves in this generational game? First, all cards must appear in descending order and alternating colors (red on black, black on red). To move any card or group of cards, they must be in this pattern.

As for the foundations, your job is to arrange the cards in ascending order by suit. For example, Ace of Spades, then 2 of Spades, then 3 of Spades, and so on. You can only move Kings or valid King-led sequences into an empty tableau column.

Turning Over Cards

Remember the stockpile? Every time you click this section, you get one card. That’s the default game setting. However, you can get up to three cards at a time. All you have to do is change the settings where you select 'Turn 1', 'Turn 2', or 'Turn 3', depending on the settings.

Once a move clears a face-down card in the tableau, it will get flipped to face up. Note that this is a crucial part of advancing in the game.

Winning Conditions

As mentioned earlier, the overall objective in the game is to move all cards into their correct foundation piles. But some variations add a few features to make gameplay even more spicy. For instance, you may come across games with a move counter, a timer, or a score system to track performance.

3 Strategies to Win More Games of Klondike Solitaire

Mastering the rules is only the beginning. You must improve your win rate, and these strategies will help you get there.

1. Always Move Aces

As soon as an Ace nears its head, whether in the tableau or stock, move it to the foundation immediately. Since this is the start of the foundation, you can clear the space and start some progress. Of course, the Twos will follow right after to support your foundation.

2. Don’t Automatically Move

Keep your options open. It can be quite tempting to move cards to the foundation pile. Resist this temptation, especially since these cards may help you build or rearrange the tableau. Here’s a classic example: Say there’s a 7 of Hearts in the tableau. Placing it in the foundation may block a future move for the 6 you wanted to play.

3. Prioritize Revealing Face-Down Cards

As a safe move or revealing a face-down card? What’s the best option? The answer is the latter. Any day, any time. You see, every time you reveal a face-down card, you gain more information. And more information means more control. Additionally, revealing a new card might unlock an entire chain of helpful moves.

Tips to Solve Difficult Klondike Solitaire Deals

Some Klondike versions may seem impossible to win. Perhaps, they are. But what if you can improve your odds of winning?

Maximize Use of Empty Columns

Empty columns are your best friend in Klondike and Gold Solitaire. An empty space can help you relocate sequences or even shift cards around. With that important piece of information, try and free up a column early and keep it open if you can.

Visualize Before You Move

Before dragging any card, sit back and take in the entire game layout. Ask yourself these two questions. What will this move do? What other cards will it unblock or block? By thinking ahead, you avoid short-sided plays. Consequently, you'll make smarter choices and reach the foundations faster.

Replay to Understand Complex Patterns

One of the biggest advantages of playing digital solitaire is the ability to go back in time. You can undo a previous move, or even better yet, restart the game entirely. No wrong move is terminal. With these tools, you have a chance to learn. Simply hit the undo button and try a different strategy. Over time, you'll gain intuition about what works best.

Put Your Skills to the Test — Play Klondike Today!

You know how to set up the tableau and draw from the stockpile. Building foundation piles with confidence is also well within your arsenal. Only one thing remains: practicing what you’ve learnt. Try out the game for free and see how far you’ve come. And if you want to try a different challenge, how about [Golf Solitaire]?