How to Play Klondike Solitaire: Rules, Setup, and Moves

Klondike Solitaire Setup

A game uses one standard 52-card deck, without jokers. The opening deal is divided into four areas:

Only the top card of each tableau column starts face up. The other 21 tableau cards are hidden, so a major part of the game is revealing them.

The Objective: Complete All Four Foundations

Move cards onto the foundations in ascending order by suit:

• Hearts: A♥, 2♥, 3♥ … Q♥, K♥
• Diamonds: A♦, 2♦, 3♦ … Q♦, K♦
• Clubs: A♣, 2♣, 3♣ … Q♣, K♣
• Spades: A♠, 2♠, 3♠ … Q♠, K♠

A foundation can start only with an Ace. You cannot place a 4♣ on a 2♣: the 3♣ must be there first. Once all four foundations hold 13 cards, you win.

How to Move Cards in the Tableau

Build down by rank and alternate red and black. For example, 7♥ can be placed on 8♠, and 6♣ can then be placed on 7♥. You cannot put two red cards together or skip a rank.

You may move a single face-up card or an entire properly ordered face-up sequence. For example, this sequence can travel as one group:

10♣ → 9♦ → 8♠ → 7♥

Its leading card, 10♣, can land on a red Jack. Face-down cards cannot be picked up or moved directly.

Reveal face-down cards

When you move away the last face-up card covering a face-down card, the newly exposed card turns face up. Revealing hidden cards is especially valuable: each new card can create moves you could not see before.

What can go in an empty column?

Only a King, or a correctly ordered sequence beginning with a King, can fill an empty tableau column. A Queen or Jack cannot move into an empty column by itself. Plan ahead before clearing a column so that you can make useful use of the space.

Can you move cards back from a foundation?

Yes. In Uletime’s Klondike, a top foundation card can be moved back to a legal tableau position. It may help you arrange other cards, although moving a card back should serve a clear purpose.

Using the Stock and Waste

Click or tap the stock to turn over cards into the waste. Only the top card of the waste can move to the tableau or a foundation.

In Draw 1, one card is turned over per stock click. In Draw 3, up to three cards are turned over at once, and only the top card is immediately playable. If you play that card, the next card underneath becomes available.

When the stock is exhausted, you can recycle the waste into the stock without reshuffling. Uletime’s casual Klondike modes allow unlimited passes; the order of the cards still matters, particularly in Draw 3.

For a closer comparison, read Klondike Draw 1 vs Draw 3.

How to Play a First Game

1. Look for available Aces. Move them to the corresponding foundations when possible.
2. Inspect the seven tableau columns. Find a legal move that would uncover a face-down card.
3. Move a card or sequence. Place a lower card on an opposite-color card one rank higher.
4. Use the stock when necessary. Check the waste’s top card for useful tableau or foundation moves.
5. Create an empty column when it helps. Move a King or King-led sequence there to unlock other cards.
6. Build the foundations. Work upward by suit until all 52 cards have been collected.

A simple example: if the visible cards include 8♣ and 7♦, move 7♦ onto 8♣. If that reveals a face-down card, you now have another move to investigate.

Controls on Uletime

The game includes New Game, Restart, Undo, Hint, and a Draw 1 / Draw 3 mode selector. New Game creates a fresh deal; Restart restores the current deal from its original shuffle. Undo can reverse moves, while Hint points to a legal move when one is available. You can also switch sound on or off.

On desktop, you can drag cards and valid sequences. On touch screens, tap or drag cards to make moves. Depending on the position, a click or tap may automatically move a card to a suitable destination.

Common Beginner Mistakes

• Moving cards to foundations without thinking. Some cards may still be helpful in the tableau. A foundation move is not always the best move right now.
• Filling an empty column with the first King you see. Choose the King that helps expose hidden cards or makes a useful new sequence.
• Rearranging visible cards endlessly. Prefer moves that reveal a card or open a genuinely new option.
• Ignoring the waste pile. A stock card may provide the missing link between two tableau sequences.
• Assuming every deal is winnable. Some shuffled games cannot be completed, even with excellent play.