Klondike solitaire: rules and strategy, plus Spider and FreeCell

The rules of Klondike

Twenty-eight cards are dealt into seven columns, one card in the first up to seven in the last; only the bottom card of each is face up. The other 24 cards form the stock.

Build the four foundations by suit, from ace to king. In the columns, build down in alternating colours: a red 6 on a black 7. You can move a run of face-up cards together. Only a king (or a run starting with one) may go into an empty column. Turn the stock one card or three at a time.

Strategy that wins more

• Uncover face-down cards first. Prefer a move that turns a card over to one that does not; the longest columns hide the most.
• Do not empty a column unless you have a king to put in it. An empty column is precious; waste it and it fills with the wrong card.
• When you choose a king for an empty column, take the one whose colour fits the queen you can move next.
• Do not rush cards to the foundations. A low card on the foundation is often needed in the columns to hold the next card down.
• Play from the columns before the stock, and look through the stock before drawing again when you draw three.

Spider in brief

Spider uses two decks and ten columns. Build down regardless of suit, but only a run of one suit moves together. A full run of one suit from king to ace leaves the table. The habit that matters most: build in one suit whenever you can, and empty a column as early as possible.

FreeCell in brief

FreeCell deals every card face up into eight columns, with four free cells for parking single cards. Almost every deal can be won. Keep free cells empty: each free cell and empty column lets you move longer runs at once. Plan several moves ahead before you fill one.