Rules

Solitaire Rules — Klondike, Spider, FreeCell & More

How to play solitaire online on SolitaireHot — rules for Klondike, Spider Solitaire (1, 2 & 4 suits), FreeCell, and 12 more classic card games. Hints, undo, and daily challenges included.

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  • New game — shuffles a fresh deal. Klondike also offers winnable and daily seeded deals.
  • Restart — deals again with the same options as your last start.
  • Hint — highlights a legal move when one exists.
  • Undo — steps back through your recent moves.
  • Double-click / tap — auto-moves a card to foundation or a valid tableau column when possible (Klondike family).

Klondike keyboard shortcuts

  • H — hint
  • U or Ctrl/Cmd + Z — undo
  • N — new random game

Klondike scoring

  • Waste → tableau: +5
  • Waste or tableau → foundation: +10
  • Turn over a tableau card: +5
  • Foundation → tableau: −15

Daily challenge

Add ?daily=YYYY-MM-DD to a game URL, or open a challenge from the Daily page. The seed is based on today's date and the game id, so the same layout is available to everyone that day. Monthly challenge progress in the sidebar counts wins recorded on this device.

Klondike layout (example)

Most tableau-style games share similar areas. Klondike is a good reference for stock, waste, tableau, and foundation.

Foundation

A♥

Build each suit Ace → King.

Tableau

A♥K♠7♣

Build down in alternating colors.

Stock

7♣

Face-down draw pile.

Waste

K♠

Face-up cards from stock.

Sample card images from SolitaireHot. Layouts vary by game — see each game page for full rules.

Game-by-game rules

Each game follows widely played patience rules. Open a game to play, or expand the detailed guides below.

Easy Klondike Solitaire (Turn 1)

Play easy solitaire online for free with Klondike Turn 1 — one card per draw, like Google Solitaire. No download, hints, undo, and daily challenges included.

Klondike Solitaire (Turn 3)

Play Klondike solitaire online for free with the classic Turn 3 draw — the same three-card rule as Microsoft Solitaire. Hints, undo, and winnable deals.

Spider Solitaire 1 Suit

Play Spider Solitaire 1 suit online for free. Build King-to-Ace runs in a single suit — the easiest Spider variant. No download, with hints and undo.

Spider Solitaire 2 Suits

Play Spider Solitaire 2 suits online for free. Sort two suits into descending sequences — a balanced step up from 1 suit. Hints and undo included.

Spider Solitaire 4 Suits

Play Spider Solitaire 4 suits online for free — the full classic challenge with all four suits. Hints, undo, and no signup required.

FreeCell Solitaire

Play FreeCell solitaire online for free. All 52 cards are face up from the first move — pure planning with hints, undo, and no download.

Pyramid Solitaire

Play Pyramid Solitaire free online. Pair cards that sum to 13 and clear the pyramid — no download required.

TriPeaks Solitaire

Play TriPeaks Solitaire online for free. Clear three peaks by playing cards one rank higher or lower than the waste pile.

Golf Solitaire

Play Golf Solitaire free online. Remove cards one rank higher or lower than the waste pile — quick rounds, no download.

Yukon Solitaire

Play Yukon Solitaire online for free. Like Klondike with all cards face up and flexible stack moves.

Scorpion Solitaire

Play Scorpion Solitaire free online. Build down in suit and clear the tableau — no download required.

Canfield Solitaire

Play Canfield Solitaire online for free. Use the reserve pile and build foundations from a shared base card.

Forty Thieves Solitaire

Play Forty Thieves Solitaire free online. Two decks, ten columns, build down in suit.

Clock Solitaire

Play Clock Solitaire online for free. Reveal all cards before the fourth king appears in the center.

Monte Carlo Solitaire

Play Monte Carlo Solitaire free online. Match pairs of the same rank and clear the grid.

Detailed rules by game

Klondike (Turn 1)

Klondike Turn 1 is the easiest way to play solitaire online — move all cards to four foundation piles, Ace to King by suit. One card is drawn from stock at a time, so more cards stay accessible than the classic three-card draw.

  • Tableau Seven columns where most play happens
  • Stock Face-down draw pile — one card per click
  • Waste Face-up cards drawn from stock
  • Foundation Four suit piles built Ace → King

Build tableau columns in descending rank with alternating colors. Click to select, then click a destination. Double-click to auto-move to foundation.

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Klondike (Turn 3)

Klondike Turn 3 is the classic solitaire card game most people know from Windows — move all cards to four foundations, Ace to King by suit. Three cards are drawn from stock at a time for a tougher challenge.

  • Tableau Seven columns where most play happens
  • Stock Face-down draw pile
  • Waste Face-up cards drawn from stock
  • Foundation Four suit piles built Ace → King

Build tableau columns in descending rank with alternating colors. Click to select, then click a destination. Double-click to auto-move to foundation.

Play now →
Spider (1 Suit)

Spider Solitaire 1 suit is the easiest Spider variant — build complete descending sequences from King to Ace in a single suit. When a full run is formed, it is removed automatically. Clear all cards to win.

