Types of Solitaire: Klondike, Spider, FreeCell and More
Updated
Most types of solitaire belong to one of two families. In building games such as Klondike, Spider and FreeCell, you sort the deck into ordered runs; in clearing games such as Pyramid, TriPeaks and Golf, you take cards off a layout by pairing or counting. If you are new, Golf and TriPeaks are the quickest to learn, and FreeCell is the one you can almost always win.
The six types at a glance
Each game below uses one ordinary 52-card deck, except Spider, which uses two.
| Game | Goal | Key rule |
|---|---|---|
| Klondike | Move all 52 cards to four foundations, ace to king by suit | Build down in alternating colors; only a king fills an empty column |
| Spider | Build eight runs from king to ace in one suit | Any card goes on one rank higher, but only same-suit runs move together |
| FreeCell | Move all 52 cards to four foundations | Every card is face up; four free cells hold one card each |
| Pyramid | Clear the 28-card pyramid | Remove two uncovered cards that add up to 13; a king goes alone |
| TriPeaks | Clear three peaks of cards | Play a card one rank higher or lower than the waste card, any suit |
| Golf | Clear seven columns of five cards | The same one-higher-or-lower rule, but nothing goes on a king |
These are the classic rules. Browser versions often add options, so check each game's own instructions.
Building games: Klondike, Spider and FreeCell
In these three you build columns down in rank in the tableau, the main area of the table, and finish with complete runs. They differ in what you can see and what you can move.
Klondike
Seven columns hold 28 cards, 21 of them face down, and the other 24 cards wait in the stock. You build down in alternating colors and move each suit to its foundation from ace to king.
The challenge is hidden information: you never know what sits under a face-down card. The full rules, plus draw 1 versus draw 3, are in how to play solitaire.
Spider
Spider uses two decks, 104 cards, dealt into ten columns. You may put any card on a card one rank higher, but you can only move a group of cards together when they are all the same suit. A full run from king down to ace in one suit leaves the table, and clearing all eight runs wins.
When you run out of moves, you deal one card from the stock onto every column. The number of suits sets the difficulty: one suit is gentle, four suits is the classic game. Spider solitaire rules covers all three levels.
FreeCell
FreeCell deals the whole deck face up into eight columns, so nothing is hidden. You build down in alternating colors, and four free cells each hold a single card while you rearrange. Strictly you move one card at a time, though computer versions often move a whole run for you when there is room.
Because you see everything, FreeCell is about planning. Wikipedia's FreeCell article estimates that about 99.999 percent of deals can be solved. Solitaire Freecell Frenzy plays the standard rules: four foundations from ace to king, alternating colors in the tableau and four free cells.
Clearing games: Pyramid, TriPeaks and Golf
These games skip the long building. You take cards off a layout onto one pile, and the question on every move is which card to take first.
Pyramid
Twenty-eight cards form a pyramid of seven rows, each row overlapping the one above. You remove two uncovered cards whose values add up to 13. An ace counts 1, a jack 11, a queen 12 and a king 13, so a king goes on its own. Cards from the stock and the waste pile can pair with uncovered pyramid cards.
Under the strictest rules, with one pass through the stock, only about one game in 50 is won, according to Wikipedia's Pyramid article. Easier versions allow redeals or count a win once the pyramid itself is clear.
TriPeaks
TriPeaks lays out three peaks of face-down cards above a face-up row of ten. You move a card to the waste pile if it is one rank higher or lower than the waste's top card, in any suit, and chain as long a run as you can, such as 7, 8, 9, 8, 7. Cards turn face up as the cards covering them leave. When the chain stops, you turn a card from the stock.
Some versions let the run wrap from king to ace. In Solitaire Story - Tripeaks the example run is ace, 2, 3, 2, ace, king, queen, jack.
Golf
Golf deals seven face-up columns of five cards and one card to start the foundation. You play the bottom card of any column onto the foundation if it is one rank higher or lower, any suit. In strict Golf nothing goes on a king and there is no wrap from king to ace, which makes it harder than it looks.
With every card visible, Golf rewards planning a long chain before you start. Fairway Solitaire asks you to win as many rounds of golf solitaire as you can by removing all the cards from the grid.
Which solitaire is easiest?
It depends on whether you mean easiest to learn or easiest to win.
| If you want | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The shortest rulebook | Golf or TriPeaks | One rule: one rank higher or lower, any suit |
| The highest chance to win | FreeCell | All cards face up, and almost every deal can be solved |
| A gentle start with long games | Spider, one suit | Every run you build can move and be completed |
| The classic | Klondike, draw 1 | Familiar rules, and you see every stock card on each pass |
| A real challenge | Spider, four suits | Runs break at every suit change |
Pyramid looks the simplest of all, but under strict rules it is mostly luck.
Play these solitaires in your browser
Solitaire The Collection holds 33 variants, among them Klondike with draw one or three, Spider with one, two or four suits, FreeCell, Pyramid, Tri Peaks and Golf. Solitaire 8 Collection puts Klondike, Spider, FreeCell, TriPeaks, Pyramid, Golf, Yukon and Scorpion in one place, with free hints and unlimited undo.
For one type at a time, The Spider Solitaire has one, two or four suits, and Solitaire Grand Harvest is built on TriPeaks levels worth up to three stars each. Black Hole Solitaire plays close to Tri Peaks and Golf: you move every card to the black hole by counting up or down.
More card and tile games are in the puzzles category.
Common questions about solitaire types
What is the most common type of solitaire?
Klondike. In the US and Canada, solitaire with no other name usually means Klondike.
Which solitaire games use two decks?
Spider is one of the more popular two-deck solitaires, with 104 cards. Solitaire The Collection also lists Double Klondike among its modes.
Is FreeCell easier than Klondike?
It is easier to win, because no card is hidden and almost every deal has a solution. It is not easier to play well: you need to plan several moves ahead and keep free cells open.
What is the difference between TriPeaks and Golf?
Both use the one-higher-or-lower rule. TriPeaks hides most of its cards face down in three peaks, while Golf shows every card from the start, and strict Golf never lets you play on a king.
Learn one game from each family, and every other solitaire you meet will feel like a variation on it.
