Classic Solitaire Guide, Rules, and Tips
Klondike is the solitaire most people simply call Solitaire: seven tableau columns, a draw pile, and four foundations to fill from Ace to King. Each game mixes luck from the deal with decisions about which cards to reveal and when to move them.
How to Play
- Seven columns are dealt with only the top card of each face up.
- Build the tableau down in alternating colors, such as a black 9 on a red 10. Only a King can fill an empty column.
- Draw from the stock when you run out of moves, and play the drawn card onto the tableau or foundations.
- Move cards to the foundations by suit from Ace to King. The game is won when all four foundations are complete.
Strategy and Tips
- Prioritize moves that turn over a face-down card, especially in the longest columns.
- Do not rush every card to the foundations; low cards in the tableau can still be useful places to build.
- Only empty a column when you have a King ready to move into it.
- Look at all tableau moves before drawing from the stock.
Controls
Drag cards with the mouse or your finger, and click the stock to draw. Undo takes back a move, and the timer and move counter track your game.
Background
Klondike is named after the Klondike gold rush in Canada in the late 1890s. It became the world’s best-known solitaire after Microsoft included it with Windows 3.0 in 1990, partly to teach people how to use a mouse.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Klondike the same as Solitaire?
Yes. When people say Solitaire they usually mean Klondike, the version with seven columns and a draw pile.
Can every Klondike game be won?
No. Some deals cannot be solved, but good play wins a large share of games.
Why can’t I move a card into an empty column?
Only a King, or a run that starts with a King, can be placed in an empty column.