  • Tableau Ten columns of stacked cards
  • Stock Deal ten cards (one per column) when no moves remain
  • Sequences Build down in suit — only same-suit runs can move together

Empty columns are valuable — use them to rearrange partial sequences. Focus on uncovering face-down cards early.

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Spider (2 Suits)

Spider Solitaire 2 suits adds a second suit to the tableau — build descending same-suit sequences from King to Ace. Completed runs are removed. Clear every card to win.

  • Tableau Ten columns with mixed suits
  • Stock Deal one card to each column when stuck
  • Sequences Only same-suit descending runs move as a group

Plan suit separation before moving stacks. Create empty columns to maneuver longer sequences.

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Spider (4 Suits)

Spider Solitaire 4 suits is the full classic challenge — build King-to-Ace sequences in each of four suits across ten columns. Complete sequences vanish. Remove every card to win.

  • Tableau Ten columns, four suits mixed
  • Stock Deal ten cards when no useful moves exist
  • Sequences Descending runs must stay in one suit to move

Avoid burying low cards under mismatched suits. Empty columns are critical for sorting mixed stacks.

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FreeCell

FreeCell solitaire is a skill-based card game — move all cards to four foundations Ace to King by suit. All 52 cards start face up, so wins depend on planning, not luck after the deal.

  • Tableau Eight columns built down, alternating colors
  • Free Cells Four temporary holding slots for single cards
  • Foundation Four suit piles from Ace to King

Use free cells sparingly — each occupied cell limits how many cards you can move at once. Plan several moves ahead.

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Pyramid

Remove pairs of exposed cards that sum to 13. Kings count as 13 alone. Clear the entire pyramid to win.

  • Pyramid 28 cards in seven overlapping rows
  • Stock Draw cards one at a time when no pyramid pair exists
  • Waste The current drawn card — pair it with an exposed pyramid card

Work from the bottom rows to unlock cards above. Save Kings and Queens for when they are truly needed.

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TriPeaks

Clear three peaks by playing cards one rank higher or lower than the waste pile top. Move through the stock when stuck. Remove every peak card to win.

  • Peaks Three overlapping pyramids of face-up cards
  • Stock Draw the next waste card when no peak card matches
  • Waste Active card — play any exposed peak card ±1 rank

Long streaks score bonus points. Look ahead for moves that unlock multiple cards underneath.

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Golf

Clear the seven-by-five grid by playing cards one rank higher or lower onto the waste pile. Empty the tableau to win.

  • Tableau 35 face-up cards in seven columns
  • Stock Draw a new waste card when no tableau card matches
  • Waste Play matching cards ±1 rank from any column top

Choose moves that expose buried cards. Avoid draining stock too quickly — each draw is a precious resource.

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Yukon

Like Klondike, but all cards are dealt face up and any face-up card can move with its stack — not just the deepest run.

  • Tableau Seven columns, all cards visible
  • Foundation Four suit piles Ace → King
  • No Stock Every card is on the tableau at the start

Move any face-up card (and everything on top of it) to another column if it fits descending alternating colors.

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Scorpion

Build four King-to-Ace sequences in suit on the tableau. Deal three stock cards at a time when stuck. Form all four complete sequences to win.

  • Tableau Seven columns — build down in the same suit
  • Stock Three cards dealt to the leftmost columns
  • Sequences Any face-up card and its stack can move together

Same-suit descending builds allow moving groups. Empty columns accept Kings only.

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Canfield

Use the reserve pile, four tableau columns, and stock to build four foundations — all starting from the same base rank revealed by the reserve top card.

  • Reserve 13 cards — only the top card is playable
  • Foundations Build up in suit from the shared base rank
  • Tableau Four columns built down, alternating colors
  • Stock & Waste Draw one card at a time from stock

Watch the base rank on empty foundations. The reserve feeds the tableau — empty columns are essential.

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Forty Thieves

Two decks, ten tableau columns, four foundations. Build tableau down in the same suit; build foundations up in suit from Ace to King.

  • Tableau Ten columns — descending same-suit only
  • Stock One card drawn at a time to waste
  • Foundation Eight piles (two per suit) Ace → King

Only one card moves at a time on the tableau. Prioritize freeing buried cards and empty columns.

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Clock

Twelve piles ring the clock face, plus a center pile. Reveal the top card of the current pile and place it face up on the pile matching its rank. Win by turning every card face up before the fourth King lands in the center.

  • Clock piles Twelve piles for ranks Ace through Queen
  • Center Kings go here — four Kings ends the game
  • Stock Cards move automatically to their rank pile

There is little strategy — mostly luck. Watch the center King count; the fourth King means defeat.

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Monte Carlo

Match pairs of the same rank among adjacent cards (including diagonally). Removed pairs leave gaps; remaining cards shift together. Clear the entire grid to win.

  • Grid Face-up cards in rows — find matching ranks
  • Adjacency Pairs must touch horizontally, vertically, or diagonally
  • Compaction Cards shift left and up after each removal

Scan for matches that unlock new adjacencies after compaction. Work from crowded areas first.

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