KLONDIKE BEGINNER GUIDE
How to set up and play Solitaire
This guide covers classic Klondike Turn 1: the seven-column game most people mean by “Solitaire.” Move all 52 cards into four suit foundations from Ace through King.
Solitaire setup
Shuffle one standard 52-card deck without jokers. Deal seven tableau columns from left to right. Column one receives one card, column two receives two, continuing to seven cards in column seven. Turn only the top card of each column face up. The 28 dealt cards form the tableau; the remaining 24 form the stock.
How to set up Solitaire with real cards
- Shuffle a standard 52-card deck with the jokers removed.
- Deal the first row: place seven cards in a row from left to right. Turn the first one face up and leave the other six face down.
- Deal the second row: skip the first column. Place one card face up on column two, then one face down on each of columns three to seven.
- Keep going: each round, skip one more column and turn the first card of the round face up. When you finish, column one has 1 card, column seven has 7, and every column has exactly one face-up card on top.
- Place the stock: put the remaining 24 cards face down above the tableau on the left. Turned-over cards go next to it in the waste pile.
- Leave space for the foundations: keep room for four piles above the tableau on the right. Each one starts with an Ace.
Playing online, the game deals for you, but the layout is identical, so the habits you learn here carry over to a real deck.
The four table areas
| Area | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Tableau | Seven columns built downward in alternating colours. |
| Stock | The undealt cards turned over for additional moves. |
| Waste | The face-up card or cards drawn from the stock. |
| Foundations | Four suit piles built upward from Ace to King. |
Legal moves
- Place a tableau card on the next-higher rank of the opposite colour: a black 8 can go on a red 9.
- Move a correctly ordered face-up sequence together.
- Turn over a newly exposed face-down card.
- Build each foundation upward by suit from Ace.
- Move only a King—or a valid sequence starting with a King—to an empty column.
- Draw from the stock one card at a time in Turn 1 or three at a time in Turn 3.
A strong order of play
- Reveal a hidden tableau card when safely possible.
- Check whether a move opens a useful empty column.
- Move Aces and low cards up when that does not remove a needed tableau card.
- Scan every tableau option before drawing from the stock.
- Remember useful stock cards so later passes are planned.
Turn 1 versus Turn 3
Turn 1 exposes one stock card at a time and is more forgiving. Turn 3 exposes every third card, so access changes as cards are removed. The tableau rules remain the same, but stock planning matters much more.
Frequently asked questions
How many columns are in Solitaire?
Seven. The first column holds one card and each column to the right holds one more, up to seven cards in the last.
How many cards are dealt?
Twenty-eight cards go into the tableau and 24 remain in the stock.
Can a Queen start an empty column?
No. Standard Klondike reserves empty columns for Kings or King-led sequences.
Do foundations alternate colours?
No. Foundations match suits. Alternating colours apply only to downward tableau sequences.
Is every deal winnable?
No. Some deals cannot be solved under the chosen draw rules, even with perfect play.
Continue learning
Use the Klondike strategy guide, compare it with Pyramid strategy, or review the shorter rules reference.