Substantively reviewed August 14, 2026 · Editorial policy · Request a correction
Quick answer: In Klondike solitaire, arrange seven tableau columns, reveal cards by building downward in alternating colors, move Aces through Kings to four same-suit foundations, and use the stock when the tableau offers no useful move. The exact stock and redeal rules vary, so this guide states its ruleset before the example.
Last reviewed August 13, 2026 · Editorial policy · Request a correction
The ruleset used in this guide
This walkthrough uses one standard 52-card deck, draw-one stock, unlimited passes through the stock, Kings only in empty tableau columns, and no moving cards back from the foundations. Those choices make the example reproducible; a physical table or app may use draw-three, limited redeals, scoring, or different foundation controls.
Set up the tableau, stock, waste, and foundations
- Deal seven tableau columns from left to right. The first column has one card, the second has two, and so on through seven.
- Turn only the top card of each column face up. This uses 28 cards: 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7.
- Place the remaining 24 cards face down as the stock. Cards turned from it go face up to the waste.
- Leave space for four foundations, one for each suit.
This four-part layout and the seven-column deal follow the Bicycle Cards solitaire rules. That source also defines the goal: build each foundation in suit from Ace through King until all 52 cards are placed.
Legal moves
- Tableau: place a face-up card or correctly ordered face-up sequence on the next-higher rank of the opposite color—for example, a red 7 on a black 8.
- Reveal: after moving the last face-up card from a column, turn its newly exposed top card face up.
- Empty column: in this ruleset, only a King or a sequence headed by a King may fill it.
- Foundations: start with an Ace, then build upward by suit: 2, 3, and so on to King.
- Stock: turn one card to the waste. Only the top waste card is available. When the stock is empty, turn the waste over without shuffling and begin another pass.
A worked move example
Suppose the visible tableau includes a black 8, a red 7 covering a face-down card, and a black 6. The waste shows a red 5. This is an illustrative position, not a claim about a particular app or a recorded game.
- Move the red 7 onto the black 8. This is legal because the rank descends by one and the color alternates.
- Turn over the card the 7 exposed. Revealing a face-down tableau card creates new information, so inspect it before drawing from the stock.
- Move the red 5 from the waste onto the black 6 if doing so does not block a better reveal. The waste’s next card then becomes available.
- If the newly revealed card is an Ace, move it to its foundation. If it is a King and you have an empty column, compare that move with any alternative that reveals another hidden card.
The point is not that this sequence guarantees a win. It shows how to check legality and prefer moves that reveal cards or unlock the waste before making a neutral transfer.
Draw one versus draw three
| Rule | What changes | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Draw one | Each stock card becomes the top waste card in turn. | Whether passes through the stock are limited. |
| Draw three | Cards are turned in groups of three; normally only the top exposed card is playable. | How the final one or two cards are handled and whether redeals are allowed. |
| Digital scoring | Time, moves, undo, and foundation behavior may affect the score. | The app’s own Rules or Help screen. |
Do not mix advice between these modes without checking the assumptions. A waste-card sequence reachable in draw one may not be reachable in the same order in draw three.
Beginner decision checklist
- Before drawing, scan every face-up tableau card and the top waste card.
- Prefer a legal move that reveals a face-down card over a move that only rearranges visible cards.
- Do not empty a column unless you have a King-led sequence that can use the space or another clear reason.
- Sending a low card to a foundation is usually useful, but pause if that card is still needed to support a tableau sequence in a ruleset that does not allow foundation cards to return.
- When no move improves access, advance the stock deliberately and remember which cards will become available on the next pass.
What counts as a win?
You win when all four foundations contain complete same-suit sequences from Ace through King. Not every shuffled deal is necessarily solvable under every ruleset, and this guide does not promise a particular win rate or score.
Where to play Klondike online
This site explains the game but does not host a playable board. These external entries were checked on August 13, 2026; page access and the visible interface were verified, not a full play-through on every device.
- Play the official Google Solitaire version — a Klondike-style game with Easy and Hard choices.
- Play Klondike Draw 1 at 247 Solitaire, or use its Klondike Draw 3 page.
- Compare all verified solitaire version entrances, including Spider, FreeCell, Pyramid, TriPeaks, and Accordion.
Related solitaire guides
- How to Play Spider Solitaire: Rules, Legal Moves, and a Worked Example — Compare Klondike foundation play with Spider’s two-deck run building.
- How to Play Pyramid Solitaire: Pair Values, Stock Rules, and an Example — Try a pairing game where exposed ranks, not suits, determine each move.
- How to Play Accordion Solitaire: Left-One, Left-Three Rules, and an Example — See a compact piling game with left-one and left-three move rules.
Source and scope note
Core layout, foundation, tableau, stock, waste, and King-to-space rules were checked against Bicycle Cards: Solitaire, accessed August 13, 2026. The draw-one assumptions and worked position are stated editorial choices for this guide. Solitaire & Card Games Guide is independent and is not affiliated with Google or any game platform.
Related practical guides: Draw 1 versus Draw 3 access order, Standard, Vegas, and timed scoring.