How to play Solitaire

This game begins with a random board full of cards. Rearrange them into descending stacks with alternating colors. As you uncover cards, safe cards move to their foundations automatically. Clear the lower board to win.

The initial terminal game board

Only each card's number and symbol are displayed. In the first column, the green 5♣ is below the white 9♦. Click a column to pick its bottom card or stack.

Selecting the first column

First, select column one.

Moving a card to the third column

Select column three to move the 5♣ below the 6♥. Cards stack in descending number order with alternating colors.

Selecting a stack in column three

Selecting column three again picks both stacked cards, 5♦ and 6♥.

Moving the selected stack

The complete stack can move below the 7♦.

A family card blocking a stack

The ♣♣ blocks the next move. Move that single card into one of the three free spaces at the top left.

Moving a card into free space 03

Select free space 03. Each free space can hold one card, but not a stack. You can select that card again later.

The stack now fits

With the blocker moved, the stack fits in its new column.

Moving a stack to reveal a low card

Moving the stack onto the 9♦ reveals the 1♣ at the bottom.

The one of clubs moving automatically

The 1♣ is the lowest card of its suit, so it moves automatically to its foundation at the top right.

The two of clubs moving automatically

With 1♣ in place, 2♣ can follow it. These automatic moves may arrive as a quick sequence.

Several family cards on the board

Cards with two suit symbols do not stack on numbered cards. All four cards in a suit can instead be brought together.

Four visible heart family cards

When all four ♥♥ cards are visible at the bottom of columns or in free spaces, an automove reunites them.

The combined heart family

The complete family now occupies one space. Bring all families to the top left and all numbered cards to the top-right foundations.

A stack that needs to be split

Sometimes selecting a column highlights a larger stack than the part you intend to move. Select the destination anyway.

The legal part of a stack moved

The game automatically finds the legal split. Here it moves the stack beginning with 8♥ and leaves 9♦ behind.

Diamond family cards not yet combining

A family combines only when one member has a suitable home at the top left and every member is visible.

Diamond family ready to combine

With a suitable home available, the family can reunite.

Combined diamond family

The combined family takes just one space.

A safe manual foundation move

Some cards do not move to a foundation automatically because they may still be useful in a stack. Select the top-right foundation area, or type 06, to move one manually.

The manually moved card in its foundation

The 4♥ is now in its foundation. Manual foundation moves are usually optional.

A nearly solved board

Once the remaining cards stack cleanly, the board is effectively won.

Automoves clearing the final cards

The final automoves quickly clear the lower board.

A solved game and its statistics

After the win, the game displays statistics. Your current game and statistics are stored privately in the website database, under your account or short-lived anonymous session.

Commands shown after a solved game

Use the on-screen buttons or the equivalent keyboard commands: help h, new n, restart r, undo u, redo y, and solve s.

A newly dealt game

Start another random game and try a different route through the board. Good luck.

Play Solitaire