HOW TO PLAY
FreeCell Solitaire Rules
Use four free cells as temporary storage. Build tableau columns down in alternating colors and foundations up by suit.
How a FreeCell game is laid out
All 52 cards are dealt face up into eight tableau columns: four columns of seven cards and four of six. Nothing is hidden, so every deal is a pure planning puzzle rather than a game of luck. Above the tableau are four free cells on the left and four foundation piles on the right.
Legal moves
- Tableau: place a card on one that is one rank higher and the opposite colour, such as a red 9 on a black 10.
- Free cells: each cell holds any single card until you can use it.
- Empty columns: any card can start an empty column.
- Foundations: build each suit up from Ace to King. The game is won when all four foundations are complete.
On SolitaireNest you move one card at a time. Longer sequences are moved card by card using the free cells and empty columns.
FreeCell tips
- Look for Aces and low cards buried deep in a column, and plan how to free them first.
- Treat free cells as a scarce resource. Filling all four early usually ends the game.
- An empty column is worth more than a free cell, because it can hold a whole sequence.
- Before each move, ask what it unlocks. Moves that free a buried low card are almost always best.
Almost every FreeCell deal can be won with careful play, which is why it is one of the most popular Solitaire games for players who prefer skill over luck.
Learn the game
Read our Solitaire rules, tips and strategy guide.