How to play Solitaire
1 player · Klondike (Draw-1) · Full deck
Solitaire, also called Klondike or Patience, is the best known single-player card game there is. Just you and a shuffled deck: clear the board by building all four suits up from Ace to King.
Objective
Move all 52 cards onto the four foundations, building each one up by suit from Ace to King. Clear every card and you win.
The board
Tableau
Seven columns make up the main play area. Only the bottom card of each column starts face-up; uncovering the rest is the heart of the game.
Foundations
Four empty slots, one per suit. Build them up from Ace to King. Filling all four wins the game.
Stock
The face-down draw pile. Tap it to flip cards into the waste one at a time.
Waste
Where stock cards land face-up. The top card is always available to play onto a column or foundation.
Building the tableau
Stack down, alternate colors
Place a card on one that is one rank higher and the opposite color.
9♣ onto 10♦ ✓ (black on red)
Empty columns & runs
Only a King (or a run led by a King) may move into an empty column. Ordered runs move as one unit.
Move J♥ 10♠ 9♥ together ✓
How a turn works
- 1
Draw from the stock
Tap the stock to flip one card into the waste. When the stock empties, tap the recycle icon to turn the waste back into a fresh stock, as often as you need.
- 2
Move cards
Drag a card (and any ordered run beneath it) onto a tableau column or foundation. Or tap a card to auto-send it to its best legal home in one move.
- 3
Win by clearing the board
Keep uncovering face-down cards and feeding the foundations. Once all four run Ace to King you have won, and you can deal again.
Strategy tips
- 💡Uncover face-down tableau cards first. Every one you flip opens new moves.
- 💡Don't rush every card to the foundations. A low card left in the tableau can be a handy landing spot for the opposite color.
- 💡Only empty a column when you have a King ready to fill it, or you'll create dead space.
- 💡Play the stock early to see what's available before committing to tableau moves you can't undo.
- 💡When two moves are possible, prefer the one that frees a face-down card over the one that doesn't.
About Solitaire
Solitaire is called Klondike in North America and Patience across much of Europe, and it is probably the most played card game in the world, largely because it shipped with every PC from the early 1990s. The Klondike name comes from the Yukon gold rush, where the game is said to have spread among prospectors.
The shuffle decides what is possible, but you decide whether a winnable deal actually gets won. Uncovering face-down cards early, holding back foundation moves, and managing empty columns is where the skill sits. Careless play loses plenty of deals that were solvable.
PlayTash plays the Draw-1 form with unlimited stock recycling. You can drag cards or tap them into place, so it works the same on desktop and phone.
It needs no opponents, no account, and no download. It is the only single-player game here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of Solitaire is this?
Classic Klondike in Draw-1 mode, with one standard 52-card deck. Turn one card at a time from the stock, build the four foundations up from Ace to King by suit, and stack the seven tableau columns down in alternating colours. No jokers, no wild cards.
How do I move cards, drag or tap?
Either. Drag any face-up card, along with the ordered run under it, onto another column or a foundation. Or tap a card at the top of a column or the waste pile and it goes to its best legal home, usually a foundation. Tapping clears the obvious moves fastest.
What happens when the stock pile runs out?
A recycle icon appears where the stock was. Tap it to turn the waste back into a fresh stock. Draw-1 means you see every card on each pass, and there is no limit on how often you can recycle.
Can I move more than one card at a time?
Yes. Any face-up run that already goes down in alternating colours moves as one unit. Pick up the highest card in the run and drop the group on a card one rank higher of the opposite colour, or into an empty column if a King leads the group.
Is every Solitaire deal winnable?
No. A small share of random Klondike deals cannot be solved however well you play, which is part of the game. You can start a fresh deal whenever you want. Careful play still matters: free the face-down cards early and hold back foundation moves you might need later.
Do I need an account or other players to play Solitaire?
No. Solitaire is the one single-player game here, just you and the board. No account, no second player. Start a deal, play at your own pace, deal again whenever you like.