Klondike Solitaire rules

The goal

Build all four suits on the foundations, from ace to king.

Setup

One player, one 52-card deck without jokers. Leave room above for four foundations.

The deal

Deal seven columns of 1 to 7 cards, with only the top card of each face up. The other 24 cards are the stock.

A turn

• In the seven columns (the tableau), put a card on one that is a rank higher and the opposite colour: a red 6 on a black 7.
• A face-up card moves together with all the cards on top of it. When a hidden card is uncovered, turn it face up.
• Stuck? Turn three cards from the stock onto the waste pile. Only its top card can be played. When the stock runs out, turn the waste over as a new stock.
• Move each free ace to a foundation and build it up in the same suit, 2, 3 and so on to the king.

Special cards

• Only a king, with any cards on it, may move into an empty column.

Scoring

• No official points: the number of cards on your foundations shows how close you came.

Winning

You win when all 52 cards are on the foundations.

House rules

• Turn one. Turn one card at a time from the stock instead of three. It makes the game easier.
• Limited passes. Allow only a set number of trips through the stock, for example three when turning one card, to make it harder.
• Las Vegas scoring. You “buy” the deck at the start and win back a fixed amount for every card you get onto the foundations.